A REDDITCH carer has made a legal claim for sex discrimination after complaining a woman management member told her to “Cheer up and put a smile on her face."

When Birmingham Employment Tribunal judge Thomas Coghlin suggested the remarks sounded more like compassion, Samantha Young replied: "It was arrogance because she did not approach me in a normal friendly manner.

"We were working in a close environment and I was having a very stressful day. My head was all over the place."

Mrs Young of Lakeside, Redditch, was seeking tribunal approval at a preliminary hearing to go ahead with her sex discrimination claim against the care agency of Caring People, Prospect Hill, Redditch.

Mrs Young who had been employed by the respondents for more than two years, alleged her intelligence was insulted and that she was intimidated and that the management were malicious and offensive.

She also complained her salary had been reduced and that she not been given an opportunity to check her wages with her working hours.

Mrs Young made further allegations under the working time regulations.

She complained that her working hours had been changed and that she had not been allowed a normal lunch break.

She accused the management of not being interested in considering her grievances and said there had been a breach of confidence.

The respondents denied the allegations and objected against the hearing going ahead.

They also complained that some of the claims had been registered with the tribunal past its three month deadline.

At one stage Mr Coghlin told Mrs Young that she was not being specific about her allegations.

Mr Coghlin said he would decide at a later date whether Mrs Young could go ahead with her case at a full tribunal hearing later this year.