Strip-club owner Peter Stringfellow wins his appeal over whether a £200,000 a year stripper was an employee of his club.
Back in April 2012 we reported that the EAT had over turned the original ruling and had concluded that Nadine Quashie was an employee of Stringfellows Club and could therefore bring a claim of unfair dismissal. At the court hearing in December 2012 strip club owner Peter Stringfellow has overturned this ruling from April 2012 with the court now ruling Nadine Quashie was not an employee.The judgement concluded that the ruling in April 2012 was a ‘plain error’ that was ‘at odds with the evidence’.
Lord Justice Elias concluded ‘the critical question was whether the nature of those contractual obligations were such as to render it as a contract of employment. In my view, the most important finding in that regard was the tribunal’s inference from evidence that the employer was under no obligation to pay the dancer anything at all’. The judge therefore concluded that Nadine Quashie was not an employee of Stringfellows Club and as a result could not make a claim of unfair dismissal.
Nadine Quashie’s legal team maintains that her work for Stringfellows Club had the ‘hallmarks of an employment relationship – she was required to provide services in exchange for payment, mutual obligations between the parties and Stringfellows exerted a high level of control.’Quashie’s lawyer has commented that Nadine is considering an appeal to the Supreme Court. We will keep you updated with any developments.
