A UK woman has been awarded nearly £28,989.61 (MYR 180,000) in compensation after being compared to Darth Vader during a workplace personality quiz — a comment that a judge deemed “insulting.”
Lorna Rooke, who worked as a training and practice supervisor for the NHS Blood and Transplant service, was the subject of a team-building exercise that assigned “Star Wars” characters to employees based on psychological traits. Though she didn’t complete the quiz herself, a colleague filled it out on her behalf — and announced that Rooke’s personality matched Darth Vader.
While the Sith Lord was described in the exercise as “very focused” and capable of boosting team performance, the employment tribunal saw the comparison differently. Employment judge Kathryn Ramsden said linking someone to “a legendary villain” known for “force-choking underlings” was damaging to Rooke’s reputation in the workplace.
Rooke said the label made her unpopular among colleagues and was a factor in her decision to leave the job a month later. While the tribunal didn’t rule that the incident caused her resignation, it acknowledged the episode as a “detriment” — legal recognition of harm — and awarded her £28,989.61 (MYR 180,000).
This isn’t the first unusual workplace case to result in compensation. In 2022, a Frenchman was awarded damages after being fired for being “too boring” when he refused to partake in a company culture of heavy drinking and inappropriate behavior.
Source: New York Post
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