Hearts secretary sues club for sexual discrimination

A KEY member of backroom staff at Hearts FC has told an employment tribunal that she was "very upset" after having the terms of her contract changed when she came back from maternity leave.

Louise Mackenzie is suing the club for sexual discrimination, and yesterday told the tribunal that she had been the football secretary for the Premier League club since 2001, and went on maternity leave in January 2008.

When she returned on a part-time basis in September 2008, she discovered that she would no longer be working every home match day at Tynecastle. Previously in her full-time position this had been the case.

The 34-year-old, from Dalkeith, Midlothian, told the tribunal – led by employment judge Susan Craig –

that the situation had eventually been resolved through a formal grievance procedure.

But in May 2009 she said the problem was raised again, after she took a period of sick leave and on return was told that another member of staff would work match days as part of her core hours instead of extra hours.

The tribunal continues today.