It is not in my nature to be horrible." Ms Percy said she was not given the chance to tell Mr Oates she intended to return to work after she had found somebody to look after her son. Yesterday, Ms Percy, 35, from Baguley, Greater Manchester, said she hoped her victory would encourage other mothers to return to the workplace. "There is this legislation to protect people and I hope mothers who work will feel more secure in their jobs," she said.Her solicitor, John Cook, said three similar claims had been lodged in different parts of the country but this was the first ruling under the new laws."This sends an important message to employers, who need to realise this protection is there from day one," he said. "It is a very significant ruling in terms of employee protection." Two weeks before Ms Percy's dismissal she had been 30 minutes late for work because she had to find alternative childcare arrangements for her son when he wasn't well enough to go into school.But she denied the firm's claims that she was dismissed because of her poor work and attitude. The firm also claimed she was "impolite, insensitive, and had an attitude problem". They say an appraisal sheet on her ability and attendance scored very low and described her as "the Kiss of Death".Ms Percy said yesterday: "I took a break from work for six years after Tom was born so it took courage to go back to full-time employment This was a smack in the face when it came.
It is inevitable with children at school that situations like this will arise I don't think people will take advantage of the law Most working parents want to do well in their jobs. I don't think it means employers should worry about working parents taking lots of time off."The tribunal said in their written decision: "The applicant had to take time off to assist her dependent child who had fallen ill. She had told her employer the reasons for the absence, and as far as she knew it, how long she would be off."The applicant was dismissed because she availed herself of her right to take time off to assist her sick dependent son. The applicant was therefore unfairly dismissed."The tribunal will decide how much Ms Percy gets to compensate for lost earnings, but her lawyers said this would be "minimal" because she had found another job immediately.. The Culture Secretary Chris Smith today defended the decision to let Camelot run the National Lottery for seven more years. The Culture Secretary Chris Smith today defended the decision to let Camelot run the National Lottery for seven more years. He denied the decision meant the Government had failed in a pledge.
He said on BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the manifesto had promised only to seek a not-for-profit operator, not to install one.The decision had to be tested in open competition with other bids. "That was absolutely the right way of going about it - a competition with the paramount need to ensure that whichever company got the lottery was going to raise the most for the good causes."That was the paramount consideration. We always said that."He was not entirely happy with the decision-making process, and said: "I think anyone looking back over the last five or six months has to ask whether this is the right way to make a decision between two rival bidders for a major lottery franchise."Once the dust has settled, I think we are going to have to have a look, speak to everyone involved and ask if we can come up with a better process the next time."He also stressed: "We now have a final decision by the Lottery Commission. There was no political or ministerial interference in that decision, nor should there have been."Sir Richard was today flying out of the country for a family Christmas holiday and it might be the New Year before The People's Lottery announces whether it will launch a final legal appeal.. Protesters who have taken control of two passenger pods on the London Eye are threatening to set themselves on fire. Protesters who have taken control of two passenger pods on the London Eye are threatening to set themselves on fire. It is believed the 22 people are Kurdish and protesting at the plight of political prisoners in Turkish jails.The wheel, on the south side ot the Thames opposite Parliament, has been largely motionless since the protest started at about 3pm.Police have cordoned off the area around the base of the wheel and are in negotiations with the protesters.Other Kurdish protesters are thought to have also entered the London offices of the European Commission.. Two men and a women were in custody last night on suspicion of killing a police officer who was dragged 50 yards in a collision with a car.
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