Imelda Khan v. Farmers World

The applicant alleged that the respondent terminated her employment in violation of Section 57 (1) and (2) of the Employment Act, which respectively require that termination must be for a valid cause and only after the employee has had an opportunity to defend herself. In the course of her testimony, she described systemic racial discrimination, harassment, and sexual assault by her superiors in the workplace. The applicant alleged that women were frequently raped or indecently assaulted, but the employer never punished the perpetrators and there was no mechanism for complaint. The court, recognizing its lack of jurisdiction over the allegations of grave human rights abuses, used its discretionary authority to forward the decision to appropriate institutions, including the Office of the Ombudsman and the Human Rights Commission for public enquiries. This case demonstrates a non-judicial pathway for investigation into gender-based issues and the ability of the judiciary to put such efforts into motion.