When Donna Patterson took on one of the largest supermarkets in the UK, representing herself at an employment tribunal, she had no idea if she would win, let alone that the news of her story would go viral. She was driven by a sense of injustice, having been discriminated against after returning from maternity leave. Without a budget to pay for a lawyer, she learnt how to navigate an employment tribunal and the ins and outs of the UK equality law. She won her discrimination case in 2022 and is now determined to help other workers hold their employers to account – especially women and marginalised groups. Donna believes only by speaking out and challenging discriminatory practices that we can ever hope to change workplaces to reflect the diverse society we live in. Donna is the founder of Let’s Talk Work, an organisation which helps individuals ensure their rights at work are met. Donna founded Let’s Talk Work after she successfully won an employment tribunal claim against one of largest supermarkets in the UK, Morrisons, where she represented herself throughout the proceedings. Let’s Talk Work helps demystify employment tribunals, support people to have difficult conversations at work and drive change in how employers treat working parents. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
