TWO women who discovered they were being made redundant after reading a leaked memo have won their case for unfair dismissal.

Jocelyn Loader and Alison Musk also claimed sexual discrimination against their former employers at Worthing Council but the charge was thrown out by an industrial tribunal in Brighton.

Mrs Loader, who has since found a new job, was awarded a total of £255 compensation.

Mrs Musk received £6,390.50 for loss of earnings since the redundancy.

The tribunal heard how the two media consultants had been distraught after Mrs Musk found the memo on her desk saying their jobs were on the line due to cost-cutting.

Mrs Loader, 35, of Kings Walk, Shoreham Beach, claimed that between meeting their bosses, Leslie Crane and Keith Eales, in November, 1998, and the termination of their employment a month later they were not offered any alternative employment.

Mr Crane and Mr Eales told the tribunal the women were made redundant because there was no longer enough work for them, and because they had not been effective at dealing with sensitive media issues.

Mrs Musk, from Felpham, said: "I take offence at the remark that we had limited success in our work."

The tribunal concluded that the way the council handled the case was "deplorable" and showed incompetent management.

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