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Sian Finn, now working in the Black Country, has taken Birmingham LGBT Ltd to West Midlands Employment Tribunal claiming she was unfairly dismissed in 2024 after being victimised by bullying managers. Miss Finn, 49, claims other employees left the organisation due to the poor leadership of director Steph Keeble. The organisation, which has recently opened a new centre on Hurst Street, Birmingham, receives taxpayer's cash to provide sexual health and counselling to LGBT communities as well as charging companies £700 a day for sexuality orientation courses. As a registered charity and limited company, Birmingham LGBT Ltd has secured funding from the police and local authorities as well as from donations, and other income streams. Miss Finn worked in the sexual health team between 2019 and 2024 and told the tribunal she was subjected to bullying and victimisation which left her with mental health issues. She claimed colleagues questioned her sexuality, choice of partners and she caught them joking behind her back during Pride in 2022. Miss Finn told the tribunal her 'paranoia' about being victimised in the organisation was confirmed when bungling bosses mistakenly sent her an email about her - to her. She said: "I was shocked and thought it was bizarre that at an organisation set up to fight for rights of those discriminated against had a workplace in which toxic conversations of a sexual nature were normalised." Miss Finn described how an employee called James Johnson, who eventually because her line manager, asked her about her partner's sexual behaviour and made questionable remarks about employing bisexual people. Miss Finn was suspended after refusing to take part in a debrief with Ms Keeble after an incident with a trans sex worker who visited the centre for help. She said: "A debrief is meant to be a safe space where anything can be raised, I felt Ms Keeble was very hostile to me and I would have felt comfortable in that situation. I would have been happy to attend a debrief with another senior manager." The tribunal, held at Centre City Tower, Birmingham, heard jibes were made about her partner. She said: "I thought it was very inappropriate." Birmingham LGBT'S barrister Michael Smith asked her why she did not complain about Mr Johnson when he was made her line manager, she said: "I was not given a say in it. I was told about his new position, he was also PA to Ms Keeble. "I had seen in the past how other employees who raised issues about management had been treated and it not end well for them. did not want to put my head above the parapet. Former LGBT Centre employee Stuart Payne gave evidence to the tribunal and said that he was discriminated against due to a disability. He said: "My mental health was effected by how I was managed. I had to leave a job I had previously enjoyed due to the aggressive management. And after I left when I applied for another job they sent my new employers confidential information about my disability, which I believe was done to wreck my chances of getting a new job which it nearly did." LGBT Centre director Steph Keeble and manager James Johnson are due to give evidence this week at the tribunal. Birmingham LGBT denies dismissing Miss Finn unfairly.
