A gay steward at a working men's club whose boss called him a "drama queen" has won more than £18,000 in a discrimination claim.
Michael Hollingworth was treated "drastically" differently by the venue's manager after he came out to him, an employment tribunal heard.
On the very same day he told him he was gay, his boss, Ian Ellis, contacted another employee to ask if she would like his job at the Staincliffe Sports and Social Club, in Batley, West Yorkshire.
When Mr Hollingworth asked if he could have the number of the woman offered the role, Mr Ellis refused, saying it would violate data protection and called him a "drama queen".
The following month, the tribunal heard he was fired over a discrepancy in the club's banking.
Mr Hollingworth then successfully sued for sexual orientation discrimination and harassment with the club being ordered to pay him £18,641 in compensation.
The tribunal, held in Leeds, was told Mr Hollingworth began as Club Steward in September 2021, taking over from his boyfriend Joe Pickford.
On February 4 2022, he said he told Mr Ellis he was gay to which his boss allegedly responded: "I am not sure this is going to work in a Sports and Social Club."
The steward said the "way he was treated by Ian Ellis changed drastically" from then on.
The tribunal heard Mr Ellis immediately offered someone else Mr Hollingworth's job.
He said he was also told by a committee member that Mr Ellis had asked if she knew anyone looking for a steward's job, and she told him to "watch his back".
The tribunal heard that three days later he called him a "drama queen", a claim Mr Ellis denied.
On February 28, Mr Hollingworth said Mrs Ellis "shouted" at him about a discrepancy in the club's safe, and was told he was dismissed.
Mr Ellis denied discriminating against the steward and told the tribunal it was "common knowledge" he was gay.
Employment Judge Jim Shepherd ruled that Mr Hollingworth had been fired not for the issue with missing money but because he was gay.
"The Tribunal accepts there were no performance issues raised throughout [his] employment before [he] openly disclosed his sexual orientation.
"[He] has established facts from which the Tribunal could conclude that [his] dismissal was less favourable treatment on grounds of sexual orientation."
Of the "drama queen" comment, the judge said: "The Tribunal is satisfied Mr Ellis did use this phrase towards [Mr Hollingworth]. It could be seen as a relatively harmless expression in some contexts.
"However, it was said to [Mr Hollingworth] after he had openly revealed his sexual orientation.
"It was unwanted conduct which had the purpose or effect of violating [Mr Hollingworth's] dignity and creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for him."
