The latest Equal Opportunities Review survey reveals that the amount of compensation awarded in discrimination cases reached a record, at just under £9m, in 2011, which includes one award of £4½m. News from Simons Muirhead & Burton Equal Opportunities Review’s survey of compensation awards in discrimination cases for 2011 (Issue 227 Michael Rubenstein Publishing) shows that awards were made in 226 cases, a dramatic drop on the 2010 figure of 391. This is explained by the decrease in the number of claims being made to the tribunals. Despite the fall, the overall amount awarded by employment tribunals in 2011 was £8,774,403, which is £3½m more than in 2010. However, this includes £4½m awarded in Michalak v The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust and almost £1m in Browne v Central Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. With the two large awards included, the average award is much higher than previous years, at £38,848, but excluding the two large awards, the figure is £15,130, which is higher than in 2010. The median figure, which is a better reflection of awards that are most likely to be made, is £7,518, which is lower than 2010 and the same as in 2009. Awards for injury to feelings totalled £1,370,578, much lower than in 2010, with an average award of £6,287, and a median of £5,000.

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