Eighty-two people who used to work at Standard Chartered Bank just sued their former employer. The group includes Ebrima Jatta, Musu Badjie, and many others who want money after losing their jobs. They filed papers at the High Court in Banjul asking for severance pay they believe the bank owes them. These former workers say Standard Chartered broke their employment agreements when it fired them ahead of selling the business.
The court case claims the bank refused to pay what legal rules require for laid-off workers. These former employees told the judge they support over 57 partners and 124 children who depend on their income. They explained how Standard Chartered kept them in the dark about sale details for more than a year without talking to them about what would happen to their positions.
According to the lawsuit, Standard Chartered recently forced some workers to start working at Access Bank against the rules in their job contracts. The former staff pointed out that Standard Chartered had done something similar before, mentioning how the bank left Zimbabwe and abandoned workers without paying what they were owed. They brought this up as evidence of a pattern.
During the Thursday hearing, Justice Sonia Akinbinyi made a strong statement. She warned everyone that any attempts to sell the bank or change things before the case ends would count as disobeying the court. Both sides must return to face the judge again on March 24, 2025. The former employees hope the court will protect their rights before Standard Chartered can finalize its plans to sell the Gambian branch.
The court case claims the bank refused to pay what legal rules require for laid-off workers. These former employees told the judge they support over 57 partners and 124 children who depend on their income. They explained how Standard Chartered kept them in the dark about sale details for more than a year without talking to them about what would happen to their positions.
According to the lawsuit, Standard Chartered recently forced some workers to start working at Access Bank against the rules in their job contracts. The former staff pointed out that Standard Chartered had done something similar before, mentioning how the bank left Zimbabwe and abandoned workers without paying what they were owed. They brought this up as evidence of a pattern.
During the Thursday hearing, Justice Sonia Akinbinyi made a strong statement. She warned everyone that any attempts to sell the bank or change things before the case ends would count as disobeying the court. Both sides must return to face the judge again on March 24, 2025. The former employees hope the court will protect their rights before Standard Chartered can finalize its plans to sell the Gambian branch.
