A POLISH man who claims he was racially abused by colleagues at the job centre where he worked days after the UK voted for Brexit has launched a legal action against the Department for Work and Pensions.

Szymon Sikorski, who has lived in Scotland for eight years, alleges he was told “British people can’t get jobs because of you f***ers”. He claims he was also teased about his accent and derogatory comments were made when he confirmed his girlfriend, Kate Maclennan, was Scottish.

The couple are now considering leaving Scotland because Sikorski feels “unwelcome”.

The 31-year-old, from Suwa?ki in north east Poland, was three days into a new job as a work coach at Jobcentre Plus in Hamilton when he was allegedly targeted by two people who worked there.

Sikorski raised a grievance but claims the DWP did not deal with it properly and did not retain CCTV evidence of the incident on August 3, which he said lasted 30 minutes. The dispute will be the subject of an employment tribunal this month.

Sikorski is a classically trained violinist and studied music technology at the University of West of Scotland (UWS) before achieving a masters in the subject and lecturing at UWS.

He said: “I remember the day I arrived in Glasgow, with my violin and suitcase. It was a Saturday night with parties going on all around me and limousines driving around. It was quite different from the small town where I grew up, but I liked it.”

When his contract at UWS ended, Sikorski began tutoring but he needed more secure work and applied to the Department for Work and Pensions.

Maclennan, who lives with Sikorski in Stonehouse, South Lanarkshire, said: “Szymon was identified as an enthusiastic candidate with great potential at his interview, but was subjected to racist abuse just days after he walked through the door of Hamilton Job Centre. The incident was basically brushed under the carpet.”

Sikorski said: “I am great believer in Scotland and I went to work there with the thought that I could serve the people of Scotland and make a small change to society.”

On his third day in the job he claims he was rounded on in the foyer by two colleagues. Sikorski said: “They were demanding that I tell them how I got the job. They asked where I was from. I told them Stonehouse. They said they wanted to know where I was originally from.

“When I said I’m Polish they said British people can’t find jobs because of you f**kers. I was shocked. I was staring at the door, hoping they’d leave me alone, but they kept making jokes about my accent and asking me questions. It went on for half an hour.

“I love Scottish banter but this was not Scottish banter. When I got home I was absolutely shattered.”

Maclennan added: “He was very upset. He couldn’t eat anything. He couldn’t sleep.”

Sikorski complained about his treatment but, after months of meetings with DWP staff, the matter was unresolved and his health deteriorated.

He said: “I’d had enough. I quit. That was the doctor’s advice. I was very depressed. They said if I spent any more time in that office it would make me worse. I handed in a letter of resignation and was escorted to the door by my manager.”

The DWP later wrote to Sikorski to say his complaints were not upheld because the allegations were not corroborated by an independent witness. An employment tribunal is scheduled for later this month.

Sikorski said: “It’s my time to speak out because I was silent for so long. I definitely don’t want to settle. I’m not after the money.”

Maclennan, who is representing Sikorski, said: “Because Szymon worked at the DWP for less than two years he has no legal right to constructive dismissal so we are pursuing discrimination, victimisation and harassment at the tribunal.

“We called a few lawyers but no-one wanted to take on the DWP because they said they’d hire some of the best lawyers in Scotland. I don’t know all of the laws but I will try my best and I’m not scared of their lawyers.”

Win or lose, the couple may not stay in Scotland. He and Maclennan are considering a move to the Republic of Ireland so that they can remain in the EU after Brexit.

Sikorski, who campaigned for Scottish independence, taking part in door-knocking drives for Yes Scotland, said: “I’m afraid to speak to people now. I’m afraid to say I’m Polish. I don’t know what they will say. I don’t know if they will judge me. I’m afraid to be myself. To some degree I feel unwelcome. I never experienced anything like this before the UK voted for Brexit.

“I want to be part of this country, I want to be useful. I know that the First Minister welcomes EU citizens but there is a large number of people in Scotland who don’t want us here.”

Maclennan added: “Legal points aside, this racism experience has profoundly affected Szymon’s faith in Scotland as a country … it saddens me that a man who believed in Scotland – so much so that he campaigned industriously for the Yes vote – now no longer has a place here.”

A spokeswoman for the DWP said they will not comment until after the tribunal.

THERESA MAY'S RACISM AUDIT MUST LOOK AT INCIDENTS INVOLVING EU MIGRANTS EMPLOYED BY CIVIL SERVICE

Kate Maclennan has urged the government to assess the number of racist incidents against EU migrants it employs as part of a wider audit aimed at uncovering discrimination.

In August, Prime Minister Theresa May ordered a review into how ethnic minorities are treated by public services after a report by The Equality and Human Rights Commission found racial inequality remained “entrenched” in Britain.

The audit is aimed at highlighting racial and socio-economic disparities and showing how outcomes differ due to background, class, gender and income.

May ordered government departments to identify and publish details of the varying experiences and outcomes of different groups when using public services.

Maclennan said: “I asked how many Poles are employed by DWP in a freedom of information (FOI) request, but they couldn’t give me figure.

“I was having a look at the methodology of Theresa May’s audit and I am not convinced they even capture the data on how many Poles work for them. Their quantitative methodology seems somewhat opaque, which I think lends itself to hiding racism against EU migrants in the civil service.”

Responding to the FOI request, the DWP said: “Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the civil service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose.

“The Department for Work and Pensions’ Human Resources central Resource Management systems capture some information on nationality. However, as this information is not mandatory, the information is not robust enough to enable accurate or meaningful reporting.”