Tesco has settled a sexual harassment and victimization claim for £45,000 made by a Dotcom Personal Shopper for the company who has remained unnamed due to privacy reasons. Although the case was resolved without admission of liability, the claim was linked to physical touching and “inappropriate messages”. The victim had filed a grievance, but her colleague continued to work alongside her despite Tesco’s assurances that retraining or relocation to another department or store would occur.
The former worker decided to resign from her position because of her experiences at Tesco where, following the filing of the complaint, she felt she was then “victimised and treated unfairly” by more senior personnel. The individual claims that she was constantly criticised over minor work issues and ignored.
In response to the claim, Tesco has officially apologised for how the victim’s “concerns were handled in this store” and has promised to liaise with the Equality Commission to review all the procedures of the company on harassment. Meanwhile, the NI Equality Commission reaffirmed its commitment to equality of opportunity, and recommended policies and procedures for specific situations, such as those that may arise as a result of harassment.
Geraldine McGahey, Chief Commissioner at the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, highlighted that sex discrimination laws are still as crucial today as they were when they were first introduced, and everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect at work. Employers have essential policies in place to manage these situations appropriately, and their managers should receive appropriate training to keep up-to-date with developments in legal expectations
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