"While employed as a bookkeeper at a civil engineering company in Leeds, Bernadette Hayes, who was 55 at the time, faced a hostile, humiliating, and offensive environment due to comments made about her race by her employer Mick Atkins, employment judges ruled. Mr Atkins, the company director at West Leeds Civils Ltd, would shout potato at her in a strong Irish accent over and over again, as well as using language like paddy, stupid paddy and p*key in front of her, the tribunal was told."
"Ms Hayes described the behaviour, which took place over six months from the end of 2023, as making me feel like I have suffered a death by 1,000 cuts. The tribunal heard Mr Atkins had previously occasionally made reference to her race, but that his behaviour ramped up after another man, Marcus Smith, joined the company."
Bernadette Hayes, a 55-year-old bookkeeper at West Leeds Civils Ltd in Leeds, received a £23,000 harassment settlement after employment judges ruled she endured a hostile and humiliating work environment. Her employer, company director Mick Atkins, repeatedly shouted potato at her in a strong Irish accent during disagreements, alongside using derogatory terms including paddy, stupid paddy, and p*key. The discriminatory behavior escalated over six months beginning in late 2023, particularly after another employee joined the company. Hayes described the sustained harassment as making her feel like she suffered a death by 1,000 cuts, causing her physical distress when attending work. The tribunal determined the conduct constituted race-based harassment and discrimination.
Read at www.independent.co.uk
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