Sexual harrassment Northern Ireland: Woman awarded £90k in case supported by Equality Commission

The Equality Commission, which supported her case, is protecting her identity.The commission said that during a workplace meeting in 2021 she was told to stand up and turn round, and then slapped on the bottom with a ruler by one male manager in front of another.The manager who slapped her laughed and said, “I’m sorry, I had to”.The woman looked at the other male manager and asked, “Is that allowed?”Both the men treated it as a joke, and then told other employees about it.She reported it to her HR department and a more senior manager and then turned down an offer to meet the more senior manager and the offending manager in a coffee shop. The manager involved subsequently resigned.She raised a grievance, which took five weeks to come through. While it upheld her complaint she says it also contained untrue and disparaging comments.When the result of her appeal came through, her employer had alleged that she dressed and behaved in a provocative manner, which she vehemently denied.Chief Commissioner Geraldine McGahey said it was "a shocking story”.She added: “It is vital that women who seek help from their employer are not blamed for what happened to them. It is essential that concerns raised by any woman are treated seriously, to address the culture where this can happen, focus on how it was allowed to happen and make a practical and helpful response after the incident."As part of the settlement agreement, the employer is undertaking training with the commission.