Telling a female colleague she dresses conservatively compared to others can be interpreted as a slur, and could be seen as sexual harassment, an employment tribunal has ruled.
The tribunal heard that during a company night out in London, Jessie Danquah, who worked for the oil and gas company Shell, repeatedly told colleague Naima Masud that she dressed conservatively, referring to her “personality and hijab”, according to tribunal documentation published last Tuesday (5 August). The remark was made on 8 September 2022.
On the same night, Danquah allegedly stated that he “knew what girls like [Masud] are like” and that she makes “eyes at all the guys at work”.
After an investigation, Danquah was emailed a letter of dismissal on 2 December 2022.
Danquah tried and failed to sue his employer for unfair dismissal. Among his 11 claims was that he was discriminated against due to his “philosophical belief in modesty”.
Employment judge Adam Leith dismissed all of Danquah's claims, but explained that describing a colleague as "conservative" could be seen as a synonym for "frumpy" and that such a remark by a male employee could be seen as objectifying a coworker. "The conduct that [Danquah] himself admitted to was at least arguably capable of constituting harassment," the judge stated.
Comments like Danquah's are often dismissed as “harmless banter” or “just part of the workplace culture”, but a casual attitude ignores the harmful impact that such language can have on individuals,...
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