The number of employment tribunal cases brought by workers suing their bosses over alleged discrimination or harassment dismissed as 'banter' rose by 44 per cent last year.
The figures, uncovered by London employment law firm GQ Littler, show the question of what constitutes merely teasing or harmful bullying is increasingly a matter for judges.
Legal battles are particularly common for remarks that touch upon legally protected characteristics such as a someone's race, nationality, age or sex.
Sikh office worker Kieran Sidhu, 36, sued his employers after a sustained campaign of racist abuse by colleagues. He told a tribunal they considered their abusive comments 'funny'
The number of cases in which workplace banter was cited rose from 67 in 2020 to 97 in 2021, the Financial Times reported, citing GQ Littler's research.
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Sikh office worker Kieran Sidhu, 36, is among those who have filed lawsuits against their employers.
He is seeking 6.6million in damages after being mocked as an 'Arab shoe bomber' in a sustained campaign of racist abuse excused that his colleagues 'thought was funny'.
The British-born salesman, who is of Scottish and Indian descent, was told he was the 'only ethnic on the team', and called a 'temperamental Syrian immigrant' who was 'f***ing for Isis'.
He has already won claims of race discrimination, racial harassment and constructive dismissal against tech company Exertis.
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