Personal Injury Solicitors

A 34-year-old widow who was subjected to physical and sexual abuse by her manager at work has won a £30,000 compensation payout for sexual harassment.

The Daily Mail reports that recruitment manager Jennifer Newman – whose husband died in a car crash in 2009 – was “groped” by her boss, referred to as “proper top totty” in front of clients and was accused of dressing as someone “who works in a dubious establishment” after she had breast enlargement surgery.

The wife of her boss, Steve Hoad – of cleaning company Hydro Cleansing – also accused Mrs Newman of having an affair with her husband.

An employment tribunal in Croydon heard that Mr Hoad’s campaign of harassment began when Mrs Newman received an email from him, with an image depicting a woman in bondage clothing.

He then asked her if she had a similar outfit – and quipped to colleagues that the woman in the image looked like Mrs Newman, as colleagues of the mother-of-two laughed.

“I did not report this at the time as I was relatively new in my position – and I really needed this job due to my personal circumstance and did not wish to rock the boat,” Mrs Newman told the tribunal.

“I kind of hoped that after a while Steve would get bored of making such comments and sending offensive emails as time passed,” she added.

On another occasion, however, Mr Hoad threw a pen onto the floor in front of clients and asked Mrs Newman to pick it up. As she walked off, he commented to clients, “Look at that, proper top totty” as they laughed.

The employment tribunal heard that when Mrs Newman asked for an advance on her £32,000 salary to enable her to take her two daughters on holiday, Mr Hoad “groped” her buttock.

Mrs Newman told the tribunal:

“I felt absolutely violated, upset and demeaned. It was as though Steve felt that by asking for an advance on my salary it gave him the right to touch me.”

The loan facility was offered in her contract of employment, she told the tribunal.

Mrs Newman said that she reported Mr Hoad to human resources (HR) at the company; but the complaint she made as a protected disclosure was leaked to Mr Hoad’s wife, Carol, who also worked at the firm. Her complaint also became known to other employees at the company, despite UK employment law stipulating that employee complaints made as a protected disclosure must be treated confidentially.

Mrs Newman said she was scared to approach Mr Hoad herself in case he fired her – and did not know who to turn to.

Mrs Hoad also became hostile towards her, she told the tribunal – despite having been “cordial” towards her previously.

When she returned from a holiday in Cornwall with her daughters, Mrs Newman was told that she had been made redundant. Her representative told the employment tribunal:

“She had complained about Mr Hoad – who usually got away with behaving as he wished.

“They wanted her out – and she was pushed out of the company because of her rejection of behaviour by Mr Hoad.

“It began with comments and it ended with her dismissal.”

Mr Hoad and Hydro Cleansing did not send representatives to the tribunal and the panel unanimously upheld Mrs Newman’s claim.

She was awarded £29,525.06 in damages and Hydro Cleansing and Mr Hoad were ordered to pay her legal costs of £12,897.

Mrs Newman said that it was a relief that justice had prevailed.

“Hopefully it will be recognised that I’ve made a stand for lots of women out there, who are afraid to speak out.

“I took my problem to HR and they broke my confidence – people need to be protected,” she said.

Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Lawyers

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of personal injury lawyers and can advise on how to make a no win no fee claim for Sexual and Physical Abuse, including sexual harassment and sexual assault claims and the abuse of elderly or vulnerable individuals.

Compensation claims can be made for abuse in the home, sexual or physical abuse at school, in the workplace, in prison, the Armed Forces or in other institutions such as care homes, hospitals or at sports centres.

Duncan Lewis can also advise on making no win no fee compensation claims for historic cases of sex abuse, child sex abuse or physical abuse.

It is usual for a criminal conviction to be obtained before a claim can be made against the perpetrator.

In some cases of historic abuse, if the perpetrator is recently deceased, it may be possible to claim against the estate of an individual who committed sexual and/or physical abuse.

For expert legal advice on Sexual and Physical Abuse Claims, contact Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors on 020 7923 4020.