He even sent potato in a WhatsApp exchange
A bookkeeper from Leeds has won more than £23,000 after an employment tribunal found she had been racially harassed.
And that’s because her boss repeatedly shouted the world “potato” at her “in a strong Irish accent”.
Bernadette Hayes, an Irish bookkeeper, said that while working for engineering company West Leeds Civils in Holbeck, she suffered “a death by 1,000 cuts”.
She said that between December 2023 and June 2024, the firm’s director, Mick Atkins, also used the terms “paddy”, “stupid paddy” and “pikey”.
Before awarding the claimant £20,735.91 and ordering the business to give her four weeks’ pay, amounting to £2,800, a judge ruled that the “offensive and humiliating” phrases are “overtly linked to race”.
“Throughout my time at West Leeds Civils, Mr Atkins did make occasional comments about me being Irish. Most in gest (sic), and whilst I knew it was wrong, I tried to accept it as humour”, Hayes said, outlining her claim.
“If we had a disagreement, he would shout ‘potato’ in a strong Irish accent over and over again. He done this in front of other members of staff. He would shout ‘potato’ as soon as he walked in the office without me having even spoke to him”, Hayes continued.
The bookkeeper, who was 55 at the time, added that “this totally eroded my self-respect and my self-esteem. It made me feel small, insecure, violated and extremely anxious. It also made me feel embarrassed.
“I had a huge change in my personal circumstances and I needed my job. I felt trapped and this added to my anxiety. I used to remain quiet so as not to draw attention to myself but even this did not work. He even sent potato in a WhatsApp exchange.”
“Mr Atkins further called me a gypsy/traveller due to my Irish heritage. He would constantly say that I was lusting after the travellers outside the office. I felt bullied and harassed by this.”
Hayes took sick leave in July 2024, messaging Mr Atkins: “I do want to leave, I am sorry.”
“Life is too short and I have been unhappy for some time, and it’s not fair on either of us to let that continue.”
“The last six months at this job has made me feel like I have suffered a death by 1,000 cuts”, she said in a document setting out her grievance.
She added: “Due to working in a hostile and toxic environment my GP signed me off work with work-related stress on 29th July 2024. This is after months of harassment and bullying.”
Ms Hayes was later dismissed from the company, while Mr Atkins told the Daily Mail that the proceedings were “nonsense from start to finish”.
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