A retail pharmacy has been found liable for failing to protect a former employee from sexual harassment by a male colleague. The company was ordered to pay €15,000 to the woman who endured a prolonged campaign of harassment, including inappropriate messages and unwanted advances.
A retail pharmacy has been ordered to pay €15,000 to a former employee after failing to adequately protect her from sexual harassment by a male colleague. The woman's ordeal began last year when the man gave her a Valentine's Day card with an 'extremely inappropriate' message and started constantly approaching her at work, despite them working in separate areas. He also bombarded her with messages on social media, leaving her feeling unsafe and constantly in 'fight or flight mode'.
She initially tried to resolve the situation herself by avoiding him and asking him to leave her alone, but her efforts only seemed to embolden him further. In April, she formally complained to her manager, expressing her 'very concerned' about her safety at work. The company's response included instructing her to lock the door behind her whenever she entered the stockroom to prevent him from following her. However, this measure failed to provide adequate protection. The harassment continued, culminating in an incident where the man followed her into the stockroom and greeted her in a confrontational manner. This deeply distressed her, leading her to lock herself in a room and call her manager for assistance. To ensure her safety, she was subsequently asked to work at a different outlet 20km away until the situation was resolved. While she agreed, she felt unfairly inconvenienced by the 30-minute commute, while the colleague who harassed her remained at the original workplace. In her decision, WRC adjudication officer Patricia Owens stated that the company's response to the woman's concerns was initially inadequate and followed by a delayed formal procedure due to the harassing colleague's absence on sick leave. Owens pointed out that the company failed to consider referring him for an occupational health assessment regarding his fitness to participate in the investigation. She concluded that the woman's complaint was not appropriately addressed, and her safety and well-being at work were not adequately protected. Owens recommended that the company implement training for management on handling allegations of serious misconduct and review its dignity at work policy. She acknowledged the distress experienced by the complainant and recommended a €15,000 payment for the company's failure to adequately address her complaints and provide appropriate protective measures
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Pharmacy Ordered to Pay €15,000 to Employee After Sexual Harassment ComplaintA retail pharmacy has been ordered to pay €15,000 to a former employee after failing to protect her from sexual harassment by a male colleague. The woman endured a campaign of inappropriate advances and felt unsafe at work despite attempts to resolve the situation herself and through her manager.
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