Security Officer wins £69,000 after sexist, ageist and racist behaviour

A female security officer at Southampton General Hospital won nearly £69,000 after a tribunal found she was pushed out of her job by sexist, ageist, and racist behaviour at work.

She was the only woman and one of the oldest staff members on her team. Male colleagues regularly called her “mummy”, made jokes about her height and age, ignored her on the radio, and used language that excluded her. She also heard misogynistic comments about women and witnessed a racist slur aimed at a doctor.

When she complained, management did not take the behaviour seriously. One supervisor brushed it off by saying “men are men.” Instead of properly fixing the problem, the company suggested moving her, unpaid leave, or passing her complaint to other managers.

Feeling humiliated and unsupported, she resigned. The tribunal decided this counted as constructive dismissal. The judge said the behaviour created a hostile and degrading workplace, and that the company’s weak response made things worse. She was awarded £28,200 for lost earnings and £40,685 for emotional distress.

The case highlights that so-called “banter” such as nicknames can be deemed to be discrimination, especially when it’s part of a wider pattern of exclusion and harassment. Should you wish to discuss this, or any issue, contact one of our CIPD qualified consultants on 0800 9995 121.

Security Officer wins £69,000 after sexist, ageist and racist behaviour

121 HR Solutions Ltd