An NHS executive has been successful in her claim for unfair dismissal and sexual harassment after proving that her boss and his colleague colluded to get her dismissed after she spurned his romantic advances.
The married executive claimed that her line manager, the Chairman, displayed unprofessional and inappropriate behaviour towards her which also included abusive texts.
The Chairman of the Trust was alleged to have declared that he loved her shortly before she was due to marry and then, a year later, behaved in a jealous manner when a senior officer bought her a drink at a works event. According to her complaint, he then sent her texts called her a whore and accused her of having relations with the member of staff and threatening to expose her.
The Court heard how the Chairman is alleged to have used a complaint against her from another member of staff, as an opportunity to dismiss her from her £99k job along with the assistance of his colleague, the Chief Executive of the Trust.
The tribunal agreed with the employees version of events, that she had been harassed and forced to work in ‘an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating and offensive environment for her ‘and that both the Chief Executive and Chairman had ‘colluded’ to have her dismissed.
She was awarded compensation of £832,711 and the Trust made a public apology to the woman involved.
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