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razilian insurance worker awarded £142,000 over 'SpongeBob SquarePants' taunts
A Brazilian office worker has won £142,000 in compensation after colleagues nicknamed her “SpongeBob SquarePants”, after the cartoon character, because of her accent.
SpongeBob SquarePants. Licia Faithful's colleagues named her after the cartoon character because of her Brazilian accent Photo: UNIVERSAL
By John Bingham 7:30AM GMT 22 Mar 2011
Licia Faithful, 31, complained that she suffered post traumatic stress disorder and depression after being ridiculed by co-workers in the claims department of AXA PPP Healthcare, the medical insurance firm, where she earned £17,765 a year.
A judge ordered the company to pay her aggravated damages – including almost £25,000 for hurt feelings – after hearing that she was subjected to an 18-month ordeal of racial bullying.
An employment tribunal heard how staff in the office in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, recorded her voice and played it back to her, laughing and mimicking her accent.
They referred to the mother-of-one as SpongeBob SquarePants, a character on the Nickelodeon cartoon channel who has a grating nasal voice.
The hearing at Ashford Employment Tribunals in Kent also heard that was asked whether she was “on drugs” because she was from South America.
Others stole miniature Brazilian flags from her desk and hid them and one manager allegedly told her not to wear a top with a Brazilian logo on it.
The tribunal was also told that how colleagues called her “cranky” and “lazy”. One co-worker stood up on a coach during a staff outing and spoke about “bloody foreigners”, when she was the only non-British person on board, the tribunal heard.
Mrs Faithful also had to watch as British colleagues received rewards from bosses, including cash and vouchers, for achievements to which she had contributed but received nothing, Judge Gill Sage found.
The hearing was told that the abuse began after Mrs Faithful, who first joined the company in 2006, moved to the claims department in April 2007.
By the end of 2008 she had been left in such an emotional state after months of mockery that she was unable to complete even basic household tasks, the tribunal heard.
The judge ruled that Mrs Faithful had suffered the “most serious case of discrimination” and had been treated “less favourably on the grounds of race”.
She found that she endured a “hostile and degrading” environment in a company which had “lacked empathy” and put her through a “demeaning” grievance procedure after she complained about the abuse.
“There was substantial evidence that these employees were engaged in bullying, which was contrary to the respondent's own bullying and harassment policy," she concluded.
She awarded a total payout of just under £142,000 including damages for discrimination, injury to feelings, and personal injury.
In a statement the company said that it was “disappointed” with the outcome and insisted it had already considered “areas for improvement”.
“Treating our employees fairly is very important to us and we work hard to create a positive, supportive workplace culture where employees enjoy their working environment and feel that they can give their best in serving our customers,” the company added.
Brazilian insurance worker awarded £142,000 over 'SpongeBob SquarePants' taunts - Telegraph
A Brazilian office worker has won £142,000 in compensation after colleagues nicknamed her “SpongeBob SquarePants”, after the cartoon character, because of her accent.
SpongeBob SquarePants. Licia Faithful's colleagues named her after the cartoon character because of her Brazilian accent Photo: UNIVERSAL
By John Bingham 7:30AM GMT 22 Mar 2011
Licia Faithful, 31, complained that she suffered post traumatic stress disorder and depression after being ridiculed by co-workers in the claims department of AXA PPP Healthcare, the medical insurance firm, where she earned £17,765 a year.
A judge ordered the company to pay her aggravated damages – including almost £25,000 for hurt feelings – after hearing that she was subjected to an 18-month ordeal of racial bullying.
An employment tribunal heard how staff in the office in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, recorded her voice and played it back to her, laughing and mimicking her accent.
They referred to the mother-of-one as SpongeBob SquarePants, a character on the Nickelodeon cartoon channel who has a grating nasal voice.
The hearing at Ashford Employment Tribunals in Kent also heard that was asked whether she was “on drugs” because she was from South America.
Others stole miniature Brazilian flags from her desk and hid them and one manager allegedly told her not to wear a top with a Brazilian logo on it.
The tribunal was also told that how colleagues called her “cranky” and “lazy”. One co-worker stood up on a coach during a staff outing and spoke about “bloody foreigners”, when she was the only non-British person on board, the tribunal heard.
Mrs Faithful also had to watch as British colleagues received rewards from bosses, including cash and vouchers, for achievements to which she had contributed but received nothing, Judge Gill Sage found.
The hearing was told that the abuse began after Mrs Faithful, who first joined the company in 2006, moved to the claims department in April 2007.
By the end of 2008 she had been left in such an emotional state after months of mockery that she was unable to complete even basic household tasks, the tribunal heard.
The judge ruled that Mrs Faithful had suffered the “most serious case of discrimination” and had been treated “less favourably on the grounds of race”.
She found that she endured a “hostile and degrading” environment in a company which had “lacked empathy” and put her through a “demeaning” grievance procedure after she complained about the abuse.
“There was substantial evidence that these employees were engaged in bullying, which was contrary to the respondent's own bullying and harassment policy," she concluded.
She awarded a total payout of just under £142,000 including damages for discrimination, injury to feelings, and personal injury.
In a statement the company said that it was “disappointed” with the outcome and insisted it had already considered “areas for improvement”.
“Treating our employees fairly is very important to us and we work hard to create a positive, supportive workplace culture where employees enjoy their working environment and feel that they can give their best in serving our customers,” the company added.
Brazilian insurance worker awarded £142,000 over 'SpongeBob SquarePants' taunts - Telegraph
