Sexual harassment complaints ignored by manager

February 2022

Gina* was a sales and design employee for a tile retailer.

In the workplace, Gina's colleagues engaged in sexual banter when she was nearby, which made her feel uncomfortable. She also felt afraid to speak freely in the workplace in case her colleagues put a sexual spin on her conversation.

Gina complained to her manager that she felt unsafe and disrespected but resigned from her position when she felt her manager had not taken her concerns seriously.

Gina lodged a complaint of sex discrimination and sexual harassment with ADNSW.

At conciliation, the employer did not accept that it had acted unlawfully. Gina's complaint was resolved by the payment of compensation and the removal of any restriction on Gina's ability to seek employment with a competitor.

*Name has been changed to protect the privacy of the individual.