In a landmark case, a UK judge at an employment tribunal has ruled that calling someone bald is a form of sexual harassment.
The verdict was reached this week in Sheffield. The unfair dismissal case heard about a heated dispute between an electrician and his employers at a manufacturing firm, reports the Daily Star.
Tony Finn had worked for the British Bung Company for almost 24 years before being sacked in May last year. It came after blazing row on the factory floor led to Mr Finn having to stop himself from lashing out when a colleague called him a “bald c***”.
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Judge Jonathan Brain had to decide whether the jibe could be regarded as harassment or simply an insult — and decided in favour of the bald man.
He said: "We have little doubt that being referred to in this pejorative manner was unwanted conduct as far as [Mr Finn] was concerned," the tribunal found.
"This is strong language. Although, as we find, industrial language was commonplace on this West Yorkshire factory floor, in our judgment Mr King crossed the line by making remarks personal to the claimant about his appearance.
"It is difficult to conclude other than that Mr King uttered those words with the purpose of violating [Mr Finn's] dignity and creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for him.
The judge then ruled that there was "a connection" between the word "bald" and the "protected characteristic of sex", meaning that use of the term in an insult could be classed as a form of sex harassment.
Mr Finn won his claims of unfair dismissal, wrongful dismissal and sex harassment, but lost one for age discrimination after the tribunal found that there was not a reference to his age in the insult.
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