Posted by denised in 
(Halifax, UK) Imagine waking up in your hotel room and finding your male colleague sitting in a chair in a dark corner of the room. Then imagine him going into the bathroom and emerging moments later completely naked. That’s what HBOS worker Haley Tansey alleges happened to her while employed with HBOS. Now after years of sexual harassment, Tansey has filed claims for sexual harassment, discrimination and constructive dismissal.
Tansey claims that for years she endured an overtly sexist culture at HBOS, one that eventually led to her losing the job she loved. HBOS is a banking and insurance group in the UK, a subsidiary of the Lloyds Banking Group. At a hearing before a tribunal this week, the 39 year old Business Manager described the naked coworker incident that took place in 1998 as her worst experience while working for the company.
It was during an overnight hotel stay on a business trip that she spurned the advances of her male colleague. Undaunted, he repeatedly called her hotel room. In the middle of the night she awakened to find him sitting in a chair in the room. She later learned that a hotel employee let him in when he lied and told him he was her boyfriend. Tansey also alleges that her rapid rise through the company’s ranks garnered criticism from male colleagues and managers, leading to years of harassment. Tansey described another incident where she was booked without her knowledge into a lap dancing club. Tansey said she didn’t complain sooner for fear of not being believed and the impact it would have on her career.
I think it’s easy for those who haven’t been through sexual harassment and unbelievable work conditions to question why people, women mostly, don’t come forward sooner, or at all. The answer is both simple and complicated. In my case I needed my job. Not having a steady income was out of the question, and doing anything to jeopardize that job, including doing the right thing, just wasn’t an option. Ironically, not doing anything to stop the harassment and bullying was both the easiest and hardest thing to do. The problem with sexual harassment on the job is the same as with any other on the job issue, employees fear losing their jobs and their colleagues respect. It’s the classic damned if you do, damned if you don’t scenario.
Have you been a victim of harassment or on the job bullying? Did you report it? Why or why not? Share your thoughts in our comment section.
Image and story source: Halifax Courier – Haley Tansey
