By Chinasaokwu Helen Okoro
A woman has won a £36,000 payout after being ‘s3xually harassed’ at a work Christmas party.
According to Mail Online, Fernanda Hermosilla claimed that she was subjected to ‘unwanted and inappropriate physical contact’ by a colleague at the staff dinner in December 2022.
Another colleague who witnessed the incident lodged a formal complaint, prompting her employer, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission to investigate.
During the probe, Ms Hermosilla told her employer about an earlier incident of allegedly inappropriate touching by the same colleague at a non-work event at a Belfast nightclub.
Ms Hermosilla said she had been very upset following that night out but had been reluctant to make a complaint because she was new to her role.
While the internal investigation was underway, Ms Hermosilla worked from the office and the colleague worked from home.
However, she claims that despite this she still worked remotely with her colleague, which she found very difficult. She has now settled the case against the colleague for £21,000 and against her employer for £15,000.
After netting the payout, Ms Hermosilla has said she believes her employer did not communicate clearly with her about either the outcome of the investigation or the disciplinary action taken.
She believed that the colleague would not be returning to work, but was then advised that they would be returning to their role – something she found ‘upsetting and distressing’.
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