Boss repeatedly shouted 'potato' at Irish employee

A book-keeper whose boss repeatedly shouted the word "potato" at her "in a strong Irish accent" has been awarded more than £23,000 by an employment tribunal after it found she had been racially harassed.

Bernadette Hayes, who is Irish, worked for engineering company West Leeds Civils in Holbeck when the incidents took place between December 2023 and June 2024.

Mick Atkins, director of the firm, also used "offensive and humiliating" phrases that were "overtly linked to race" towards Hayes, a judge ruled.

Hayes was awarded £20,735.91 and the business was ordered to give her four weeks' pay, amounting to £2,800.

Hayes told the tribunal that throughout her time with the company, Atkins made occasional comments about her being Irish and that while she "knew it was wrong, I tried to accept it as humour".

However, she said his behaviour "ramped up" after Atkins' friend Marcus Smith became involved in the business.

"If we had a disagreement, he would shout 'potato' in a strong Irish accent over and over again," said Hayes, who was 55 at the time.

"He would shout 'potato' as soon as he walked in the office without me having even spoken to him."

She said Atkins' behaviour "totally eroded my self-respect and my self-esteem".

"It made me feel small, insecure, violated and extremely anxious," she added.

She said Atkins also sent her a picture of a potato in a WhatsApp message and would "constantly say that I was lusting after the travellers outside the office".

"I felt bullied and harassed by this," Hayes said.

Employment Judge Buckley found that Hayes told Atkins "on a number of occasions" that she did not find his comments funny.

The judge accepted that Hayes did "join in" on two occasions by using the word potato or the potato emoji in messages, but that she did it to "fit in" and "make it seem OK".

The book-keeper took sick leave in July 2024 and sent a message to Atkins that said: "I do want to leave, I am sorry.

"Life is too short and I have been unhappy for some time, and it's not fair on either of us to let that continue."

In a document setting out her grievance, she said: "The last six months at this job made me feel like I have suffered a death by 1,000 cuts.

"Due to working in a hostile and toxic environment my GP signed me off work with work-related stress on 29th July 2024. This is after months of harassment and bullying.

"I passionately believe that this was caused by the actions of Mr Atkins (and) Mr Smith."

Hayes was later dismissed from the company.

Judge Buckley "accepted the impact" that this conduct had on Hayes.

"From a subjective point of view, it clearly created a hostile, humiliating and offensive environment for her."

The judge added that it was "reasonable for an individual of Irish heritage" to find the repeated use of the word potato and other racist terms "offensive and humiliating".

"These phrases are overtly linked to race, particularly when considered together rather than in isolation. On that basis I find that the conduct was linked to race."

Atkins told the Daily Mail that the proceedings were "nonsense from start to finish".

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