An Irish bookkeeper has been awarded over £23,000 by an employment tribunal after being subjected to repeated racial harassment by her boss.
Bernadette Hayes, 55, worked at engineering company West Leeds Civils in Holbeck between December 2023 and June 2024. During this period, director Mick Atkins reportedly made a series of offensive remarks targeting her Irish heritage.
The tribunal heard that Atkins shouted “potato” in a strong Irish accent at Hayes on multiple occasions and used derogatory terms such as “paddy,” “stupid paddy,” and “pikey.”
Impact on mental health
Hayes told the tribunal that the comments, which occurred even in front of other staff, “totally eroded my self-respect and self-esteem” and left her feeling “small, insecure and extremely anxious.”
She also cited incidents where Atkins sent her a potato emoji via WhatsApp and repeatedly made offensive remarks linking her to Irish travellers outside the office.
After months of enduring the harassment, Hayes went on sick leave in July 2024 due to work-related stress and filed a grievance highlighting the hostile work environment. She was later dismissed from the company.
Tribunal ruling
Employment Judge Buckley ruled that the repeated use of racially charged phrases created a “hostile, humiliating and offensive environment” for Hayes. The tribunal awarded her £20,735.91 in damages and an additional four weeks’ pay of £2,800.
Commenting on the ruling, Hayes said the ordeal had a significant impact on her mental well-being, describing it as “a death by 1,000 cuts.”
Atkins dismissed the proceedings as “nonsense from start to finish.”
