Irish Bookkeeper Awarded £23,000 After Boss's 'Potato' Harassment
An Irish woman has been awarded more than £23,000 in compensation after an employment tribunal found she was subjected to racial harassment by her boss, who repeatedly shouted the word 'potato' at her in a strong Irish accent. Bernadette Hayes, a 55-year-old bookkeeper, described suffering 'a death by 1,000 cuts' during her employment at engineering company West Leeds Civils between December 2023 and June 2024.
Offensive and Humiliating Conduct
The Leeds employment tribunal heard that the firm's director, Mick Atkins, not only shouted 'potato' repeatedly but also used derogatory terms including 'paddy', 'stupid paddy', and 'pikey' in reference to Ms. Hayes's Irish heritage. Employment Judge Buckley ruled that these 'offensive and humiliating' phrases were 'overtly linked to race' and created a hostile work environment.
Ms. Hayes testified that Mr. Atkins's behavior escalated after his 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,' she said. 'He did this in front of other members of staff. He would shout 'potato' as soon as he walked in the office without me having even spoken to him.'
Psychological Impact and Workplace Stress
The harassment took a severe toll on Ms. Hayes's mental health and self-esteem. 'This totally eroded my self-respect and my self-esteem,' she explained. 'It made me feel small, insecure, violated, and extremely anxious. It also made me feel embarrassed.' She added that due to personal circumstances, she felt trapped in her job, which compounded her anxiety.
Despite occasionally using the word 'potato' or a potato emoji in messages to 'fit in' and 'make it seem OK,' Ms. Hayes told Mr. Atkins on multiple occasions that she did not find his comments funny. The judge accepted that her participation was an attempt to cope with the hostile environment rather than endorsement of the behavior.
Legal Proceedings and Tribunal Findings
In July 2024, Ms. Hayes took sick leave after her GP diagnosed her with work-related stress. She later raised a grievance about Mr. Smith's 'bullish' behavior and filed a complaint of indirect harassment related to a protected characteristic. She was subsequently dismissed from the company.
Judge Buckley stated in the judgment: 'From a subjective point of view, it clearly created a hostile, humiliating, and offensive environment for her. In my view, taken as a whole, it is reasonable for an individual of Irish heritage to find the repeated use of the terms 'potato', 'paddy', 'stupid paddy', and 'pikey' offensive and humiliating.'
The tribunal awarded Ms. Hayes £20,735.91 in damages and ordered West Leeds Civils to pay her four weeks' wages, amounting to £2,800. Mr. Atkins has publicly dismissed the proceedings as 'nonsense from start to finish,' according to the Daily Mail.
This case highlights the serious consequences of racial harassment in the workplace and underscores the legal protections available to employees facing discrimination based on their heritage.
