Worker who did not get leaving card loses her harassment case.
A lawsuit filed by a former employee against IAG, the parent organization of British Airways, has been dismissed by an employment tribunal.
Karen Conaghan, who served as a business liaison lead, claimed that the company's omission of a farewell card constituted discriminatory conduct and violated equality legislation. Nevertheless, the tribunal found no merit in her allegations, concluding that the circumstances arose from logistical difficulties rather than any deliberate wrongdoing.
Conaghan, who previously served as the business liaison lead, filed 40 complaints against the company, alleging sexual harassment, victimization, and unfair dismissal. However, the tribunal rejected all of her claims, with the judge determining that Conaghan, employed at the company since 2019, had developed a “conspiracy-theory mentality” while at work.
Related: SpaceX Allegedly Bailed CEO Elon Musk Out Of Sexual Harassment Claim
Allegations
At the heart of Conaghan's case was the claim that she did not receive a farewell card when she left in 2021, as reported by the news. She contended that this omission represented a lack of recognition for her efforts, suggesting it was part of a larger pattern of mistreatment. However, a former colleague testified that a farewell card had been created.
The problem arose because only a handful of people had signed it by the time she left. The colleague chose not to present it, thinking it would be more hurtful to give her a card with so few signatures than to simply not give one at all. Additionally, it was revealed that two other male employees who were also laid off during the same restructuring did not receive farewell cards either. This fact weakened Conaghan's claim that the lack of a card was due to gender discrimination.
Tribunal Findings
Judge Kevin Palmer noted that even though additional signatures were added to the farewell card after her exit, a former colleague believed it was not suitable to send the card to her later, given that she had filed a grievance against him and another coworker. The judge determined that many of the actions mentioned in the claim either did not occur or, if they did, were harmless interactions typical in a workplace setting.
He pointed out that there was no evidence linking any of Conaghan’s claims to her gender, and one of her allegations suggested that she perceived normal interactions as something more troubling. Ms. Conaghan relocated to Richmond, North Yorkshire, in September 2021, despite the expectation that all employees should reside within two hours of the Heathrow office, as the tribunal was informed. She was laid off later that year due to organizational restructuring, with colleagues testifying that several others also departed around the same period.
Related: Kanye West Accused of Drugging and Sexual Assault at Diddy Studio Session
