Woman boss offered me a sex act reward if I hit sales targets
A FINANCIAL consultant at an estate agents claimed yesterday that his woman boss offered to perform a sex act on him if he hit sales targets.
Paul Elworthy, 45, said his manager Sarah Thompson, 51, made the offer during a “reward” lunch for senior employees in December 2013.
Mr Elworthy is suing estate agent Your Move for constructive dismissal and sexual harassment and said the alleged offer made him feel “very uncomfortable”.
Ms Thompson denies making the remark, an employment tribunal in Croydon, south London, heard.
Mr Elworthy, who resigned in September 2015 after working for the firm for 14 years, said: “I was subjected to an inappropriate sexual comment.
Uncomfortable
“Sarah Thompson offered me a sexual proposition as a reward if I achieved a certain target.”
He said that during that meeting Ms Thompson declared that she would carry out the sex act on him if he achieved £180,000 of “banked income”.
He said: “This was said in the presence of a number of people.
“When Sarah Thompson offered me the sexual favour it made me feel very uncomfortable.
“I did not report it as she was my line manager and having experienced previous grievance procedures with the company I knew how corrupt they were and I would not get a fair hearing.”
Mr Elworthy, of Sidcup, southeast London, told the hearing he was able to provide a witness statement from former colleague Giles Barrett, who still works for the firm, to “confirm it was stated”.
Ms Thompson said: “Do you really think I would ever say that? He might have wanted me to.”
Mr Elworthy also claimed that Ms Thompson, who works at Your Move’s regional headquarters in Chessington, Surrey, later told him that his invitation to the company’s “Superhero Stars” ball, which recognises achieving “great business results”, had been withdrawn because he had a disciplinary hearing.
Mr Elworthy claims he was forced to quit his job after a year-long bullying campaign led by national financial services director Simon Cox.
He claimed he was the victim of a “vendetta” after he challenged company procedures in a strongly-worded email which led to him facing disciplinary action.
Mr Elworthy also alleged that staff were forced to clean toilets or face losing their jobs.
He said: “I was shocked when I received an email from my area manager stating that if we didn’t do the cleaning then they would find people to replace us.
“I thought this was disgraceful and threatening.”
Your Move says Mr Elworthy was “intransigent, inflexible and a serial complainer”.
The hearing continues.