TrendsWide
Contact US
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Health
  • Life Style
  • NBA
  • Reviews
No Result
View All Result
TrendsWide
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Health
  • Life Style
  • NBA
  • Reviews
No Result
View All Result
TrendsWide
No Result
View All Result
Home Trending

Senior accountant and younger female colleague win payout from Kensington council over affair claims

by souhaib
November 30, 2021
in Trending
0
74
SHARES
1.2k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT


A senior accountant and his younger female colleague have won a sexual harassment case against the authority after a colleague accused them of having an affair.

Oxford-educated Francis Austin had personally recruited Monika Newton to join his finance team supporting Kensington and Chelsea Council’s response to the 2017 Grenfell Tower disaster.

But an employment tribunal heard Ms Newton’s arrival antagonised his deputy Lesley Shields, who became suspicious they were skiving off work to spend time together.

She openly suggested to colleagues that the pair were sleeping together.

And when they went out for an appointment she told a colleague they must have gone to a hotel before adding: ‘She’s sucking his c**k about now’. 

Mr Austin, who was being paid the equivalent of around £150,000-a-year, and Ms Newton, who was hired on an equivalent of more than £100,000-a-year, complained about Ms Shields’ comments.

And when the council ended their rolling contracts, Mr Austin and Ms Newton’s took the council to an employment tribunal claiming they had been the victim of unwanted sexual conduct by Ms Shields.

They claimed sex discrimination, victimisation and that they had been badly treated for whistleblowing against Ms Shields – who they claimed had been deliberately slowing down the project.

The panel – chaired by Employment Judge Natasha Joffe – dismissed the other claims.

But she agreed that Ms Shields’ remarks to colleagues had been sexual harassment. Mr Austin and Ms Newton are now in line for payouts.

Oxford-educated Francis Austin had personally recruited Monika Newton (pictured) to join his finance team supporting Kensington and Chelsea Council’s response to the 2017 fire, which claimed the lives of 72 people

Mr Austin, who was being paid the equivalent of around £150,000-a-year, and Ms Newton, who was hired on an equivalent of more than £100,000-a-year complained about comments suggesting he was having an affair with Ms Newton

Mr Austin, who was being paid the equivalent of around £150,000-a-year, and Ms Newton, who was hired on an equivalent of more than £100,000-a-year complained about comments suggesting he was having an affair with Ms Newton

The tribunal in central London was told that Mr Austin joined the local authority on a rolling contract as deputy Chief Finance Officer in March 2017.

As part of his deal he was paid £650 a day, the equivalent of an annual salary of more than £150,000. 

In June of that year, the fire at the Grenfell Tower block claimed the lives of 72 people and Mr Austin was made head of finance for the team helping the council’s response to the tragedy. 

Ms Shields – group accountant at the council – was his deputy, the tribunal heard. 

By the autumn of 2019, the hearing was told, tensions were growing between the pair about the slow pace with which the team’s work was being completed. 

At the same time Mr Austin met with Ms Newton – an experienced project manager who he had worked with before – to discuss her joining the team to help with a ‘housing legacy’ project related to the disaster. 

The tribunal was told that without authorisation, he proceeded to hire Ms Newton on a £450 a day short term contract, equivalent to more than £100,000 a year. 

On Ms Newton’s first day in November, the tribunal heard Ms Shields told her new colleague she was unhappy at the way she had been appointed and was not convinced her role was required. 

The tribunal was told that without authorisation, Mr Austin proceeded to hire Ms Newton on a £450 a day short term contract, equivalent to more than £100,000 a year

The tribunal was told that without authorisation, Mr Austin proceeded to hire Ms Newton on a £450 a day short term contract, equivalent to more than £100,000 a year

Ms Shields – who was feeling under increasing work pressure – told the tribunal there was a change in Mr Austin’s behaviour after Ms Newton’s appointment. 

‘He came in to work late and went home early, and often took Ms Newton for lunch,’ she said. 

‘There were grumbles in the team about how little work Mr Austin was doing. 

‘Mr Austin was going to all of Ms Newton’s meetings when there was no need for him to do so.’ 

The hearing was told that soon after her arrival, Ms Shields referred to Ms Newton to colleagues as a ‘c***’ and a ‘bitch’. 

Ms Shields told the hearing that on 29th November Mr Austin and Ms Shields arrived at work late, then went to lunch together. 

‘She said they gathered their bags and coats at 1:45 pm and Ms Shields asked where they were going,’ the tribunal heard. ‘They said they were going to the Tower. 

‘Ms Shields asked why and they said they were going to (a meeting) and Ms Newton wanted to see the Tower. 

Ms Shields looked at (the) diary which did not show such a meeting. Ms Shields said she was frustrated as she thought they were ducking out of work. 

‘There was no need for them to go to the Tower. They could have done the round trip in an hour but they did not return. ‘

‘The whole team was under pressure but they seemed to be wasting time and money.

‘She herself was working evenings and weekends and under pressure to meet budgeting deadlines and had personal issues. 

‘She said people were commenting and gossiping about Ms Newton and Mr Austin’s movements. 

‘Ms Shields accepted she said something along the lines of: ‘she’s (Ms Newton) sucking his (Mr Austin’s) c**k about now’ to (a colleague). 

‘She said she regretted it immediately and apologised.’ 

Finance Manager Ronica Barard told the hearing Ms Shields initially approached the bank of desks where she and others were sitting and said Mr Austin had nothing in his diary so she was not sure where they had got to. 

‘She said they must have got a hotel room,’ Ms Barard told the tribunal. 

‘About half an hour later Ms Shields approached the desks again and said: ‘She must be sucking his c**k right now.’ 

Over the following months, tensions between the trio escalated. 

In January 2020, in a row with Ms Newton the tribunal was told Ms Shields warned her: ‘Don’t walk away from me young lady.’ 

And Mr Austin started to believe his deputy was conspiring with colleagues to deliberately slow down their work-rate to extend their own contracts, the hearing was told. 

On hearing that Ms Shields had told colleagues she suspected an affair, Ms Newton complained to Mr Austin: ‘This is sexual harassment in a workplace and to that effect extremely distressing, derogatory and offensive.’ 

The council launched an investigation which led to Ms Shields being warned about her behaviour. 

But it dismissed Mr Austin’s allegations that she was working slowly on purpose.

In June of that year, the fire at the Grenfell Tower block claimed the lives of 72 people and Mr Austin was made head of finance for the team helping the council's response to the tragedy

In June of that year, the fire at the Grenfell Tower block claimed the lives of 72 people and Mr Austin was made head of finance for the team helping the council’s response to the tragedy

Concluding that the housing legacy project was unnecessary, the local authority decided not to extend Ms Newton’s contract after the end of March 2020. 

You might also like

Will Smith’s Letterman Interview Hits Different Post-Oscar Slap

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tests positive for Covid-19

Robles prepares the next NATO summit in Madrid at the Pentagon | Spain

And the following month Mr Austin was told his contract was being terminated as well. 

The pair took the council to a tribunal claiming sex discrimination, victimisation and that they had been badly treated for whistle blowing. 

The panel – chaired by Employment Judge Natasha Joffe – dismissed the other claims but agreed that Ms Shields’ remarks to colleagues had been sexual harassment. 

‘(Her) purpose appears to have been to vent her frustrations about Mr Austin and Ms Newton to her colleagues,’ it said. 

Alleging they were having ‘sexual relations rather than working’ would have ‘violated their dignity’ and created a ‘humiliating environment’ for them, it said. 

‘The extreme vitriol involved in describing a colleague as a ‘c***’, arose, we concluded, from the particular level of resentment created by the combination of factors we have identified, including the perception…that Mr Austin and Ms Newton might be having an affair.’ 

The panel said that unless the pair and the council can come to an agreement themselves, a further hearing would be held next year to determine compensation. 

 



Source link

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • More
  • Pinterest
  • Telegram
  • Email
Tags: dailymail
Share30Tweet19
Previous Post

Bancor announces Bancor 3 — its biggest proposed update to date 2021

Next Post

Where to buy Moderna (MRNA) stock as the stock continues to rally

souhaib

Recommended For You

Will Smith’s Letterman Interview Hits Different Post-Oscar Slap

by souhaib
May 20, 2022
0

NetflixThere is a very important disclaimer that appears at the beginning of David Letterman’s new interview with Will Smith on season four of his Netflix series My Next...

Read more

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tests positive for Covid-19

by souhaib
May 20, 2022
0

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has tested positive for Covid - just hours after she held unmasked face to face talks with Sinn Féin vice president Michelle O'Neill...

Read more

Robles prepares the next NATO summit in Madrid at the Pentagon | Spain

by souhaib
May 20, 2022
0

The Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, and her US counterpart, Lloyd Austin, at the entrance to the Pentagon.DEFENSE (Europa Press)The Defense Minister, Margarita Robles, and the Secretary of...

Read more

He Dialed 911 During the Buffalo Grocery Store Massacre, and Got an Incredible Response

by souhaib
May 20, 2022
0

The role of social media in the Buffalo, New York shooting 3:30 (Trends Wide) -- The assistant manager of the Tops Friendly Markets store in Buffalo, New York,...

Read more

France must come out of denial

by souhaib
May 20, 2022
0

Lhe earthquake has not yet hit the global economy, but the tremors are getting closer and closer together. The vigorous recovery recorded in the wake of the pandemic...

Read more
Next Post

Where to buy Moderna (MRNA) stock as the stock continues to rally

No Result
View All Result

Recent Posts

  • Will Smith’s Letterman Interview Hits Different Post-Oscar Slap
  • Bankruptcy Recovery Kit. Recover Quickly & Properly From Bankruptcy! 90% off Discount
  • flood damage restoration service | Best Flood Damage Restoration Service
  • WordPress Speed – Increase WordPress Speed Reviews 2022
  • First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tests positive for Covid-19

Browse by Category

  • Australia
  • Automotive
  • Business
  • Celebrity
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Deals
  • Economie
  • Education
  • Euro
  • Forex
  • Gaming
  • Health
  • Life Style
  • NBA
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Sports
  • Switzerland
  • Trending
  • U.S.
  • Uncategorized

Categories

  • Australia
  • Automotive
  • Business
  • Celebrity
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Deals
  • Economie
  • Education
  • Euro
  • Forex
  • Gaming
  • Health
  • Life Style
  • NBA
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Sports
  • Switzerland
  • Trending
  • U.S.
  • Uncategorized

Pages

  • Contact US
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

© 2021 - TrendsWide

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Contact US
  • Privacy Policy
  • Trending
  • U.S.
  • Economie
  • Deals
  • Reviews
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Health
  • Life Style
  • NBA

© 2021 - TrendsWide

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.