A woman from Northern Ireland has reached a settlement of £45,000 in her claims of sexual harassment and victimization against Tesco. Lara Storey, who worked as a Dotcom Personal Shopper for the company, expressed her desire for other women to be aware that they do not have to tolerate such behavior. She reported being subjected to sexual harassment by a colleague, which included unwanted physical contact and inappropriate messages. The case was resolved without Tesco admitting any liability.

Tesco extended an apology regarding the handling of Ms. Storey’s concerns within the store. After she filed a grievance, the colleague she accused remained employed despite being promised retraining or a transfer to another department or location. Ms. Storey noted that he continued to work alongside her for over a year after she raised her complaints.

Reflecting on her experience, Ms. Storey stated, “I wish none of this had ever happened. I was a student managing my studies while working, and I did not ask for this situation. I felt compelled to confront it, and I am relieved that I did.” She emphasized that other women should stand up against such treatment and expect fairness from their employers.

Throughout the grievance process, Ms. Storey felt unsupported by Tesco, with previous assurances regarding her working situation being broken repeatedly. To avoid her colleague, she had to alter her work patterns and location within the store. Despite this, she was informed that he had as much right to be there as she did.

Following her complaint to the Office of the Industrial Tribunal, Ms. Storey felt victimized further by senior staff members who ignored her and critiqued her for minor issues at work. Ultimately, these experiences led her to resign from Tesco.

Geraldine McGahey, Chief Commissioner at the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, remarked on the relevancy of sex discrimination laws nearly 50 years after their introduction, highlighting that everyone deserves dignity and respect in the workplace. She stressed the importance of employers having effective policies and training in place to manage such situations properly.

The Equality Commission noted that Tesco has reiterated its commitment to equal opportunity and expressed regret over how these events affected Ms. Storey. The company has committed to reviewing its harassment policies in collaboration with the Commission while acknowledging lessons learned from this incident. A spokesperson for Tesco stated their dedication to fostering an inclusive environment free from harassment and recognized the recommendations made by the Equality Commission as valuable guidance for improvement going forward.