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HBOS worker and naked man in hotel room: Sexual harassment tribunal told of woman's ordeal
A SEXIST culture at HBOS led to a senior manager losing her career, an employment tribunal heard.
Haley Tansey claimed she endured years of harassment and lost the job she loved.
She told the Leeds hearing her rapid rise through the ranks had brought criticism from male colleagues and managers failed to act to stamp out harassment among employees.
She is claiming sexual harassment and discrimination and constructive dismissal.
Mrs Tansey, 39, of Hebden Bridge, outlined what she said was her worst experience in 1998 while working as a business manager.
She was staying overnight at the Thistle Hotel, Cheltenham, when she spurned the advances of a colleague who had travelled from Halifax with her.
She was bombarded with calls and as she lay frightened in bed he knocked at the door but failed to get in.
"I later woke up with a horrible feeling I was not alone. He was sat in the corner watching me," she said.
She said the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, went into the bathroom and returned undressed. Mrs Taney said she pleaded with him to leave which he eventually did. She later found out he got in by telling a night porter she was his girlfriend.
Mrs Tansey said she hadn't been made aware of harassment policy and was concerned the effect complaining might have on her career.
Eventually, she did confide to colleagues what had happened and requested she was kept away from the man but no disciplinary hearings followed and she was still targeted by the man's unwanted attention on business trips.
"There seemed to be tolerance of sexual behaviour from colleagues. I had no guarantee I would be believed," said Mrs Tansey.
She had written a letter of complaint to the hotel over the lack of security regarding the night porter which was later seen on her computer by another manager who reaffirmed that when she made an official complaint several years later.
Mrs Tansey, who broke down while reading her statement, told the hearing about sexist comments and behaviour on work outings and being pre-booked into a lapdancing club without her knowledge.
She suffered from stress, needing medical treatment and time off work. "It took me a long time to realise it was not normal behaviour," she said.
Before she was due to return to work after a period of compassionate leave, she learned of another female worker suffering sexual harassment from the man linked to the hotel allegations.
"That was a trigger for me. I felt I had to let HBOS know what kind of man it was employing."
In November 2007 HBOS told her it had investigated her complaints which were not being upheld.
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