Woman wins sex case
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• A woman truck driver who was driven out of her job because of sexual harassment from her transport manager has been awarded more than £4,000.
Jayne Meadowcroft, a Lorry Driver of the Year finalist two years ago, was awarded 21,000 for her injured feelings and 23,168 compensation for unfair dismissal.
She told a Carlisle industrial tribunal she was forced out of her job at Cumbrian seafood firm S&R Donnan, after constant sexual suggestions from transport manager Gilbert Blackburn. She said Blackburn had patted her on the bottom, regularly asked her whether she had had her leg over, and asked her daily whether she would have sex with him. But he denied the allegations, saying he had always treated the 27-year-old of Ebbdale Close, Higher Hillgate, Stockport, fairly.
Stuart Dorman, the firm's managing director, said he was unable to find any evidence against Blackburn.
But the tribunal ruled Meadowcroft had been "constructively dismissed", that is, entitled to resign and treat herself as dismissed because of the actions of her employer.
Bona Richards, founder of the 160-strong Lady Truckers' Club, is concerned that women have to take companies to court: "There is a risk of being labelled a troublemaker, and this could make job finding more difficult. But what do we do, we have to fight for our rights."