In the case of Ms Aishah Zaman v Knightsbridge Furnishing Ltd a Scottish woman who experienced ‘humiliating and offensive’ behaviour from her former employer has won a £19,000 payout as an employment tribunal ruled in her favour.
Aishah Zaman, 35, told the tribunal that her boss Shahzad Younas, 45, who was also a political activist in Pakistan, called her ‘fatty’ and ‘prostitute’.
Zaman added that she experienced regular sexual advances and got derogatory comments from her boss during her time as office assistant at Knightsbridge Furnishing in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire.
Younas advised her to go to gym as he likes only ‘slim, smart girls’ in his office. He even instructed Aishah, who is a local DJ for Awaz FM, a local radio station serving Glasgow’s Asian community, not to go for DJing as it was the ‘work of prostitutes’.
Zaman told the tribunal that Younas was a ‘bully’ and treated employees as slaves.
The employer sent messages to Zaman asking her not to break his heart, adding that he likes her. Younas also offered her to buy a Mercedes.
The tribunal heard that he also sent a graphic image of female genitalia. He asked her to clean his flat and unpack his suitcase, including underwear.
He also reiterated that these all are ‘woman’s work’, Zaman told the tribunal. In April 2020, he started yelling at her for saying that she was too busy to rearrange an office.
He then sacked her and later sold the firm and resigned as a director.
“I couldn’t let him get away with this. I’ve never seen a man like that in my life, he was just a bully. He only ever wanted to work with ladies and saw his employees as slaves. He would look at their appearance first rather than what they could or couldn’t do,” Zaman told the tribunal.
She added that her employment at the firm from July 2018 to April 2020 had adversely affected her mental health, and the legal battle has cost her more than £10,000. Employment judge Russell Bradley ruled in Zaman’s favour and held Younas and the company jointly liable for discrimination.
This provides summary information and comment on the subject areas covered. Where employment tribunal and appellate court cases are reported, the information does not set out all of the facts, the legal arguments presented and the judgments made in every aspect of the case. Employment law is subject to constant change either by statute or by interpretation by the courts. While every care has been taken in compiling this information, we cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Specialist legal advice must be taken on any legal issues that may arise before embarking upon any formal course of action.
