Doughnut firm to pay £30k after worker harassed

Holly Merriman worked as a doughnut decorator for Project D between October 2020 and May 2021

A former doughnut decorator was awarded over £30,000 after a tribunal found a male colleague had "touched her bottom" while at work.

Holly Merriman was 17 at the time of the incident, which happened while she was working at Project D in Derby.

The company was ordered to pay Ms Merriman a sum of £31,410 after a tribunal, which concluded on 23 May, found she was subjected to "unlawful discrimination".

The colleague, Oliver Horn, also "bear-hugged" Ms Merriman and "backed her into a corner", a tribunal report said.

This initial incident occurred on a date either in the latter half of December 2020 or in early January 2021.

The tribunal report said that, following this, Ms Merriman's previously "friendly" working relationship with Mr Horn "soured".

The panel accepted that following the incident, Mr Horn called Ms Merriman a "potwasher", as well as making comments about her wages being less than his and that her "breath smelled".

"We are therefore satisfied that souring of the relationship and the treatment of the Claimant by Mr Horn after the Incident was because she had rejected his sexual advances towards her," the report said.

It added that on 28 March 2021, Mr Horn had "belittled" and "shouted at" Ms Merriman.

An investigation meeting took place on the same day, but it was found by the tribunal that Project D "failed to deal with the incident".

'In tears'

Ms Merriman was then informed via a letter on 28 April 2021 that her services were "no longer required because there was insufficient work", which the panel did not accept.

It said this was due to "a number of reasons" including a press report in May 2021 that suggested Project D was expanding and its products were "very much in demand".

The report said: "These were serious matters which included [Ms Merriman] being dismissed for having reported the fact that she had been the victim of sexual harassment and having that complaint swept under the rug without any action being taken in respect of it."

According to the report, Ms Merriman had experienced mental health issues as a result of her experience, finding herself "introverted" and "constantly in tears".

However, it said since setting up her own business, she said she had "begun to feel more positive and more like her old self".

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