Calling A Man Bald Is Now Classed As Sexual Harassment, Employment Tribunal Rules

Calling a male colleague can now be considered sexual harassment following the ruling of a British employment tribunal.

The ruling came during a case brought by electrician Tony Finn, who was fired from the British Bung Company in May last year after almost 24 years on the job.

Finn claimed he had been a victim of sex harassment, due to comments made about his lack of hair.

He told the tribunal factory supervisor Jamie King had referred to him as a “bald c***” during a heated debate in July 2019.

Use of the word could be seen as “inherently related to sex” amounting to a form of discrimination.

The all male panel, led by Judge Jonathan Brain spoke on their ruling: “In our judgment, there is a connection between the word ‘bald’ on the one hand and the protected characteristic of sex on the other,”

“[The company’s lawyer] was right to submit that women as well as men may be bald. However, as all three members of the tribunal will vouchsafe, baldness is much more prevalent in men than women. We find it to be inherently related to sex,”

“Mr King made the remark with a view to hurting the claimant by commenting on his appearance which is often found amongst men,”

“The tribunal therefore determines that by referring to the claimant as a ‘bald c***’…Mr King’s conduct was unwanted, it was a violation of the claimant’s dignity, it created an intimidating environment for him, it was done for that purpose, and it related to the claimant’s sex.”

Finn was also successful in his unfair dismissal claim.