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Woman receives £36,000 after colleague’s inappropriate behavior at Christmas party

Fernanda Hermosilla, a staff member at the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, has settled for £36,000 after complaining of “unwanted and inappropriate physical contact” by a colleague during the 2022 staff Christmas party. The incident, witnessed by another colleague who filed a formal complaint, led to an internal investigation. However, Ms. Hermosilla was dissatisfied with the handling of the disciplinary process, especially since she was still required to work remotely with the accused during the investigation.

The settlement included £21,000 from the colleague involved and £15,000 from the commission. Both parties agreed to the settlement without an admission of liability. The commission expressed understanding of the distress caused and pledged to review its policies with the Equality Commission to ensure better workplace conduct.

Ms. Hermosilla, who had been new to her role and on probation at the time, revealed that she had hesitated to report a previous incident of inappropriate touching at a social event due to fears of workplace retaliation. She also felt that after the investigation, the communication from her employer was unclear, especially when the accused colleague returned to the office.

Geraldine McGahey from the Equality Commission emphasized the need for employers to ensure the safety and dignity of staff at social events, urging clear behavior expectations during such gatherings.

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