- Saturday, April 20, 2024
By: Pramod Kumar
A FORMER diversity consultant at Sellafield nuclear plant has claimed that she was axed by the firm when she pointed out ‘vile’ homophobic abuse, bullying and sexual harassment, a tribunal has heard.
Alison McDermott, who was an HR consultant at Sellafield in September 2018, has said reports of ‘appalling’ harassment based on sexual orientation were not formally investigated and employees were too scared to raise issues, reported The Daily Mail.
McDermott was contracted at the nuclear site in Seascale, Cumbria, to look into its record on equality, diversity, and inclusion.
She also claimed that a manager who was champion for diversity was herself accused of intimidating behaviour and using profanities.
The former staff has taken Sellafield, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and HR director Heather Roberts to an employment tribunal after she claims her contract was terminated when she blew the whistle on allegations of workplace harassment.
She told the hearing in Leeds an anonymous report which alleged sexual harassment was shared with a member of staff who told her: ‘Everybody knows the guy’s a creep and nothing is ever done.’
The tribunal heard McDermott had a meeting with two employees who recounted examples of homophobic abuse at the nuclear fuel reprocessing and decommissioning site, the report added.
One of the employees reported being subjected to homophobic comments because a relative was gay, McDermott told the hearing. But she said the matter was not investigated because the employees did not want to take matters further.
Lesley Bowen, who the tribunal heard was in charge of championing equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in the workplace, was also accused of bullying by another member of staff, McDermott told the tribunal.
She also alleged concerns were raised about the care being offered to an employee who was off sick and suicidal and said people in the organisation were ‘scared’ to raise issues and grievances.
Deshpal Panesar QC, representing Sellafield and Roberts, suggested McDermott was changing her case to suit her purpose and accused her of ‘self-serving fabrications’.
According to the report, McDermott became emotional and requested a break in proceedings after being asked to clarify events which had not been mentioned in her witness statement during the hearing.
The tribunal is expected to last three weeks.
