Perfume giant Estée Lauder has been accused of bullying business analyst Susy White after she told them that she had epilepsy in September 2005.
Reported by the Daily Telegraph, the business analyst claims that senior managers at Aramis and Designer Fragrances, a division of Estée Lauder, “demolished” her self confidence after she told them of the condition.
Tony Measom, the managing director, and Indra Pamamull, the sales director, bullied her, calling her a “silly little girl” who “lacked a business brain”, she claimed.
She was so deeply affected that three months later she signed off sick from her £30,000-a-year job, reports the paper.
Four claims of disability discrimination have been found proven by the tribunal against Aramis and Designer Fragrances, which markets the perfumes DKNY and Tommy Hilfiger.
Measom and Pamamull were found to have carried out direct discrimination, harassment and disability discrimination.
Quoted in the paper, a spokesman for Estée Lauder said it “sincerely regrets” any distress caused to Mrs White, but noted 20 out of 24 complaints were rejected by the tribunal.
The company had offered her other positions at the same level and salary if she wanted it, a work rehabilitation programmes and long term sick pay, she said.
The tribunal is due to rule on the amount the company will pay out tomorrow; according to legal experts White should be in line for a six-figure sum.
