An estate agent who claims he was ‘driven out of work’ by a ‘year-long bullying campaign’ is challenging his former employer at an Employment Tribunal.
Former Your Move worker Mr Paul Elworthy has said that he was personally targeted by senior colleague Simon Cox and line manager Sarah Thompson, who subjected him to workplace bullying and made him feel ‘uncomfortable’ in his job for several years.
The 45-year-old former estate agent has told the Tribunal that Mr Cox was ‘confrontational’ and ‘forced’ members of staff – including Mr Elworthy – to clean the toilets “with the threat of losing our jobs if we did not.”
“In 2008, a decision was made to take away the cleaners,” Mr Elworthy told the Tribunal.
“We were advised that we now had to clean the offices including the toilets. I found this very offensive as I had taken professional exams to become a financial consultant,” he said.
Mr Elworthy added that Your Move line manager Ms Thompson had made him feel ‘uncomfortable’ at work. He added that he felt he was a victim of sex discrimination.
“I was subjected to an inappropriate sexual comment,” he said.
He added that, at a company party, Ms Cox had offered to perform a sex act on him if he managed to reach “£180,000 of banked income”.
“I did not report it as she was my line manager and having experienced grievances previously in the company I know how corrupt they were and I would not get a fair hearing,” he said.
Mr Elworthy, who worked at the company for 13 years, resigned from his job in September 2015 following two disciplinary meetings held over his own alleged inappropriate behaviour and communication failings.
A spokesperson on behalf of Your Move accused the 45-year-old of continually being “rude and confrontational to senior management”.
The hearing continues.