A woman has settled a sexual harassment case against her former employer, JD Sports Fashion PLC, for £65,000 after being slapped on the bottom by a male supervisor. The company acknowledged and apologised for the significant upset, distress, and injury to feelings experienced by Jayla Boyd.
Ms Boyd worked part-time at a Belfast store while studying for her A-levels. She reported the incident to her manager on the same day and was told that CCTV had captured it, but the supervisor was allowed to continue working alongside her for the rest of the shift. He later approached her twice to apologise, explaining that it was ‘muscle memory’.
Ms Boyd raised a formal complaint of sexual harassment but claims she was not formally interviewed about her experience. She said she felt upset and distressed that her employer failed to offer support, leading her to take annual leave. Upon returning, no return-to-work meeting was arranged, and she was not updated about the investigation. She also alleges that her personal information relating to the incident was seen by other staff on a manager’s computer.
During a staff training session, an example involving a woman being slapped on the bottom by a supervisor was discussed, and Ms Boyd felt certain it referred to her own experience. She later resigned and said she hopes speaking out will encourage others to challenge such behaviour. ‘Like most A-level students, I was working in a part-time job to earn some money. I never expected this to happen to me,’ she said.
Ms Boyd was supported by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland. Chief commissioner Geraldine McGahey said employers should have clear policies and procedures to deal with harassment and adopt a zero-tolerance approach, adding that behaviour must be investigated thoroughly and complaints dealt with sensitively and in a timely manner.
A JD Sports spokesperson said the company apologises unreservedly and that the incident occurred in July 2024 and was ‘promptly addressed in line with our policies’. The individual involved is no longer employed by the company. The spokesperson noted that some changes to processes have already been made and welcomed the opportunity to further review policies with the Equality Commission.
