Woman branded ‘fatty’ and ‘prostitute’ by boss who said he wanted ‘slim smart girls’ in his office wins £19,000 payout

• Aishah Zaman took her boss to a tribunal after relentless derogatory comments
• Shahzad Younas sent her texts calling her a ‘prostitute’ for being a DJ and a ‘fatty’
• An employment judge ruled the conduct had been ‘humiliating and offensive’ 
• Ms Zaman, from Glasgow, was awarded £18,984, which she is yet to receive  
• Knightsbridge Furnishing Ltd, East Kilbride, closed trading last May due to losses

A Scottish woman who was branded a ‘fatty’ and a ‘prostitute’ by her sexist ex-boss who said he wanted ‘slim, smart girls’ in his office has been awarded £19,000 in damages.

Aishah Zaman, 35, took Shahzad Younas, 45, to a tribunal after almost two years of derogatory comments and sexual advances at textiles firm Knightsbridge Furnishing Ltd in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire.

Employment judge Russell Bradley ruled the conduct had been ‘humiliating and offensive’. 

Mr Younas, who is married and spends most of his time in Pakistan as a political activist, sent Ms Zaman text messages calling her ‘motee’ – Punjabi for ‘fatty’ – and said he wanted ‘slim smart girls’ in his office.

Aishah Zaman, 35, who was branded a ‘fatty’ and a ‘prostitute’ by her sexist ex-boss who said he wanted ‘slim, smart girls’ in his office has been awarded £19,000 in damages

Ms Zaman took Shahzad Younas, 45, to a tribunal after almost two years of derogatory comments and sexual advances at textiles firm Knightsbridge Furnishing Ltd in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire

Mr Younas (left), who has been pictured alongside former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan (right) – also told Ms Zaman she should stop DJing at night as it was the ‘work of prostitutes’

Ms Zaman, from Glasgow, said Mr Younas was a ‘bully’ and ‘saw his employees as slaves’.

The boss – who has been pictured alongside former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan – also told Ms Zaman she should stop DJing at night as it was the ‘work of prostitutes’.

The tribunal heard Mr Younas sent messages to Ms Zaman that read: ‘Don’t break my heart’ and: ‘I fancy you’, offering to buy her a Mercedes.

He also sent a graphic image of female genitalia, asked her to clean his flat and said she should unpack his suitcase, including underwear, as this was ‘woman’s work’.

Matters came to a head in April 2020 when Ms Zaman told him she was too busy to rearrange an office.

Mr Younas called her an ‘idiot’ and a ‘pain in the a**e’, before grabbing her by the arm with both hands and yelling: ‘I am going to f*** you’ – which she took to mean he was threatening to ruin her life.

Mr Younas told her to leave and not return and he later sold the firm and resigned as a director.

Ms Zaman said the saga had taken a toll on her mental health, having recently come off of antidepressants. The subsequent legal battle has cost her more than £10,000.

Ms Zaman said: ‘I couldn’t let him get away with this. I’ve never seen a man like that in my life, he was just a bully.

‘He only ever wanted to work with ladies and saw his employees as slaves. He would look at their appearance first rather than what they could or couldn’t do.’

Employment judge Russell Bradley said Mr Younas had ‘an outdated image of a subservient female’, and held him and Knightsbridge Furnishing Ltd jointly liable for discrimination.

Ms Zaman was awarded £18,984, which she is yet to receive.

Mr Bradley wrote: ‘Messages suggesting the desire for a relationship relate to her sex, were unwanted, and were humiliating.’

Mr Younas later alleged that Ms Zaman had embezzled £17,718 from the company, offering to withdraw the claim if she dropped the case.

Mr Younas later alleged that Ms Zaman had embezzled £17,718 from the company, offering to withdraw the claim if she dropped the case

Mr Bradley labelled the accusations ‘false’ with ‘no factual basis’, adding: ‘In our view the clear inference is that the false allegations were made because of the protected act [reporting sexist behaviour].’

When approached for comment, Mr Younas said he was ‘not aware of any proceeding in my absence’ and denied sending the messages.

However, papers show he lodged responses with the tribunal, and was represented at a hearing in May. 

Legal representatives for Mr Younas and Knightsbridge Furnishing dropped out before the case concluded.

Mr Younas said: ‘When I sold the company there was no communication access so I am not aware of any proceedings.’

Sameer Khan, the current director of Knightsbridge Furnishing Ltd, said: ‘We had closed trading business due to losses in May 2022 and informed the employment tribunal of the same. We are sorry as we are out of business so we are not able to pay any claims.’

Source: Read Full Article