A UK bank employee will receive two million pounds in damages after having denounced to BNP Paribas for salary discriminationreported this Tuesday his lawyer, who considered the case as “historic” because it is “one of the highest sums ever conceived by a British employment court”.
Lawyer Sheila Aly explained that this is the first case of its kind in that country where ruling in favor of equal pay against an international investment bank adding that “this victory sends a clear message to the industry that this type of discrimination is not acceptable.”
BNP Paribas is one of the largest banks in Europe and France, and the sixth largest in the world by volume of assets.
The plaintiff, Stacey Macken, still employed at BNP Paribas, cannot make any statements yet as she is still in dispute with the bank over the payment of legal costs, detailed the AFP agency, however she stated that, when the time comes, will tell his story.
“People will be shocked to learn the barriers women have to overcome to be treated like their male colleagues”he expressed.
Macken reported that his salary was 25% lower than that of a fellow male stockbroker, and that your first year’s bonus was half his, with the same job, and despite the fact that their performance evaluations were similar for equivalent positions.
Within the lawsuit, he described a “humiliating and toxic work environment, with demeaning and derogatory comments.”
In addition, Macken explained that on one occasion found a witch’s hat on his desk.
A BNP Paribas spokesman explained that they understand that the bank “has not fulfilled its obligations to Macken” and that they have launched a program of corrective measures that includes an “annual evaluation of equal pay.”
At the end of 2019, a hundred British executives launched a campaign to raise awareness of the pay gap under the slogan #MeTooPayfollowing the #MeToo movement, against sexual assault.
A report published by the organization fighting gender inequality, Fawcett Society, in early 2020 said that the UK is “generations away from achieving equality between women and men”.
