A UK Woman Sues Her Boss £5,000 For Breaking Wind In Her Direction
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
May 16, 2008 2:43am CST
I just saw this on the very late news telecast about a UK woman who decided to sue her boss for constantly breaking wind in her direction and incredibly she won this case!!
Here's an excerpt from an article I found
(quote)
.."A bullied office worker has been awarded £5,000 after her boss raised his right buttock from his chair and broke wind in her direction.
Humiliated mother-of-three Theresa Bailey, 43, was the only woman on a sales team where "laddish" behaviour made her life a misery, and continued despite complains to senior managers. ...
...There was a general culture of "laddish" behaviour by men in her office, she said - with her line manager David Nye included.
She said he regularly "lifted his right cheek" and broke wind in her direction throughout her brief time at the firm...."
Here's the entire article
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=566617&in_page_id=1770
I don't know about you..I mean yes, there were other crude behaviors going with her male co-workers including her boss..but really this is a first...to sue someone for breaking wind??
Think this falls into the category of "I just don't believe this"
12 people like this
22 responses
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 May 08
Any kind of rude behavior toward a woman in a workplace is inexcusable, don't you think? And it does seem her other male co-workers did gang up against her as well
@AmbiePam (93944)
• United States
16 May 08
It sounds like this was just one thing in a long line of harrassment. I'd like to think worse behaviors turned the case in her favor, and the press just capitalized on the breaking wind part since it was the more sensational part of the news. I've never heard the term 'laddish.' I guess it is just a British word?
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 May 08
No, just looked up the meaning from my built in dictionary...laddish means..characteristic of a young man who behaves in a boisterously macho manner.
@BarBaraPrz (47676)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
16 May 08
Oh, I believe it, especially as the "lad" persisted in this behavior. If it was just once, she probably wouldn't have had a case. But I thought, when I read your subject line, that he was more overt in his actions, like getting up and doing it right in her face.
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 May 08
I'm glad she won anyway...women in general have taken a lot of crap in the work force for too long
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 May 08
There were other issues involved including just plain harassment toward her
@duksa5 (50)
• United States
16 May 08
lol. to be honest, people are starting to become very greedy. to sue someone for passing gas is really messed up. only a person who cares about themselves would do it. passing gas is something that everyone does. i bet you she must have passed gas at least once in an area filled with people. she should be countersued for that one time too. not only that but its happening everywhere. somewhere sometime a woman sued mcdonalds because her coffee was hot. apparrantly she spilled her coffee on herself then claimed she didn't know it was scorching. she won the case and a couple million dollars. i dont believe the stupidity of some people. and you are right this case as well as many others that are similar fall into the "i dont beleive this" category.
@ESKARENA1 (18261)
•
18 May 08
it doesnt really matter who is wrong or right anymore, its the money that matters, thats what drives these things
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
18 May 08
I read about that woman suing McDonalds and thought she was as daft as the others who sue over something that is obvious. I mean, I'm sure she makes coffee at home. What..her coffee is cold-brewed?
Some ppl just don't make sense and it's those who should definately lose in court.
Some ppl just don't make sense and it's those who should definately lose in court.1 person likes this
@caroline22 (1)
•
16 May 08
I thought this kind of thing only happened in America?? I'll have to tell my boyfriend about it as he does that to me all the time...
I wonder if she ever thought about telling them to grow up and p**s off? That generally works for me. What did she sue for anyway - misuse of company time? Vialation of personal smell?
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 May 08
Yes, I thought only America was sue happy. No if you read the article there were a lot of other issues involved like outright harassment that was being done toward the woman, so I guess the final straw for her was the breaking wind part
@GardenGerty (160978)
• United States
16 May 08
That is probably the part of the suit that is considered most newsworthy, possibly by "laddish" reporters. I would have to think that there was some other things that could be documented in this case.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 May 08
Oh there were other issues involved but it does seem the press had a field day about the breaking wind part
1 person likes this
@Ravenladyj (22902)
• United States
16 May 08
After she objected to sexist banter a beach ball was thrown at her head - and when she had problems working her computer was ordered to wear a badge saying "I'm simple".
Sounds to me like she was constantly harrassed and maybe the repeated f@rting in her general direction was the last straw ya know....Especially since the f@rter was also the one who called her "simple" and I'm assuming said and did other unacceptable things...
I think its good she was rewarded the money in all honesty..That sort of singling out and constant harrassment isnt acceptable at any time let alone in the work world..If it was a child at school going through this sort of thing it would be dealt with accordingly (I'd hope) and since this womans complaints etc WERENT being dealt with accordingly she took it to the next level as far as i can see..
2 people like this
@GnosticGoddess (5626)
• United States
16 May 08
I'm with you on this!
It's rude but it's not grounds for suing someone!
I'm even more shocked that she won than that she sued. WOW!
1 person likes this
@pitstop (14095)
• Australia
16 May 08
I read the topic and felt - just a whole lot of gas!
I guess people will do anything and sue for anything.
5000 pounds is more than what I earn a year - should watch out next time for somebody to break wind towards me and pounce on them!
PS: Just kidding!
PS: Just kidding!
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
16 May 08
Wow, I can seriously say that I have now 'heard it all.' Surely there was more important behaviours that contributed to her winning the suit. My guess is that the piece about 'breaking wind' was just the part that the typical news persons used for sensationalism. I really like that term 'laddish,' what a great way to say 'childish.' I'll have to remember that term. Off to tell hubby about the suit, perhaps he'll cease with his breaking wind! Ha!
2 people like this
@Angelwhispers (8978)
• United States
16 May 08
Well, I agree that it is a frivolous law suit, but I feel bad for her to. I mean she is the only woman on a sales teal of what amounts to is human apes. Where is the respect. Not to mention treatment of your peers of what should be expected in a work environment. Probably not a pleasant place for this lady to work, sometimes grown men have to be taught a lesson, and upper management should have stepped in long before it got this far.
2 people like this
@souless_tragedy (259)
• Canada
16 May 08
Wow, thats a ridiculous story if i've ever heard one! What a waste of the legal system! I mean I understand if other "crude" behaviours were mentioned in the case and were recognized as a form of harrassment, but just breaking wind? Grow up!
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
16 May 08
I just read the link that you posted, and while I found it hilarious about the farting, I must admit that the rest of it must have just been horrible. I could have coped with the farting, in fact I would have given the bloke a run for his money if it was me, and I would have eaten all the stuff that I know would not only make me fart, but stink as well. I would then have said that if he stopped doing it then so would I!!
But to be treated continuously like that, and being told to wear a badge saying I was simple, then no I would not have put up with that at all, so I am glad she won her case!!
2 people like this
@ESKARENA1 (18261)
•
18 May 08
well this made me smile a lot. Lol i bet a few lawers got richer because this went to court. How much more like America are we going to get, before someone recognises the stupidity of it all?
@cwilson26 (2735)
• United States
16 May 08
This is ridiculous! Doesn't surprise me much though because people will do anything for money these days. There are a lot of people who sue over really strange and stupid things. :)
1 person likes this
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
18 May 08
If she won the case suing her boss, wonder if I can sue hubby and bro for the same thing and win. What is this world coming to anyways? I swear..everyfrigginone is sue-happy it seems. WTF?!? Sure glad I'm an independent contractor, otherwise, someone at the Journal would prolly sue me just for looking at them. eesh!
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
16 May 08
oh my.
I am surprised the boss couldn't claim "freedom of speech"
the senior management should have been on his case if he was being so obnoxious on purpose...
that is far from managerial demeanor and he should have been reprimanded and demoted if he persisted. But, to sue and win in a court of law? It gives the appearance, at least, of mocking the justice system.
1 person likes this
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
16 May 08
Hi pyewacket! haha..That is really funny when i read it. However, I wouldn't be laughing at all if it is done to me. It will surely make me angry especially if it smells really bad! haha..I think she has the right to sue since it is not a very decent and professional thing to do to your co-office worker. But still, it is "I just don't believe this" kind of thing! haha..
Take Care and God Bless! Happy Mylotting! 
1 person likes this
