A Ghanaian nurse working with the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) has been ordered to pay £1,425 in compensation after an employment tribunal ruled that he harassed a colleague by repeatedly calling her “auntie.”
The case involved Charles Oppong, a staff nurse at St Bernard’s Hospital under the West London NHS Trust, and 61-year-old healthcare assistant Ilda Esteves.
Ms Esteves told the tribunal that she found the term offensive and had repeatedly asked Mr Oppong to stop addressing her as “auntie” and use her proper name instead.
Mr Oppong defended his actions, explaining that in Ghanaian culture, “auntie” is a respectful term used to address older women.
However, the employment tribunal disagreed, ruling that his conduct created an offensive working environment.
“We find that Charles Oppong’s purpose was probably an offensive attempt at humour. It was reasonable for Ms Esteves to perceive it as creating an offensive environment,” Employment Judge George Alliott stated.
The tribunal also took into account additional remarks by Mr Oppong, including a comment that Ms Esteves would be “a good match” for another older staff member, which contributed to the harassment claim.
Although Mr Oppong admitted to using the term on one occasion, he denied repeating it. The tribunal described his evidence as “evasive and vague” and rejected his defence.
The tribunal upheld Ms Esteves’s complaint of harassment on the grounds of age and sex. It ordered the West London NHS Trust to pay her £1,200 in damages for injury to feelings, plus £225.15 in interest, bringing the total to £1,425.
Judge Alliott acknowledged that “auntie” is regarded as a term of respect in Ghanaian culture but emphasised that continuing to use it after Ms Esteves had made her objections clear made the behaviour inappropriate and offensive in the UK workplace.
Other claims brought by Ms Esteves, including direct discrimination on grounds of age, race and sex, victimisation, and unlawful deduction of wages, were dismissed.