A student who worked as a sales assistant at JD Sports has won a £65,000 payout after being slapped on the bottom by her male supervisor.
Jayla Boyd, who was 17 at the time, had worked part-time at a Belfast store while studying for her A-levels when her supervisor slapped her bottom and then claimed it was ‘muscle memory’.
She said she was left further embarrassed that even after the incident, a woman being slapped on the bottom by a supervisor was discussed in a training session, believing the example referred to her own experience.
Ms Boyd settled her case against her former employer, who acknowledged and apologised for the significant upset, distress, and injury.
After reporting it to her manager on the same day, she was told that CCTV had captured the incident.
However, the supervisor was allowed to continue to work alongside her for the rest of the shift.
During the shift, Ms Boyd said that he approached her twice to apologise and claimed it was ‘muscle memory’.
Ms Boyd made a written statement after raising a complaint of sexual harrassment but she was not interviewed formally about her experience.
Jayla Boyd, who was 17 at the time, had worked part-time at a Belfaststore while studying for her A-levels when the supervisor slapped her bottom, who claimed it was ‘muscle memory’
Ms Boyd settled her case for £65,000 against JD Sports Fashion PLC, who acknowledged and apologised for the significant upset, distress, and injury
After feeling unsupported by her employers, she used annual leave to take some time away from the job, saying she felt upset and distressed.
When she returned to work, she said no return-to-work meeting was arranged, and she was not updated about the investigation or outcome of her complaint.
Ms Boyd has also claimed that her personal information relating to the incident was seen by other staff on a manager’s computer.
She later resigned from her job saying that she ‘never expected this to happen to me’.
Ms Boyd said: ‘The initial incident was embarrassing, but it was made worse because I felt like they were trying to ignore what had happened to me instead of dealing with it properly.
‘I had to remain working with this male supervisor after he had sexually harassed me.
‘Everyone deserves to feel safe and supported at work.
‘I hope that by speaking out I can give others the confidence to challenge this type of behaviour.’
Ms Boyd was supported in her case by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
Chief commissioner Geraldine McGahey said employers should have clear policies and procedures in place to deal with harassment.
‘A zero-tolerance approach by employers to sexual harassment in the workplace will remind everyone how seriously it will be dealt with should any instances arise,’ she said.
‘In order to prevent it, employers must ensure that all staff know what behaviour is acceptable, and unacceptable, in the workplace.
‘Employers must have clear policies and procedures in place to deal with harassment, and managers must be trained to use them appropriately.
‘This type of behaviour must be investigated thoroughly, with the complaint dealt with sensitively and in a timely manner.’
In a statement, a JD Sports Fashion PLC spokesperson said the company apologises unreservedly to Ms Boyd.
‘We apologise unreservedly to Ms Boyd for the significant upset caused,’ they said.
‘This incident occurred in July 2024 and was promptly addressed in line with our policies.
‘The individual involved is no longer employed by the company.
‘We work hard to create an environment where all colleagues are treated with dignity and respect in the workplace, and whilst we have already made some changes to our processes, we welcome the opportunity to liaise with the Equality Commission to further review our policies, practices and procedures.’
