A Tesco worker has reportedly taken the supermarket giant to court after a colleague 'broke wind in his face'. Nice.
Atif Masood, 42, is claiming £20,000 ($26,000) for harassment and racial discrimination which he allegedly suffered at the branch in Thornton Heath, south London, according to the Metro.
He claims that the flatulence amounted to bullying and said that he has not received an apology from the supermarket - which, he says, failed to properly investigate his complaint.
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Mr Masoon raised an internal grievance, which in February this year found no evidence of racial discrimination.
Mr Masood, who has worked for the chain for 12 years, said he was targeted because he is a Muslim.
The Evening Standard reported that Mr Masood said he received 'derogatory' messages on WhatsApp with comments including 'Muslims are terrorists' and said that he was called a liar in front of customers.
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In legal papers submitted to the London South employment tribunal, Mr Masood claims there was 'too much racism' in the Thornton Heath store, and felt he was discriminated against by colleagues because he was Pakistani.
The paperwork claims that Mr Masood raised with bosses a 'very serious and disturbing act' - that in December last year a senior colleague had 'broken wind in the claimant's face', in the presence of another worker - and that those two members of staff 'started laughing at the claimant'.
Through his lawyers, Rahman Lowe Solicitors, the Tesco worker alleges that the conduct amounted to 'unwanted conduct which had the purpose or effect of violating his dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating and/or offensive' [situation], and in the 'act of breaking wind in the claimant's face, a smelly environment for him because of his race'.
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Legal papers stated: "For the avoidance of any doubt, the respondents deny that they discriminated against (whether directly or indirectly), harassed or victimised the claimant because of, or for a reason related to race, religion or belief, as alleged in the claim form, or at all".
In a statement, a Tesco spokesperson told LADbible: "Everyone is welcome at Tesco regardless of their gender, race, background or education. We are unable to comment on ongoing legal proceedings or the specifics of this case."
Featured Image Credit: PA