Jayla Boyd was working part-time at the store when a male supervisor slapped her on the bottom, blaming “muscle memory” for the incident at the retailer’s Belfast branch in 2024
A JD Sports worker has won a £65,000 payout after she was slapped on the bottom by a male supervisor – who blamed “muscle memory”.
Jayla Boyd worked part-time at the store while studying for her A-levels when she was aged 17 and made a report to her manager after the incident in the Belfast branch.
She was told the incident was caught on CCTV, but the supervisor was allowed to continue to work alongside her for the rest of the shift.
Jayla said he approached her twice during that time and apologised for what he had done, claiming it was “muscle memory”. She has now been awarded £65,000 after the company settled a sexual harassment case.
The company acknowledged and apologised for the significant upset, distress and injury to feelings she experienced.
She said she felt upset and distressed her employer failed to offer her support after the incident, so she used some annual leave to take time away from her job.
Jayla said when she returned to work, no return-to-work meeting was arranged and she was not updated about the investigation or outcome of her complaint.
She has also claimed her personal information relating to the incident was seen by other staff on a manager’s computer.
Jayla said she then suffered further embarrassment during a staff training session when an example involving a woman being slapped on the bottom by a supervisor was discussed and felt certain the example referred to her own experience.
She later resigned from her job and said she hopes by speaking out she can encourage others to challenge this sort of behaviour.
She added: “Like most A-level students, I was working in a part-time job to earn some money. I never expected this to happen to me.
“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.”
Equality Commission for Northern Ireland chief Geraldine McGahey said employers should have clear policies and procedures in place to deal with harassment.
She added: “A zero-tolerance approach by employers to sexual harassment will remind everyone how seriously it will be dealt with should any instances arise.
“Employers must have clear policies and procedures in place to deal with harassment, and managers must be trained to use them appropriately.”
In a statement, a JD Sports Fashion spokesperson said: “We apologise unreservedly to Ms Boyd. 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.”
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