A beauty therapist who sued her boss for sexual harassment after he called her 'sexy legs', asked for a full-body massage, and sent porn to her work computer has won a £1,500 payout.
April Freke was left feeling 'sick' and 'frightened' by Rohit Vikal's advances which included turning up to her hotel uninvited and frequently touching the badge on her chest, an employment tribunal heard.
The older businessman also told her she needed to get her teeth fixed because 'everything has to be perfect' while making repeated requests for her to be his girlfriend.
Less than a year after starting the job Ms Freke resigned, citing harassment as the reason. She was awarded £1,522.05 after Mr Vikal made unlawful deductions from her wages.
An employment judge ruled he had violated her dignity at a time when there was a 'clear imbalance' between a young woman starting her career and an 'established' businessman offering her the chance to progress.
The hearing in Reading, Berkshire, was told Ms. Freke started work as a beauty therapist at Mr Vikal's Shapins clinic in Farnham, Surrey in February 2022.
The clinic offers a variety of skin treatments, telling customers 'The best skin of your life starts here'.
Two months after starting Ms Freke said Mr Vikal asked her for a full body massage.
'He scheduled it into her timetable without asking her,' the hearing was told. 'She refused him and he kept asking and pleading with her for a massage which made her feel uncomfortable.'
Prize Bond 2020
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