Misread 'xx' as kisses: IT worker accuses boss of sexual harassment

Karina Gasparova, a former project manager at essDOCS, accused her superior, Alexander Goulandris, of engaging in inappropriate behavior. However, the tribunal deemed her perception of events to be "skewed" and found no evidence to support her claims. The employment tribunal rejected the claims of the IT worker. She sued her boss, alleging sexual harassment based on her interpretation of certain workplace interactions and communications. 

Gasparova's allegations revolved around her belief that Goulandris used coded language in his email and engaged in suggestive behaviour during work discussions, according to a report by BBC. The tribunal presented an email from Goulandris as evidence, where he requested more information related to the business. Gasparova interpreted the use of "xx" as kisses, "yy" as sexual contact, and "????" as a coded way of asking for sexual acts. However, the panel concluded that the email was a genuine request for information and did not contain any sexual implications.

In addition to the email, Gasparova claimed that Goulandris used an abbreviation of his initials, 'ajg,' in renaming a work file, which she believed stood for "A Jumbo Genital." The tribunal dismissed this interpretation, stating that there was no evidence to support her claim.

Further allegations included Gasparova's assertion that Goulandris attempted to engage in flirtatious conversations during work calls and stared at her. She also accused him of speaking to her in an "alluring voice" and intentionally touching her hand. The tribunal panel found no evidence to suggest any sexual nature in these incidents.

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The panel concluded that Gasparova's claims were a result of her skewed perception of everyday events. They further noted that she demonstrated a tendency to make extraordinary allegations without sufficient evidence. As a result, the tribunal rejected her claims of sexual harassment, discrimination, and unfair dismissal.

Gasparova had submitted a formal grievance letter against Goulandris in April 2021, which was subsequently rejected. Following the rejection, she resigned from her position at essDOCS. The tribunal ordered Gasparova to pay £5,000 (roughly over Rs 5 lakh) in costs to essDOCS.

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