'Insulting & rude' | 'Lads' comment tribunal put spotlight on gendered language in the workplace

An employment tribunal has warned that casual gendered language such as calling colleagues “lads” could amount to sex-related harassment.

The case involved a female executive who took her employer, Cranswick Foods Ltd, to tribunal claiming sex and disability discrimination, victimisation and unfair dismissal. 

While her complaints of sex discrimination were ultimately dismissed, the tribunal made clear that the use of the phrase “lads, lads” by a male manager was “unwanted conduct related to sex” and could be viewed as patronising or implying that women were not tough enough negotiators.

Background of the case

Sally Ellis, a senior commercial controller based at Cranswick’s Yorkshire Baker site, had been diagnosed with dyslexia, ADHD and autism, all of which the tribunal accepted amounted to disabilities under the Equality Act 2010. She joined the business in 2018 and, by 2022, was reporting to site director Matthew Briggs.