EX-CITI BANKER CLAIMS UNFAIR DISMISSAL – FOR BEING GORGEOUS
WE’VE all heard of lawsuits being fired back and forth due to foxy females being sexually harassed at work, but bringing a legal complaint because managers insist a lady is too attractive to wear her normal office attire? That’s got to be a new one.
Latino bombshell Debrahlee Lorenzana has filed a lawsuit in New York against Citibank, claiming that she was fired from the firm last year because her bosses thought her body was too much of a distraction.
Lorenzana claims she was variously asked to stop wearing pencil skirts, heels and figure-hugging clothing, even though her plainer colleagues were free to don miniskirts and show off their cleavage to their hearts’ content.
“Debrahlee would go out of her way not to show too much flesh,” puffs the lady’s lawyer, women’s rights specialist Jack Tuckner. “Asking for a measure of control from managers is hardly too much to ask – that kind of sexual impulse is just not appropriate in the workplace…”
Well, quite. Citibank has yet to make comment on the matter, which will have to be settled by an arbitrator since Lorenzana signed a mandatory arbitration agreement on joining the firm. But I hear Lorenzana’s legal team has yet to decide on a final figure for the monetary damages necessary to remedy the financial and emotional damage wrought upon her, so perhaps the bank would be best advised to start readying its defence.
TABLE DANCING
More guidance arrives regarding best employee policy during the upcoming World Cup – and this time, ladies and gents, the good old ‘elf ‘n’ safety brigade are on the rampage.
This snippet of wisdom comes courtesy of law firm Crowell and Moring, which claims ‘elf should be of “paramount” consideration to businesses thinking about how to give employees the chance to watch crucial games in the office.
“If the workplace environment is to be decorated, ensure that there are no tripping hazards and that fire regulations are adhered to,” sniffs the firm. “And whilst it should not be necessary to remind grown ups not to stand on desks and chairs to get a better view, any inappropriate behaviour should be dealt with…”
Smacked botties all round.
FOOTY MANAGER
Completing the daily brace of footballing snippets that have come to dominate this column in recent weeks, we also yesterday found financial advisory firm BestInvest piggybacking off the rising tide of World Cup fever.
“With England’s squad now confirmed, BestInvest picks its own team of fund managers that should ensure your portfolio is a winning one,” chirrups the firm, unashamedly.
For your information, the firm put Fidelity’s moneybuilder income fund manager Ian Spreadbury in goal, with Invesco Perpetual duo Paul Read and Paul Causer, New Star property fund manager Marcus Langsdon Pearse, Standard Life’s Euan Munro and Artemis income fund manager Adrian Frost in defence.
Less risk-averse midfielders were named as Tom Dobell from the M&G recovery fund, Chris Rice of Cazenove’s European fund, Bradley George and George Cheveley from Investec, and Whitney George at Legg Mason.
Meanwhile, the ultimate in glory positions – the strikers – were named as Hugh Young, manager of Aberdeen’s Asia Pacific fund, and Jonathan Asante, First State global emerging markets fund manager.
Asante, not content with the accolade, grumbles that he’d rather have been a defender. “I used to play lots of football in my twenties,” he adds, nostalgically. “Seems a long time ago, sadly!”
SHOOT OUT
City sports nuts should head down to the Broadgate Arena at lunchtime today, starting at 12.30pm, for the chance to take a penalty against football legend Phil Thompson, the former captain of Liverpool and England.
The event is in support of the City’s most popular running race, the Standard Chartered Great City Race, which takes place on 15 July and is already booked out due to popular demand.
MIRROR, MIRROR
There’s a slice of history on display this week at chef Michel Roux Jnr’s newly-opened Parliament Square restaurant, in the form of an exhibition of antique mirrors, of all things.
The display features a mirror previously owned by former Prime Minister Sir William Gladstone and another, one of a pair, which was considered by the Queen Mother for display in Clarence House.
The selection is valued at close to £1m and is part of a sale exhibition by Ronald Phillips in Bruton Street. Part of the proceeds raised from the sale will go to blind children’s charity Victa.