UK Google Employee Claims Job Termination Following Report of Sexual Harassment

A top Google employee in London informs a tribunal that she would be laid off after reporting a senior manager’s sexual harassment.

The tech company allegedly launched a campaign of retaliation against a senior Google employee who told a London employment tribunal that she was fired after reporting sexual harassment by a manager.

Senior industry head Victoria Woodall of Google UK’s Sales and Agencies division says she voiced concerns about a boss who allegedly made explicit sexual remarks to clients and coworkers, and the business turned against her.

In court records, Google’s internal inquiry revealed that the manager had engaged in inappropriate behavior, including touching coworkers without permission, and had sexually harassed two female employees. Because of his egregious wrongdoing, he was later fired.

She was subjected to what Woodall called a “relentless campaign of retaliation” by her own manager after she reported the behavior in 2022. This included being moved from a successful client account to a faltering one, which left her open to redundancy.

She further claims she was relegated to a lower position on a significant internal project with a senior management connected to her grievance, and she later encountered efforts to devalue her work.

Google refutes the claims, claiming that Woodall misread normal business decisions as unfriendly activities and grew unduly suspicious following his whistleblowing. Google also denies any retaliation.

The initial misbehavior investigation was initiated, according to court filings, after a female client alleged that a manager had made sexualized remarks about women, talked extensively about his swinger lifestyle, and then shown an explicit image on his phone to another client.

Additional incidences involving offensive remarks to employees and unwelcome physical contact during a work function were discovered during further investigation. Two senior coworkers were eventually fired after receiving criticism for their inaction.

According to Woodall, Google UK has a “boys’ club” mentality, which includes a luncheon intended only for men that was once sponsored by the business. According to Google, an internal investigation revealed no such culture, and the event was canceled for policy concerns.

Woodall raised her concerns with high management in 2023 as Google was getting ready for a more extensive reorganization, including the company’s vice president for UK and Ireland at the time. Internal communications that were submitted to the tribunal mention taking advantage of the reorganization process to “exit people.”

In March 2024, Woodall lost his job. She continues to work for Google and receives long-term sick leave due to stress at work.

Google acknowledges that Woodall’s first complaint qualified as whistleblowing, but argues that her layoff was unrelated to her report and was a part of a larger reorganization that affected other positions.

The London Central Employment Tribunal is anticipated to provide a decision in the upcoming weeks.