Putting a supportive hand on a female colleague's shoulder in a 'fatherly' way is not sex harassment, a tribunal has ruled.
Employment Judge Robin Havard said the gesture may instead signal support and is not done in a way to humiliate or intimidate the recipient.
The ruling came in the case of HR worker Yvette Rankmore, who took to a city council to a tribunal after her male boss placed his hand on her shoulder while offering advice.
Ms Rankore admitted that it was a 'fatherly type gesture' - but said she did not consider that it was 'appropriate' in the workplace.
However, the tribunal, who heard Ms Rankmore did not say anything to her boss about the incident, dismissed the HR worker's claims and said that the behaviour of the male boss was not carried out with the intention of violating Ms Rankmore's dignity.
