A Ghanaian nurse working in the United Kingdom has been ordered to pay £1,425 in compensation after an employment tribunal found that repeatedly calling a colleague “auntie” amounted to workplace harassment.
The case involved Charles Oppong, a nurse with the NHS, and his colleague, Ilda Esteves, a 61-year-old healthcare assistant at West London NHS Trust.
According to tribunal findings, Oppong referred to Esteves as “auntie” on multiple occasions despite her requests for him to stop and address her by name. Esteves told the tribunal that she found the term offensive.
Oppong defended his actions, explaining that “auntie” is commonly used in Ghana as a respectful way of addressing older women. However, the tribunal ruled that cultural context did not override the recipient’s objection.
The tribunal also heard that Oppong suggested Esteves would be a “good match” for an older colleague and made remarks about her appearance, including her lipstick.
In a formal complaint filed in September 2023, Esteves wrote that she had repeatedly asked Oppong to stop using the term, adding that his comments created discomfort in the workplace.
Employment Judge George Alliott described Oppong’s testimony as “evasive and vague,” noting inconsistencies in his account during proceedings.
The tribunal concluded that the repeated use of “auntie” and related comments created an offensive work environment, particularly as they occurred in professional settings such as offices, corridors, and staff handovers.
While acknowledging that the term carries respectful connotations in Ghanaian culture, the judge emphasised that continuing to use it against a colleague’s wishes constituted harassment.
Esteves’s claims of harassment based on age and sex were upheld, though other claims—including discrimination, victimisation, and unlawful deduction of wages—were dismissed.
