Former Lionhead designer Jamie Durrant is suing Microsoft for homophobic remarks and their lack of interest in putting a stop to it.
Menacing emails began in January last year he alleges, and the firm had no internal policies in place to deal with it. Microsoft denies his claims and has refused to comment.
Mocking emails entitled things like ‘I’m Jim and I’m Gay’ and ‘Me and My Favourite Men’ starting circulating the workplace says Durrant. He raised the issue with HR and they said they’d deal with it informally after the designer agreed to avoid a formal grievance.
Months passed and nothing was done, being told the firm need to draw up policies first before they could even send out an email to employees reminding them not to be jerks, or ”how to behave responsibly in a diverse office” for the politically correct.
Durrant then claims he was asked to sign documentation alleging his problems had been resolved and he’d keep his mouth shut about it all, naturally he refused. At this time another offensive message had appeared in the staff kitchen he said.
Microsoft offered Durrent counselling but he declined, saying: ”They’re making out that I’m the one with the problem.” Jamie Durrant is suing Microsoft for £45,000 after having taken a leave of absence from work for seven months with depression.
The case is being conducted at a London employment tribunal.
Source: Daily Mail