Bloomberg mum wins discrimination settlement

City mum sues Bloomberg for sexual discrimination

As reported by The Telegraph “mum’s the word” for Janine Funsch who won an out of court settlement against Bloomberg, the financial information service.

A  “gagging order” prevents her disclosing the settlement sum (believed to be six figures) but she appeared content having won a compromise against her employer for refusing her to do her job part-time after giving birth.

Having worked for the company for 11 years as an account manager she was forced to sue when following the birth of her daughter her request to work part-time after the end of her maternity leave was rejected.

Suing under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 she argued the requirement to work full-time had a disproportionate effect on women. Bloomberg had cited the reason for rejecting her request as emanating from their clients for whom Funsch worked.

Out of 9,610 staff only10 women were working part-time. Bloomberg have now announced they are reviewing its policy on part-time and flexible working.

The lesson should be clear-it is imperative careful handling of such requests takes place and "blaming it on the client" is no excuse. You can after all "educate" clients sensitively.

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