BBC’s ex-HR head in tribunal after standing up to alleged discrimination

Byron Mears, a former HR head leader at the BBC, is claiming at an employment tribunal that he was bullied to the point of an illness that made him quit his job, after he stood up for a female member of staff who had asked to work part-time following a return to work from maternity leave.
Mon, 25 Feb 2013Byron Mears, a former HR head leader at the BBC, is claiming at an employment tribunal that he was bullied to the point of an illness that made him quit his job, after he stood up for a female member of staff who had asked to work part-time following a return to work from maternity leave.

At the Watford tribunal, it was alleged former BBC Studios and Post Production (S&PP) chief executive officer Mark Thomas said women were “not suited to working for a commercial company”, according to today’s The Daily Telegraph. The story also notes Caspar Glyn QC, representing the BBC, saying Myers has “made up a series of wholly untrue fictional lies”.

Myers challenged Thomas’ alleged discrimination against the employee, and was then put under “intolerable” pressure to withdraw the suggestions, it is claimed.

He is claiming unfair dismissal from his role as head of HR for BBC S&PP, a commercial subsidiary of the corporation, having resigned from his role in December.

Shortly after, he also informed a newspaper of alleged wrongdoing around the BBC’s work with employment First Positions, the paper notes. Thomas and BBC head of news business and entertainment Craig White were both cleared of wrongdoing.

The hearing continues.

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