HR rejected grievance I made against Colleague

But you're assuming he definitely was being offensive despite countless people telling you it's an acceptable term.

Why can't other people make assumptions which don't match yours without apparently being incapable of understanding?

No.
YOU have no way of knowing because all YOU have to go on is the words spoken. But the vast majority of communication is non-verbal (tone of voice, timing, facial expression) and that can send an entirely different message.

Can't see he said anything out of order really. Maybe there was a sly dig. But what he said was factual. Hr have nothing to go on really. Be careful he doesn't put a grievance in on you for harassment. That could stand.

If you're offended by the truth then maybe you need to learn a little resilience. He's right, that's what a lot people understand it to be, getting lips pumped. They're pumped with toxins to make them look strange. HR were right to dismiss it.

Lots of men bank on being perceived as 'the old boy' who doesn't realise he's said anything.

OP, keep logging everything that crosses into inappropriate territory. A man who will say this will say something else.

To the many women who apparently don't understand the disgusting double meaning of this comment - be glad you don't interact with men who speak so crassly - and stop assuming that means there aren't any out there who do!

There is too much telling the teacher behaviour in the work place, we are adults if someone has offended you tell them! The old boy probably doesn’t realise what he’s said is offensive.

Her concerns were taken seriously though. HR investigated her grievance. Just because they didn't agree with her doesn't mean that the situation wasn't dealt with appropriately.

He sounds like a bit of a wanker but this is hardly a sackable offence OP, what were you expecting to happen?

Good grief OP, sensitive or what. His statement was factual, only you made a sexual analogy from it. Lighten up, getter a thicker skin or become a hermit so you don’t have to deal with people.

Jesus, you went to HR for THIS!? Poor bloke…

I'm sorry but we are seriously in a snowflake environment!
It was meant in jest, there was no malice, just a simple comment that you were in fact getting your lips pumped or were you not?
I miss the days of proper jest and giggles without offending the snow flakes.

I used to work in a fruit and veg wholesale, next to a butchers, got called melons and had the funniest giggles ever! Great times!

You were getting your lips pumped though? That’s not a sexual comment unless you read pumped as innuendo / he might have been being a bit derogatory but not sexual- or at the very least not obviously sexual

I agree

I’m sorry you’re dealing with this It’s not okay that your concerns weren’t taken seriously If HR isn’t helping, thinking about switching teams or jobs to protect yourself makes sense. Your well-being comes first

Sounds like he can get away with it since technically pumped could mean filled unfortunately. He may think he’s clever by using innuendo but I think if the volume of comments he makes, whether blatant or veiled, could still amount to harassment if they’re constant.

That isn’t a sexual innuendo. You were getting your lips pumped. As in pumped up with filler. Sorry but I’d have laughed!!

It could have been an innocent remark. You have no way of knowing.

I wouldn’t have even registered the comment as innuendo.

Well I was going to say that you need to grow a thicker skin op. But the incident you describe here is much worse.

You could have reported that remark - a remark doesn't have to be made to you, people can report an overheard offensive remark.

You should also let your manager know every time you find a remark offensive and ask your manager NOT to laugh along. (Remind him of the famous quote "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.")

Absolutely an overreaction on OPs part.

Honestly, that's what I would call it too, that's what you were going to do! How is that sexual in any way? No wonder people don't dare to say anything anymore, too afraid to set a foot wrong and bruise tender hearts...how young are you?

What he said is just the truth!

To the posters saying "how can people not see the innuendo".... it's not that it's eluding us, it's because we can get through life using the word 'pump' in its many connotations without leaping straight to the sexual inference. How do you cope at kid's parties?! Or Halfords?!

Still can't get over the shock at the man using the word "lips" to mean, of all things... lips!! The lips that were indeed getting pumped! Getting your (vaginal) lips pumped doesn't even make any sense FFS

Well I can understand why it was thrown out, but I can also see that he could be the kind of person to make everything he says about sex, and how after a while it might upset women working next to it all day.

I guess he said 'pumped' in the way someone might talk about 'pumping' their girlfriend full of sperm? As a one-off it's small but if you and the other women catalogued these seemingly innocuous comments, and presented them as a group once you had many examples (from many voices), I think it should be enough for HR to notice and give him a stern talking to about, if not more.

I think people telling you to grow up are being a bit harsh. I'm guessing this last comment is the proverbial 'straw' and now you're worried it will backfire on you? They can't do anything to you for raising a grievance - sit tight and let him dig his own grave, either from continuing to talk like a pervert or from bullying you for speaking up against him. If he does neither then take it as your win!

I've read loads of the comments here and until someone actually pointed that out it had never occurred to me! I must have led a sheltered life!

I think a lot of men find women plumping their lips up are figures of fun, it's not something they seem to find particularly attractive so maybe this guy was just jumping in with a comment when he got the chance.