AIBU to be disgusted but not at all shocked by this "reprimand" for a Partner at a Big 4 firm

[Tamrastarr]

An EY accountant who told a female trainee that he would be “bashing [her] from behind” on a company skiing trip kept his job despite a tribunal ruling that he had behaved in an “obscene and aggressive” way, including telling her at lunch “I’m going to f* you”.

Neil Hutt, 51, a partner at the company, left the woman “shocked and disappointed” on the annual ski trip in 2019. After telling an internal investigation that he had “taken a joke too far” he was fined £75,000 and agreed to attend diversity training.

Disgraceful. I hope the employee reported him to the police.

Disgusting. Never fails to astound me what men can get away with

Based on what I know about working for EY, this is... unsurprising. Horrendous working culture.

And given that the average base pay for an EY partner is £351k without considering bonuses and profit share schemes (according to Glassdoor), not really that much of a financial penalty, either.

I was in a relationship with someone who worked at EY for a few years and went to a few of their staff parties... it was awful.

I think it’s not half bad as reprimands go. Did the £75k fine go to the employee? I think it should. He’s been fined over £10k per word he said to her. Some employers would sack for gross misconduct, but perhaps there were no witnesses so perhaps he said he’d fight them at a tribunal if they did?

I’ve heard worse from a partner in another big 4 - problem is they protect each other, always! Once one card falls they’re all vulnerable to lose their over inflated wages, so they don’t let it happen.

Spot on @scarpa it is horrific there, it’s only gone downhill too!

This doesn't surprise me one bit. I had similar happen to me, although different industry and he wasn't as high up as a partner, but still senior to me. He said, "I want to fuck you hard, suck my dick."

I told my line manager who went away "to discuss it with the directors". They sacked me 2 hours later and nothing happened to the twat.

Sparklfairy OMG! That is so terrible. Did you have ant comeback?
PlanDeRaccordement As a partner I don't believe he can be sacked. He is basically an owner of the firm. The problem with these partnerships is that they don't have shareholders to answer to. But if I was a client I would seriously consider working with them. This guy is on Linkedin! I hope all this negative publicity will affect their bottom line

Diversity training????
How does this equal diversity training?
Is that cos he only manages to be a total twat to members of the opposite sex?
JFC.

EY require partners to bring revenue and lead large initiatives but this guy is now on every search engine as a pervert so I doubt he’ll pass any checks. They should just get rid of him.

@Tamrastarr I eventually got them to settle before tribunal but it took years. I was young and broke and I wouldn't take that paltry amount now.

PlanDeRaccordement I can pretty much guarantee that this was a fine from the supervising body and did not go to the trainee.
Basically, in tax and accounting professional standards, as long as it not fraudulent or dishonest, it won't get you kicked out of the professional body. I was once told you could kill someone and likely stay in but get caught stealing a Mars bar and you were out

Hmmm. If he had been sacked, is there any reason to think he wouldn't have got an equally high-paid job in an equally misogynistic culture somewhere else? This fairly hefty financial penalty - even if it is only 2-3 months salary - might actually be more impactful.

I'm willing to predict this sort of scandal will lead to them being quietly "managed out" over the next few months.

I think in a world where most behaviour like that doesn't even raise any eyebrows, and 99% of rapes go without any form of punishment whatsoever, it's fairly unsurprising. At my work, comments like that if a first 'official' offence have been given a warning and that's it

That is so bad.

My first job was at big 4. The partner groped me very aggressively at a work event in front of his fiance. I just moved away - times and I have changed and I think now I'd hit him and get fired.

In front of his own fiancee? Imagine what he would have done if she wasn't there.

As a partner I don't believe he can be sacked. He is basically an owner of the firm.

Thank you for explaining that because my only two complaints about the reprimand were- the £75k should go to his victim and why wasn’t he sacked?

Hopefully he will be forced to become a silent partner and be banned from company premises and functions/events,

I think training in common decency would be better.

I was once told you could kill someone and likely stay in but get caught stealing a Mars bar and you were out

Ha! Reminds me of the Jaffa cake case, a Met policeman was recently sacked for only paying 10p per pack of Jaffa cakes from their office canteen when the price was 50p. And yet, there are what close to a hundred people dying in police custody every year? So accidentally kill someone you’re arresting...no problem. But underpay for Jaffa cakes and you’re gone.

@Sparklfairy
That’s horrible what happened to you.

Awful. I work at another big 4, closely with Partners, at really really can't imagine it happening in my business unit (not least because pretty much all the Partners are women...) but I've been at a smaller org and had similar treatment from a male director, who told me he was going to 'rip my arse apart' then tried battering on my hotel room door to gain entry later that night which frightened the living daylights out of me. I did nothing about it. I was very junior and there was no HR. It fucking haunts me that I didn't do anything, wish I could go back in time.

This is terrible.

And @Sparklfairy I'm sorry you went through such an awful experience, that must have been traumatic.

Can someone explain what EY stands for please?

Ernst & Young