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Seminar: Outsourcing and Contract Procurement
Tue 28 Feb 2012
Minerva House, 5 Montague Close, London, SE1 9BB
BBC 'facing more sex discrimination cases'
Tue 08 Jun 2010
The number of sex discrimination cases being brought against the BBC has gone up in the last two years.
According to figures obtained by the Telegraph, the corporation faced three sex discrimination claims from female employees two years ago.
However, this number has gone up to 12 in the last year.
Sue Kelly, an employment partner at Winckworth Sherwood, commented: "We do not know whether this is an increase in claims among those appearing on television, as opposed to those in back room roles, or even on the radio.
"However, if it is the former, it seems to reflect an increased willingness to challenge assumptions and stereotypes about the age and appearance of television presenters."
The BBC has insisted that it takes its responsibilities as a fair employer "very seriously".
However, a spokesman said that over the course of the last few years, the number of people making claims accounts for a "very small" proportion of its workforce.
The findings come in the wake of several high-profile incidents involving women aged over 50, including Moira Stuart's sacking as a newsreader.
This led to widespread accusations of both ageism and sexism, as did the decision to replace 67-year-old Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Philips with Alesha Dixon.
Despite the negative publicity the BBC has received as a result, a recent report by the Radio Times found that the gender gap between the average age of male and female presenters has narrowed in the last 50 years.
