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LONDON - The biggest sex discrimination claim yet filed with a British employment tribunal was dramatically withdrawn yesterday.
Claire Bright, the former head of asset and liability management in the treasury department at HBOS, was seeking £11 million ($31 million) from the banking group after filing sex discrimination and victimisation claims last December.
But yesterday the bank issued a statement saying all the claims had been dropped and no compensation was being paid to Bright, who is no longer working at HBOS, where she oversaw a budget of £140 million.
The statement said: "Ms Bright has accepted that her allegations of discrimination, victimisation and bullying against HBOS or any of its employees during the course of her employment or afterwards were unfounded and they have been withdrawn without any compensation in respect of the allegations."
Bright had claimed she was suspended in October 2005 when she made a complaint about her boss Cliff Pattenden, after a clash with him over her working from home. The claim stated that she was then prevented from returning to work in January.
The £600,000-a-year banker, who juggled her career with bringing up three children, had accused her boss of behaving like a "mini-Hitler".
Banks have been increasingly willing to fight such high-profile claims in recent years.
The previous highest claim was brought against Merrill Lynch by banker Stephanie Villalba. She sought £7.5 million but was also unsuccessful.
- INDEPENDENT
