Senior sales manager, who was so talkative that his colleagues called him Tan FM. Tan FM was a reference to the radio station where he could be heard by an employment tribunal.
Tan Afsar is an executive for a large biotechnology firm. She was known as having ‘ability chat and entertain’ over long periods.
A colleague described the specialist medical salesman as “like an entertainment radio show” and requested a hearing.
But, Mr Afsar felt “offended” after being nicknamed Tan FM by him as he chatted with his colleague over a 250-mile journey to care for his mother.
After Mr Afsar quit Biogen International Ltd, the lawyer against Biogen Idec Ltd commenced legal proceedings against him, alleging that he was bullied and harassed.
However, a tribunal judge dismissed his claims.
Reading, Berks heard from Mr Afsar that he worked around eighteen years for Biogen Idec.
A senior manager in the East of England for business, he worked with a MS product and was “very knowledgeable” and “experienced”.
Tribunal heard from one co worker that while returning to work in May 2017 after a conference in Scotland, he used the name “Libby Winchurch” when asking Libby Winchurch what the trip was like.
After Mr Afsar quit Biogen IIdec Ltd, he launched legal proceedings against Biogen Idec Ltd.
According to a tribunal report, the message read: “How’s Tan FM going Libby?” A tribunal report stated that the message had two radio emojis and one emoji with a winking face.
‘[Libby]Winchurch responded, “We haven’t stopped talking the past 250 miles!”‘.
“Tan FM” was a phrase that had been brought up in a meeting just a few weeks prior to the conference. A colleague, who was close to Mr Afsar, used it.
‘As regional sales managers, Mr Afsar was often on the move between meetings. They shared many journeys and sometimes called their colleagues to exchange information.
“I agree with Ms Winchurch that this phrase conveyed Mr Afsar’s ability to entertain and chat while traveling long distances, much like a radio program.
As a member of the WhatsApp Group, ‘Mr Afsar’ was also included in the discussion.
“He made no comment, likely because he was driving at the time. But he found the phrase offensive and complained to the colleague who used it.
“Mr Afsar’s coworker immediately said that he was going to stop using the product and tell his team to not use it again.
After completing a training course for workers, Mr Afsar got nominated to be the ‘keeper’ of the charter. His colleagues referred him by his acronym – “KOC”.
The man complained that he had been offended by the fact that it made him sound like a cock.
Although Mr Afsar claimed that Biogen Idec bullied him, Employment Judge Emma Hawksworth denied his constructive unfair dismissal claim. He didn’t raise either the “Tan FM” or “KOC” remarks with his managers.
He claimed he was also treated unfairly by a lack of support, but again the judge rejected these allegations.