An employment tribunal is hearing claims from a senior Google employee, Victoria Woodall, who alleges she was made redundant after reporting a manager for misconduct. Woodall states she experienced a campaign of retaliation following her whistleblowing, which led to the manager's dismissal.
Documents presented in court show that Google UK's internal investigation determined the manager had touched two female colleagues without their consent, behaviors that Google classified as sexual harassment. Google denies Woodall's claims of retaliation, suggesting she became "paranoid" after whistleblowing and began to view normal business activities as "sinister."
Allegations and Internal Investigation
Woodall, a senior industry head in Google's UK Sales and Agencies team, received a complaint in August 2022 from a female client. The client reported that a Google manager had boasted about his sexual encounters, described himself and his wife as "swingers," and detailed a sexual encounter during a business lunch. The manager's line manager was reportedly present but did not intervene. Woodall reported these concerns.
While the initial investigation was in progress, Woodall received a second complaint from another female client. This client alleged the same manager had shown her a "picture of his wife's vagina" on his phone.
Google's investigation involved interviews with 12 individuals and uncovered additional incidents. The manager was found to have sexually harassed two female employees at a work event by allegedly touching one colleague's leg and rubbing another's back and shoulders without consent. He also reportedly made inappropriate comments to staff, including telling a female colleague he had just met that he was in an open marriage and that his wife would enjoy hearing about them having "sex in the bathroom." The manager denied these allegations. He was subsequently dismissed for gross misconduct, and his line manager and another senior colleague received recommendations for "documented coaching" for failing to intervene; both were later made redundant.
Claims of Retaliation and Corporate Culture
Woodall claims that shortly after reporting the sexual harassment in 2022, her boss, Matt Bush, compelled her to exchange her successful client account for a failing one, which had previously belonged to one of the disciplined colleagues. She described this move as a "poisoned chalice" that increased her vulnerability to redundancy. She also alleges she was demoted and that her boss attempted to downgrade her performance.
Woodall's claim further included allegations of a "boys' club" culture at Google, citing the company's funding of a men's-only "chairman's lunch" until December 2022. Google stated an internal investigation found no such culture and that the event was discontinued as it did not align with company policies.
Matt Bush, in his witness statement, asserted his support for Woodall's career and commitment to inclusivity, adding that account movements were standard practice. A judgment from the London Central Employment Tribunal is anticipated in the coming weeks.