The former boss of commercial enterprise crew large the CBI says his "reputation has been absolutely destroyed" after being fired over complaints about his behaviour.
Tony Danker recounted he had made some personnel sense "very uncomfortable", adding: "I apologise for that."
But he stated his identify had been wrongly related with separate claims, together with rape, that allegedly took place at the CBI earlier than he joined.
The CBI did no longer remark however has stated he was once disregarded on robust felony ground.
In his first interview seeing that being fired on eleven April, Mr Danker stated his termination letter had noted 4 motives for dismissal:
Organising a secret and non-public karaoke celebration for 15 human beings after a Christmas work event
Viewing the Instagram debts of CBI staff
Sending non-work associated messages to personnel on work messaging platforms
Inviting junior personnel to breakfasts, lunches or one-on-one meetings
"I have by no means used sexually suggestive language with human beings at the CBI," he said. "You know, there used to be an incident any individual raised a grievance about undesirable contact, which was once verbal contact.
"There used to be by no means any bodily contact. I've by no means had any bodily contact. I've in no way used any sexual language. I've by no means propositioned anybody," Mr Danker said.
What counts as sexual harassment at work?
Sexual harassment is undesirable behaviour of a sexual nature, says Alison Loveday, an employment legal professional at Lockett Loveday McMahon Solicitors.
"It ought to have both violated a persons' dignity, whether or not it was once supposed or not, or created an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive surroundings for them, whether or not it was once meant or not.
Mr Danker frequent that some workforce may additionally have discovered his method at work uncomfortable and apologised for that - however he did not consider his instantaneous sacking used to be warranted.
Insteaz, he claimed he had been made "the fall guy" for a wider disaster engulfing the CBI.
The foyer crew is going through a variety of claims from 2019 which include drug use as properly as serious sexual assault which is being investigated via City of London police.
Mr Danker stated his popularity has been "totally trashed" due to the fact these claims emerged a depend of weeks after the CBI disclosed that it used to be searching into separate allegations of misconduct towards him.
The CBI has stated Mr Danker's dismissal accompanied an unbiased investigation into unique complaints of place of business misconduct towards him.
Mr Danker admits that he did seem to be at the Instagram profiles and memories of "a very small variety of CBI staff, guys and women".
"The CBI already knew that some humans thinking that that was once intrusive, and I get that," he said.
"I get that humans felt that it used to be wrong, that I used to be searching at their admittedly completely public Instagram stories", he added.
Mr Danker who joined the CBI in November 2020 additionally stated he had messaged round 200 man or woman personnel members, however stated it was once phase of constructing "rapport" at some stage in lockdown as properly as with colleagues who proceed to work from home.
He stated these messages stated matters such as ''hi, how are you? How used to be your weekend? Show me photographs of your puppies or your babies".
But he believed some human beings had notion the messages inappropriate, and they hadn't realised Mr Danker had "been doing this to all people to attempt and construct rapport."
Finally, he stated that the invites to junior group of workers for lunches and breakfasts have been phase of a CBI mentoring scheme referred to as the Shadowing Programme. Mr Danker stated each male and woman personnel have been invited through Mr Danker to discuss their careers.
In Mr Danker's recollection, the "private" karaoke birthday party got here after human beings advised it after a CBI Christmas celebration in 2021.
Mr Danker stated he booked a room for 15 human beings which used to be "the greatest I may want to get".
"I emailed all of us announcing 'here's the address', no cameras allowed', due to the fact everyone stated to me 'I do not prefer to be filmed singing karaoke'," he said.
Asked why he has chosen to talk publicly, Mr Danker stated he'd as an alternative now not discuss to the media.
But he said: "It is simply no longer ok to throw any individual below the bus and ask them to be the fall man when their whole recognition is destroyed."
If you have been affected by way of any troubles raised in this article, assist and aid can be discovered at BBC Action Line.
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