Branding a middle-aged white woman a “Karen” has been described as “borderline racist, sexist and ageist” by an employment tribunal.
The term shot prominence online in the early 2020s to describe a woman, often white, who is demanding, entitled and sometimes racist.
This bizarre ruling came in the case of 74-year-old black charity worker Sylvia Constance, who alleged she was targeted by her bosses due to her age and race.
She claimed female managers at Mencap behaved like “Karens”, “weaponising their privilege and more powerful position against [her].”
The use of the term did not impress employment judge George Alliott, who said: “We note [the use of] the slang term "Karen", which is a pejorative and borderline racist, sexist and ageist term.”
Having joined Mencap as a support worker, Ms Constance was suspended in 2021 over claims she had bullied residents and staff.
Ms Constance quickly filed a grievance against her boss, Claire Wilson.
The tribunal was told that in February 2022, a meeting was held to discuss the grievance, but the process was terminated with no action taken.
Ms Constance filed another grievance the next year, written on her behalf by friend Christine Yates.
The tribunal heard repeated attempts were made at Mencap to hold a meeting into the grievance.
Ms Constance allegedly refused to attend, seeing the meeting held in her absence.
A year later, having not returned to work, Ms Constance was sacked due to “an irrevocable breakdown in the relationship” with Mencap.
The judge added: “We find that the complaints levelled against [Ms Constance] were legitimate and did not constitute a targeted racist campaign against her.”
