Calling someone a Karen is ‘borderline racist, sexist and ageist’, tribunal says

Who'd have thought, eh?

The ruling came about from a case involving 74-year-old black charity worker Sylvia Constance, who alleged she was targeted by her bosses due to her age and race.

According to Constance, female managers at Mencap behaved like "Karens" and were "weaponising their privilege and more powerful position against [her]."

Employment judge George Alliott was less than impressed with the term being used, saying: "We note [the use of] the slang term "Karen", which is a pejorative and borderline racist, sexist and ageist term."

The term Karen rose to prominence online during 2020, to describe a woman - typically white - who complains, is entitled and sometimes racist.

Constance joined Mencap as a support worker, but was suspended in 2021 following claims that she had bullied residents and staff.

She then 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.

Having not returned to work for a year, she was fired 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."