A UK employment tribunal has dismissed claims brought by a senior employee of Google who alleged she was made redundant after reporting inappropriate behaviour by a manager. The ruling concluded that the company’s decision to eliminate her role was not connected to her whistleblowing complaint.
The case was heard at the London Central Employment Tribunal, where Victoria Woodall argued that she faced retaliation after raising concerns about a colleague who allegedly made explicit comments about his sexual lifestyle during a meeting with a client. According to the complaint, the manager reportedly shared personal details and made remarks about his relationships during a business lunch in 2022.
Woodall, who served as a senior industry head within Google’s UK Sales and Agencies division, reported the incident to her senior leadership. The company subsequently launched an internal investigation. Tribunal documents showed that the probe uncovered additional complaints about the manager’s behaviour. He was later dismissed for gross misconduct, which the company determined amounted to sexual harassment.
Despite this outcome, Woodall claimed she experienced negative treatment after making the disclosure. She alleged that her responsibilities were altered, that a key client account was reassigned, and that her performance evaluation was unfairly downgraded. She argued that these actions were connected to her complaint, which also implicated other senior managers who had witnessed the incident but did not intervene.
However, the tribunal ruled that the evidence did not support claims of retaliation, discrimination or victimisation. Judge Barry Smith stated that the company’s explanations were backed by documentary and oral evidence. The tribunal also noted that around 26 employees in the same division were made redundant as part of a wider restructuring process, including Woodall’s own manager and other senior staff members.
The judge concluded that while the disclosure qualified as whistleblowing, there was insufficient proof that subsequent decisions affecting Woodall’s role were influenced by it. The tribunal determined that the redundancy formed part of a broader organisational restructuring rather than a targeted response to her complaint.
