{"id":6518,"date":"2026-04-23T23:39:07","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T23:39:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=6518"},"modified":"2026-04-23T23:39:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T23:39:07","slug":"mcdonalds-faces-over-700-legal-claims-for-bullying-and-sexism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=6518","title":{"rendered":"McDonald&#8217;s faces over 700 legal claims for bullying and sexism"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 300px 160px; gap: 2px; width: 460px; background: #eee; padding: 2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u6574\u884c\u5bbd\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876674\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 90px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876676\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u5de6\u4fa7\u7ad6\u6392 -->\r\n  <div style=\"height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876672\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"height: 500px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876680\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u6469\u5929\u697c\uff08\u548c\u5de6\u4fa7\u5b8c\u5168\u5bf9\u9f50\uff09 -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row: 3\/5; height: 750px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876678\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  \r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e6\" data-zoneid=\"5876682\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><em><small>People are enjoying fast food in a food court. Image by Tim Sandle<\/small><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Young people across the UK are set to benefit after McDonald\u2019s becomes the latest major employer to support the Government\u2019s Youth Guarantee and launches the biggest work experience programme in the country. Yet beneath the surface, more troubling events are occurring within the burger giant. <\/p>\n<p>In the UK, McDonald\u2019s is under continuing scrutiny over sexism, sexual harassment, bullying and wider workplace abuse, following major BBC investigations in 2023 and again in 2025 that included testimony from more than 100 current and former workers\u2014many aged 16\u201319\u2014describing routine groping, harassment, racist abuse and intimidation in restaurants, largely run by franchisees. <\/p>\n<p>McDonald\u2019s is subject to a legally binding agreement with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), first signed in February 2023 and extended in November 2025 due to further allegations and concerns. <\/p>\n<p>As of April 2026, the EHRC has confirmed it is still monitoring McDonald\u2019s under an extended legally binding agreement, after \u201cfurther issues came to light,\u201d while over 700 current and former staff are pursuing legal action alleging the company failed to protect a young and vulnerable workforce; although McDonald\u2019s says complaints have reduced and new safeguarding measures are in place, the regulator and trade unions say serious concerns remain unresolved. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-legal-action\">Legal action<\/h2>\n<p>As a consequence, more than 700 current and former McDonald\u2019s employees\u2014many of whom were teenagers at the time of the alleged incidents\u2014are pursuing group legal claims against McDonald\u2019s UK, represented by law firm Leigh Day.  <\/p>\n<p>The claims allege:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Systemic failure to prevent sexual harassment, sexual assault, racism and bullying, and breaches of the Equality Act 2010, including failure to provide a safe working environment.<\/li>\n<li>The cases cover hundreds of franchise restaurants across the UK, with allegations spanning several years.<\/li>\n<li>Claimants argue McDonald\u2019s knew or should have known of risks to young workers and failed to take adequate preventative steps.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>While McDonald\u2019s corporate entity is party to the EHRC agreement, individual franchise owners can still face separate legal and regulatory action.<\/p>\n<p>The 700 plus current and former McDonald\u2019s UK workers bringing claims\u2014mostly represented by the legal firm Leigh Day\u2014are not pursuing a single fixed payout figure. Instead, they are seeking individualised compensation, assessed case\u2011by\u2011case by employment tribunals or courts, reflecting the harm suffered by each claimant.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-individual-cases\">Individual cases<\/h2>\n<p>Alongside the group action, individual employment tribunal claims are being brought by workers alleging:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sexual harassment and discrimination<\/li>\n<li>Victimisation for raising complaints<\/li>\n<li>Constructive unfair dismissal after reporting abuse<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Some cases involve criminal allegations (e.g. assault), which are handled separately by police, but form part of the broader civil claims about unsafe workplaces.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Claims-include\">Alleged claims include:<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A worker quit her job in the West Midlands at the end of 2023, after she says managers inappropriately touched her and customers sexually harassed her. When she raised it, she says she was told to \u201csuck it up\u201d.<\/li>\n<li>A 16-year-old current employee based in the West Midlands says he was bullied, shouted at and sworn at by managers.<\/li>\n<li>A female worker, 20, says a male manager sent her topless pictures. She left her McDonald\u2019s branch in the East of England in August.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-parliamentary-scrutiny\">Parliamentary scrutiny<\/h2>\n<p>As well as the legal events, the UK parliament has also taken an interest in the cases. As such, McDonald\u2019s UK leadership has been:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Summoned before parliamentary select committees to explain safeguarding failures<\/li>\n<li>Publicly criticised by unions and the EHRC for minimising or \u201cdrawing a line under\u201d past abuse while investigations and claims continue <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This scrutiny increases the likelihood of future regulatory or legal escalation if reforms are judged ineffective.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-mcdonald-s-response\">McDonald\u2019s response<\/h2>\n<p>The boss of McDonald\u2019s UK and Ireland \u2013 Lauren Schultz \u2013 has said she \u201cdoesn\u2019t want to talk about the past\u201d when asked about allegations of abuse at the fast-food chain. Although she did add that what had happened in recent years was \u201cunacceptable\u201d but said \u201cwe have drawn a line under it\u201d, according to BBC News.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- \u603b\u5bb9\u5668\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u5bbd908px Grid\u7d27\u51d1\u5e03\u5c40 -->\r\n<div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 728px 160px; gap:2px; width:908px; background:#eee; padding:2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u901a\u680f\u9876\u90e8\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u6a2a\u5e45 908x258 \u8de8\u6574\u884c -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column:1\/-1; height:258px; background:#ff6b6b; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114307\" data-width=\"908\" data-height=\"258\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114307});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u7b2c\u4e8c\u901a\u680f\uff1a728\u00d790 \u901a\u680f -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column:1\/-1; height:90px; background:#4ecdc4; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114300\" data-width=\"728\" data-height=\"90\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114300});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u5de6\u4fa7\u4e3b\u680f\uff1a\u591a\u5e7f\u544a\u5806\u53e0 -->\r\n  <div style=\"display:grid; gap:2px;\">\r\n    <div style=\"height:60px; background:#45b7d1; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114308\" data-width=\"468\" data-height=\"60\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114308});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n    <div style=\"height:250px; background:#ffe066; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114299\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"250\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114299});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n    <div style=\"height:250px; background:#ff9ecd; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114305\" data-width=\"250\" data-height=\"250\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114305});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n    <div style=\"height:139px; background:#c792ea; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114302\" data-width=\"133\" data-height=\"139\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114302});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n    <div style=\"height:125px; background:#91e7ac; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t\r\n<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114303\" data-width=\"125\" data-height=\"125\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114303});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u7ad6\u680f\uff1a160\u00d7600 \u6574\u5217\u9ad8\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row:3\/8; height:600px;  display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114301\" data-width=\"160\" data-height=\"600\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114301});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<br \/> McDonald&#8217;s faces over 700 legal claims for bullying and sexism<br \/>\n<br \/>#McDonalds #faces #legal #claims #bullying #sexism<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>People are enjoying fast food in a food court. Image by Tim Sandle Young people&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6519,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[7351,706,3787,2779,2111,7352],"class_list":["post-6518","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-bullying","tag-claims","tag-faces","tag-legal","tag-mcdonalds","tag-sexism"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/20221217_123938.jpg",1029,863,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/20221217_123938-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/20221217_123938-300x252.jpg",300,252,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/20221217_123938-768x644.jpg",640,537,true],"large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/20221217_123938-1024x859.jpg",640,537,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/20221217_123938.jpg",1029,863,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/20221217_123938.jpg",1029,863,false],"covernews-slider-full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/20221217_123938-1029x715.jpg",1029,715,true],"covernews-slider-center":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/20221217_123938-800x500.jpg",800,500,true],"covernews-featured":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/20221217_123938-1024x859.jpg",1024,859,true],"covernews-medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/20221217_123938-540x340.jpg",540,340,true],"covernews-medium-square":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/20221217_123938-400x250.jpg",400,250,true]},"author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?author=1"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?cat=7\" rel=\"category\">Stories<\/a>","tag_info":"Stories","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6518","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6518"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6518\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6519"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6518"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6518"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6518"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}