UK Tribunal Rules Air Kissing Is Not Sexual Harassment

Judge finds that a manager's air kiss was misinterpreted and dismisses all claims of harassment brought by a former employee.

The case involved Jing Jing Chen, a former employee of a Brighton whisky bar, who accused her manager, Paul de Newtown, of sexual harassment.
Chen alleged that de Newtown hugged her and kissed her on the neck, but he maintained that he only gave her an air kiss, which the tribunal deemed non-sexual in nature.
The judge ruled that Chen had misinterpreted the air kiss as a sexual advance and found de Newtown to be a more credible witness due to inconsistencies in Chen's testimony.
Chen also brought claims of race harassment and unfair dismissal, all of which were dismissed by the tribunal after reviewing evidence of workplace incidents and her conduct.
The tribunal emphasized that an air kiss does not constitute unwanted sexual conduct and does not meet the legal threshold for sexual harassment.