No mention of ‘how many c. ks’ real estate agent investigation at McGrath AGM
There was no mention of the investigation into a top agent accused of asking a staff member ‘how many c***ks have you had in your mouth?’ at McGrath’s AGM yesterday.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Future under cloud for ‘how many c. ks’ real estate agent
- ‘How many c. ks’ comment forces McGrath back to helm
McGrath realty bosses admit they are “always looking” for ways to improve their company’s sexual harassment policy as they continue an investigation into one of their top agents who’s accused of asking a staff member “how many c***ks have you had in your mouth?”
At the company’s annual general meeting in Pyrmont on Thursday there was no mention of the investigation into salesman Adrian Bo, who has strongly denied asking a younger staffer from the Coogee office “how many c***ks have you had in your mouth?”
But chief executive officer Geoff Lucas told The Daily Telegraph that the investigation into Mr Bo was ongoing.
“We are going as fast as we can, we are a people business, we are not able to speak about the individuals to protect those involved,” he said.
“We have a sexual harassment policy the management team is aware of and abiding by.”
MORE NEWS
Magistrate blasts Sydney’s cocaine culture: ‘It doesn’t pay off’
Festival X: Grief-stricken parents claim name ‘screams take drugs’
MP’s glam teen daughter fronts court on coke charges
Mr Lucas said he didn’t believe the company had a culture problem.
“I’m not aware, or sure, that there is a culture (of sexual harassment), but we are always looking for continual improvement to refine them (sexual harassment policy) and we are taking the current accusation very seriously indeed.”
“We have worked hard over the last 12 months on the culture of our business and have attracted a good number of good, quality, people into the business.”
Company chairman Peter Lewis told The Daily Telegraph the board of directors was overseeing the probe into Mr Bo.
“Anything involving Geoff (Lucas) and the senior team the board is interested in,” he said.
“Every document (sexual harassment) can be refined but … the code of conduct, we’re pretty happy with it.”
“Our investigation process, with any complaint received, takes into account the employment history of the person and relevant matters determining the appropriate outcome into the complaint (potentially, previous complaints).”
The Daily Telegraph last week revealed married Mr Bo, the company’s most experienced and loyal head of sales with 25 years’ experience allegedly asked the much-younger male colleague the offensive question about his sex life.
He vehemently denies the allegation.
Mr Bo is currently on annual leave as the probe by HR and an external lawyer is expected to roll into next week.
Yesterday McGrath updated staff of a move to delay its decision into the future of the top real estate agent with an initial advisory time frame for a due on Monday or Tuesday of this week.
The Daily Telegraph can also reveal that a woman resigned last year in June from the firm’s Edgecliff office, citing Mr Bo as one reason for her decision in her letter of departure dated June 15, 2018.
“I am not comfortable working in the business with Adrian Bo,” the letter is understood to say.
Mr Bo was in a temporary “caretaker” role at the Edgecliff office at the time, to fill in for a staff member who had left.