Woman assaulted with highlighter at Woolworths Tuggerah
A WOMAN says she’s humiliated and embarrassed after a Woolworths staff member allegedly indecently assaulted her with a fluoro highlighter. Now on anti-anxiety medication, and “jumping at shadows”, Woolworths lawyers have offered her a $100 Wish Gift card and counselling.
Central Coast
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A WOMAN has been left humiliated and embarrassed after a Woolworths staff member allegedly indecently assaulted her with a fluoro highlighter.
Chana Schulman was shopping at Woolworth at Tuggerah Westfield when she went to use one of the self-serve check-outs.
“I’ve lost a bit of weight recently so my jeans are a little looser,” she said.
“I was bending over the trolley when this staff member has (indecently assaulted me) with the texta while saying, in a loud enough voice for other people to hear, `you should have been a plumber’.”
Ms Schulman said she “jumped” as people looked around at her before leaving the shop humiliated.
She told her husband what happened who told her to call the police.
The couple later spoke to the Woolworth’s store manager.
Ms Schulman said she was told the young female staff member said “we’re friends so I thought I could do that”.
“I didn’t know her name until then,” Ms Schulman said.
“I say `hello’ to people and ask them `how’s your day been’ and that sort of thing to be polite. Truth be told half the time I don’t care how they’ve been.”
Ms Schulman, who has since been prescribed anti-anxiety medication from her doctor, said she had been left traumatised, “jumping at shadows” and too embarrassed to go back.
What’s worse is she believes the staff member had since been transferred to a Woolworths warehouse job.
“Before this happened she would tell customers’ `I hate this f’n job’ and `I can’t wait till I get moved to the factory’,” Ms Schulman said.
Ms Schulman spoke to a personal injury law firm who advised her to seek compensation for the psychological damage she suffered.
But Woolworth’s lawyers told her they did “not believe that any physical or psychological injury you suffered as a result of our staff member’s actions would reach the compensable thresholds outlined within the Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW)”.
“Firstly on behalf of the Woolworths business we wish to offer you a sincere apology that you had such an unpleasant experience whilst shopping at one of stores,” Woolworth’s lawyers told her in a letter.
“However, purely as a gesture of goodwill to you we would be prepared to offer you a $100 Wish Gift Card as acknowledgment of the distress this incident has caused.
“Furthermore, as we recognise that this incident has caused you genuine anxiety we would like to assist by offering you free counselling sessions through our Mental Health & Wellbeing partner Converge International.”
IN OTHER NEWS
A Woolworths spokesman said the company treated complaints about staff conduct very seriously and “have been in touch with the customer directly to offer our sincere apologies for this experience”.
“In line with our procedures, the team member was stood down while we undertook a thorough investigation into the matter,” the spokesman said.
“We have since taken appropriate action to address the conduct with the team member involved.”
A Tuggerah Lakes Police District spokesman said the staff member had been spoken to and officers were taking advice from police prosecutors before deciding if she would be charged.