An IT worker in the UK sued her boss for sexual harassment after believing his use of ‘xx’, ‘yy’, and ‘????’ in an email asking for more information was a coded way of asking for sexual relations, reports BBC News. The IT worker, Karina Gasparova, also claimed that when her supervisor Alexander Goulandris renamed a work file with his initials 'ajg' it was an abbreviation of ‘A Jumbo Genital’. The employment tribunal at London Central Court said Gasparova's perception of events was ‘skewed’ and her claims were rejected.

Presented as evidence, the email from Goulandris, stated, “Can you please complete the following: The solution us currently used by xx Agris companies and yy Barge lines in corn cargoes in south-north flows in the ???? waterways. Also, can you remind me of what the balance of the rollout will be and the approx. timing. Thanks.”

Gasparova, who represented herself, argued the 'xx' referred to kisses, 'yy' to sexual contact and '????' as a coded way of asking ‘when she would be ready’ to engage in sexual acts. She also claimed he deliberately touched her hand when reaching for a computer mouse. According to the tribunal panel, the email was a ‘genuine request for information’ and did not imply any sexual nature.

Gasparova was an IT project manager at the London office of essDOCS, a company that provides ‘paperless trade solutions’. Her claims of sexual harassment, discrimination and unfair dismissal were rejected and she was ordered to pay £5,000 costs to essDOCS.