Calling an American a ‘Yank’ at work in Scotland is racial harassment: court

Calling an American a “Yank” in the work place in Scotland is “racial harassment” — and deserves a hefty payday, a court has ruled.

Raymond Joseph, a server in Aberdeen, was awarded nearly $7,000 after a co-worker called him a “ f–king Yank” and told him to “go back to your country,” the Times of London reported Thursday.

Joseph, who is from the US, was waiting tables at a Pizza Express in Scotland’s third largest city in 2024 when he clashed with fellow waiter Michael Tortolano during a busy shift, the court heard.

“Why don’t you just leave, nobody f–king likes you, f—ing American, go back to your country, you f–king yank,” Tortolano said, according to the report.

Joseph allegedly fired back, “F–k off, bald loser’’ and called Tortolano an “incel,” a derogatory term short for “involuntary celibate.’’

Joseph told the court he was “hurt and humiliated” by the “Yank” comment, in part because it had happened in front of customers.

“Yank’’ is short for “Yankee’’ and can be considered a derogatory term for Americans.

But the pizzeria’s managers ended up firing Joseph after a disciplinary hearing found him guilty of gross misconduct involving other flare-ups with workers.

Joseph later sued Tortolano for harassment.

Tribunal judge Melanie Sangster ruled the “Yank” slur “constituted harassment related to race.”
 
Joseph also previously alleged that the restaurant’s uniforms featured a Swastika design, but Sangster rejected that claim.