Manager denies assaulting employee

An HR manager is accused of assaulting a woman she was trying to dismiss.

DUBAI // A human resources manager has been accused of attacking a woman she was trying to dismiss.

AM, 42, from France, denies assaulting her compatriot, HS, 27, an employee at an office in Silicon Oasis, on July 12.

The manager told Dubai Misdemeanours Court that the pair met about 18 months ago in France, when the employee was hired.

She said that on the day of the alleged assault, they were meeting to settle HS's end-of-service benefits and to hand over her termination letter. The manager said HS got angry and started screaming before trying to leave without signing the letter.

"I tried to take the letter but couldn't and part of it was torn," said AM. "I did not assault her." She denied that she tried to force the employee to sign the letter.

The manager said she had never been involved in such a dispute during her 15-year career.

The employee told prosecutors another colleague had to interfere to stop her being assaulted.

She said she had filed a law suit against the company to get her end-of-service benefits but had settled the case out of court.

A witness, SM, told prosecutors she heard screaming. She said she saw the manager grab the worker's shoulders and waist. "HS was in a shock and was crying," said the witness. The next hearing will be on April 30.