'Sexist' secret Christmas gifts could land you in legal trouble!

London, December 17 (ANI): Gifting your colleague a condom or a bottle of hair dye as a joke this Christmas may land you in trouble, legal experts warn.

"Secret Father Christmas" present has been a trend in British offices in the past few years, wherein anonymous gifts are given to random colleagues.

However, employment lawyers have warned that tongue-in-cheek gifts could provide grounds for claims for harassment or sexual or religious discrimination.

"Workers should think carefully before buying their colleague a present that could be viewed as offensive," the Telegraph quoted Neeta Laing, head of employment law at law firm Lewis Hymanson Small, based in Manchester, as saying.

She added: "Use your common sense, for example, don't give religious colleagues alcohol or offensive magazines or female workers kitchen ware.

"If an employee does receive, for example, a pair of lacy knickers and finds the gift offensive and wishes to pursue a harassment case, this must be taken seriously."

A policeman in Luton, Beds, who had given a Muslim officer a packet of bacon and a bottle of wine, was forced to resign last year. (ANI)