My boss told me to do the washing up, says female banker

Katharina Tofeji was also told it would be a good idea to "get a little bit closer" to a client over a candlelit dinner, while another colleague said he could imagine her in a tiny bikini.

The 38-year-old, who says she was denied a four- day working week after the birth of her 23-month-old daughter Maria, took her case to an employment tribunal after feeling she felt "pushed out of the team".

The high-flying sales dealer is claiming sex discrimination, constructive unfair dismissal and breach of maternity leave and flexible working regulations against leading European bank BNP Paribas.

Miss Tofeji, who earned £70,000 a year plus bonuses, said that prior to her maternity leave she was told there was 'no point' in applying for a more senior position because she was female.

"There was a sexist culture at the bank and there were many other times when I had to experience discrimination at work, including comments that I had to listen and smile," she said.

"On my last day before going to take a cruise holiday with my parents, (my colleague) Martin Viohl made a comment along the lines of 'Oh Kathi, I very well can imagine you in a small bikini, driving all the old men on board the ship crazy'.

"At another occasion, when I was discussing one of my clients, Martin Lucas (another colleague) suggested to me, 'It might be a good idea to get a little bit closer to this client, maybe over a candlelit dinner, so he might do some more business with us . . . he obviously fancies you!'.

"I can also remember that at a team dinner for the whole FX Sales Team Eastern Europe, I was the only woman and I wanted to leave after the dinner when [supervisor] Rene Andersen asked me if I didn't want to do the dishwashing in the kitchen before I go home.

"Comments like this made me feel degraded and sad at the same time."

Miss Tofeji, who is Austrian and lives in Brentwood, Essex, said she had been "devastated by her treatment".

After studying science of business management at the Vienna University of Economics, she built up her career in Vienna before BNP Paribas asked her to move to London in October 2000 and start up an Austrian client base.

"I loved this big challenge and was 100 per cent committed to it," she said.

However, her problems began when she unexpectedly became pregnant by her partner Mike Webb in September.

After spending a year off work to look after her daughter Maria, she went into the office to discuss her return with a new regional manager, Clive Banks.

She said: "I was shocked at the way Clive Banks treated me. He told me that his wife had struggled after having children and asked me how I was going to handle my job with a young baby.

"He did not seem to want to have a young mother working as part of the team. The whole experience felt like I was being interviewed for a new position rather than welcomed back to my new job."

It became clear she was not going to be allowed to manage the clients she had spent years nurturing, she said.

Her request for a four-day working week was also denied despite the fact she had been able to secure only a four-days-a-week nursery placement for Maria.

She announced her resignation in June 2006 because she felt she had had no help from the bank.

BNP Paribas, which denies her claims, said it "welcomes and provides support for those who wish to return to work following a period of maternity leave" and would "always consider the requests of those wishing to work more flexible hours to assist in this process".

Miss Tofeji is suing the bank for £1,354,675.

The tribunal continues.