Sexual Harassment Settlement

Christina Rich, a former partner at accountancy firm Price Waterhouse Coopers in Australia has recently settled her $A11 million sexual harassment case out of court. She alleged that the firm had a culture of discrimination, bullying and harassment.

What is unusual about this case is that it has run on for several years rather than reach settlement quickly and out of the public eye.

In other high profile case, Fiona Dunn a former wholesale general manager earning $A672,000 per annum at the fund management firm Perpetual is suing her former employer for  $A1.2m in the Federal Court of Australia. She alleges sexual discrimination which included professional humiliation, bullying and downgrading of her position after she became pregnant.

Catherine Fox, writing for the Independent, said the cases “highlighted the need for organisations to ensure gender equity is high on the corporate agenda”. She also pointed out that addressing workplace discrimination is not just the right thing to do, but is smart risk management.