Oracle Australia has been ordered to pay $130,000 to former consultant Rebecca Richardson following a sexual harassment claim against the software giant.
Richardson appealed a Federal Court decision in February, which found Oracle was liable for the actions of staff member, Randol Tucker. Justice Peter Buchanan ordered the company to pay Richardson $18,000.
In 2008, Richardson, who was a consulting manager at Oracle’s Sydney office and Tucker, a sales rep in at Oracle in Melbourne, were part of a bid team.
During this time, Richardson travelled to Melbourne and alleged she was sexually harassed 11 times by Tucker.
Three judges today found that the original damages awarded by the trial judge were “manifestly inadequate” for the loss and damage suffered by Richardson.
They said that the trial judge had ‘erred’ in not finding that the harassment had affected Richardson’s sexual relationship with her partner at the time.
The original ruling was “out of step with the general standards prevailing in the community regarding the monetary value of the loss and damage of the kind Ms Richardson sustained,” Justice Kenny said today.
Richardson quit her role at Oracle on March 2009 and was subsequently employed by EMC on 20 April of that year.
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