Sex Harrasement Claim May Have Prior History with Vodafone

It has been claimed that an Australian woman suing her former employer for sexual harassment had previously made the same complaint about an earlier employer, Vodafone. Vivienne Dye has accused two senior managers at the Commonwealth Bank of sexual harassment and bullying.

Media reports said that she had signed a confidential settlement, rumoured to be worth AU$20,000 with Vodafone Australia following allegations of harassment from two female colleagues. However, Vodafone would only confirm that she had left the company and that "there were no claims against colleagues on her employment record."

Ms Dye's lawyer, Peter Rochfort, declined to comment on reports that half the reported settlement from Vodafone had been spent on cosmetic surgery.

Ms Dye had worked as a public relations executive for Vodafone in 2004 and then later joined the Commonwealth Bank in March 2006.

In a statement to the Sydney Morning Herald, the bank's head of human resources, Barbara Chapman, said the bank's investigations had found Ms Dye's claims were "unfounded". The bank plans to fight the allegations.

Both the (male) managers accused have left the bank - although for unrelated issues. Ms Dye has moved to New York, reportedly to escape the media fuss which has broken about her claims.

Posted to the site on 18th April 2008