The saga over the ouster of former Hewlett-Packard CEO Mark Hurd amid allegations of sexual harassment continues as investors seek the report on the ordeal that was compiled by company attorneys, Bloomberg News reported.
Our Orange County sexual harassment lawyers note the company is attempting to keep the information private, citing attorney-client privilege. An investor has requested a judge release the Covington Report (which was compiled by the law firm Covington and Burling LLP) as part of an investigation into wrongdoing by directors. Hurd was granted a $40 million severance package on his way out the door.
Legal watchers think the report is likely to remain private. But the case illustrates the challenges of retrieving documents that will assist in proving cases of sexual harassment or other workplace improprieties. Often the best time to collect such collateral information is after speaking with an attorney and before formally filing a workplace complaint.
The internal investigation reportedly revealed the "close working relationship" Hurd had with the contractor who filed the complaint and that at times she appeared compensated without legitimate purpose, according to the Bloomberg report. Hurd also allegedly told investigators he was unaware of her adult film career. However, evidence showed he watched some of her movies on an adult website.
Hurd resigned his chairman position last August after the investigation showed alleged violations of the company's code of conduct. However he was not found to have violated its sexual harassment policy.
If you need to speak to a sexual harassment attorney in Orange County, contact the California Legal Team at (310) 497-0321 to discuss your rights.
