In August 2010, Mark Hurd resigned as the CEO of Hewlett-Packard. That same week, he settled with a woman who claimed that she was sexually harassed while she was a contractor for Hewlett-Packard.
Now, a letter detailing some of the alleged sexual harassment has been released and the details may be of some interest to readers in Detroit.
The June 2010 letter was sent to Hurd by Gloria Allred, the infamous attorney who has represented some of Tiger Woods’ mistresses, among other clients. In the letter, she claims that Hurd harassed the woman between 2007 and 2009 by trying to initiate an affair with her even after she declined and by touching her inappropriately. The letter said the woman was considering a sexual harassment lawsuit, but wanted to discuss a possible settlement.
The woman has since denounced the letter and has said it contained inaccuracies.
Hurd resigned as CEO of Hewlett-Packard after his relationship with the woman became known. Although he was found not to have committed sexual harassment under Hewlett-Packard’s standards of that phrase, he was found to have violated the company’s code of conduct. Hurd is now the CEO of Oracle.
Detroit readers should look at this story and understand that no one, no matter whether you are a powerful CEO or an entry-level clerk, can sexually harass others in the workplace. Here in America, we do not tolerate that kind of behavior under any circumstances.
Source: The San Francisco Chronicle, “Letter in HP’s Mark Hurd’ harass case released,” Dec. 30, 2011