No employment offer after sexual harassment complaint during probation

Olga* was employed by a shipping company, and still on probation. The office environment was friendly, and she got on well with her male colleagues until one of them asked her a personal question in front of the other that made her feel extremely uncomfortable. She raised this with her manager who agreed that the question was not appropriate in the workplace. After this, her male colleagues ignored her when they were in the office together and she was not offered employment at the end of her probation period.

Gina made a complaint of sex discrimination, sexual harassment and victimisation to ADNSW.

The matter was resolved at a conciliation conference. While the employer did not believe they had acted unlawfully, they agreed to pay Olga $10,000 and this resolved her complaint.

*Name has been changed to protect the privacy of the individual