A woman has been awarded $2.8 million in federal court damages after being relentlessly “bullied and harassed” by her oppressive boss.
Vivienne Leggett spent over 25 years in sponsorship and promotion at the Hawkesbury Race Club before quitting due to the treatment she received from its CEO Greg Rudolph.
The court heard that Mr. Rudolph’s behavior led to Ms. Leggett developing significant depressive disorder with anxiety that left her incapacitated for work for nearly six years.
Ms Leggett sued in 2019 and won the substantial payout for the year of bullying she suffered at the hands of Mr Rudolph, and for denying annual leave, extended service and commission payments.
Mr. Rudolph has since stepped down, partly due to his desire to work in a number of ‘charities’.
Vivienne Leggett (pictured) spent over 25 years in sponsorship and promotion at Hawkesbury Race Club before quitting due to CEO treatment – before winning $2.8 million after taking the club to federal court
The court heard that Ms. Leggett joined the club in 1991 when she was 28 years old and worked under then-CEO Brian Fletcher, who described her as a “trusted employee.”
She was responsible for winning new deals and maintaining existing contracts, and was promoted to sponsorship and marketing manager of the club.
Ms. Leggett quit due to the treatment she received from Hawkesbury Race Club CEO Greg Rudolph (above)
Mr Rudolph took over as CEO in May 2016 after Mr Fletcher left to take up the senior position at the Penrith Panthers NRL club.
The court heard that the new chief started bullying Ms. Leggett from the start, because she felt she was being paid too much.
Mr. Rudolph would pick the sponsor manager, micromanage her duties, email her relentlessly, and deny her basic benefits that every employee was entitled to.
Ms. Leggett complained to Mr. Rudolph about his behavior about four months after he started in the new role, explaining the impact this had on her mentally and her ability to do her job properly.
She asked him to refer the complaint to the Hawkesbury Race Club board of directors, before replying the next day, asking her to come to his office to “discuss her performance at work,” the court said.
Mr Rudolph said she could bring a “supporter” to the meeting before Ms Leggett sent him a medical certificate saying she could not work for the next week “because of work stress”.
The court’s ruling stated that Rudolph then forwarded her letter to his father-in-law, adding “falling like flies.”
On another occasion, in reviewing Ms. Leggett’s use of the club’s credit card, Mr. Rudolph asked her to spend $15 on parking. The court heard that he often held “detained interrogations” about expenses.
The court heard that Mr. Rudolph even questioned another employee about Ms. Leggett taking a “kickback,” which the employee turned down.
It also overheard a phone conversation she had with board member Sid Kelly OAM, where Ms. Leggett accused Mr. Rudolph of “constantly harassing her.”
“I feel like he doesn’t trust what I’m doing or what I’ve been doing for 25 years. I feel like he just put me in a box and won’t let me do anything,” she told Mr. Kelly.
“I just can’t work well because he’s constantly harassing me.”
In another interview with Mr Kelly, the court heard Ms Leggett say she had “not cried for a week” because of Mr Rudolph’s treatment of her.
‘I can not take it. I’m constant, I just can’t stop crying. I haven’t stopped crying in a week,” she told Mr. Kelly.
‘I can’t do my job. I’m so stressed. I can’t eat. Can not sleep. I’m just not myself at all.’
Ms Leggett joined the club in 1991 when she was 28 years old and worked under then CEO Brian Fletcher, who described her as a ‘trusted employee’
The court ruled that the club had breached its contractual obligation and the Fair Work Act for failing to pay Ms Leggett the benefits she was entitled to.
It also found the club negligent in providing a safe working environment for Ms Leggett.
It ordered the Hawkesbury Race Club to pay Ms Leggett $2.8 million for denied bonuses, payments, leave and future loss of work.
In an interview with Just Horse Racing, Ms. Leggett claims she had “suicidal thoughts” because of the ordeal, but did not have enough money to pay for the treatment.
“Bullying women in the workplace seems to be widespread, not just in racing,” she said.
‘I knew right away that he was a control freak, because he proudly told the administrative staff this the first day he started. When we first met I thought he was going to make my life difficult when he told me I was ‘a nothing.’
Following his resignation in 2019, Mr Rudolph said he was proud of his achievements at the helm of the club.
“The board and I are proud of what we have achieved during my term, which extends beyond my initial three-year commitment,” he said.
“The time is right for me to complete my business studies and spend some more time on various other commitments I have, for example in the field of charities.”