March 29, 2024

Tricia Oak

Business & Finance Excellency

Hawkesbury race club CEO Greg Rudolph bullied advertising manager with e-mails

Vivienne Leggett was bullied out of her job at Hawkesbury Race Club by CEO Greg Rudolph and won a $2.8million payout

Vivienne Leggett was bullied out of her occupation at Hawkesbury Race Club by CEO Greg Rudolph and won a $2.8million payout

A bullying manager whose ongoing campaign of harassment against a feminine worker led to a multi-million dollar payout has been promoted by his hottest employer. 

Greg Rudolph was CEO of Hawkesbury Race Club when Vivienne Leggett was compelled to give up her job in sponsorship and promotions about his oppressive conduct.

Ms Leggett, who had worked for the club for 25 a long time, received the $2.8million payout due to bullying she experienced from Mr Rudolph, and for being denied annual go away, extended-services depart and commission payments. 

The Federal Court docket listened to Mr Rudolph’s carry out triggered Ms Leggett to develop a major depressive ailment with stress and anxiety that has remaining her unemployable for practically six yrs.

The court docket ruled in Ms Leggett’s favour in February and in late May awarded her the thousands and thousands in compensation.

In a damning judgement, Justice Steven Rares discovered the office bullying ‘effectively destroyed Mrs Leggett’s life’.  

Mr Rudolph, who had previously been deputy chair of stewards with Racing NSW, was employed by South Australia’s equivalent human body early this yr. 

He was originally employed as a senior steward but was lately promoted to racing operations supervisor in a revamp of the organisation. 

Hawkesbury Race Club CEO Greg Rudolph (above) was found to have bullied and harassed Ms Leggett over several months in 2016. The Federal Court heard Mr Rudolph's conduct caused Ms Leggett to develop a depressive disorder that has left her unemployable for six years

Hawkesbury Race Club CEO Greg Rudolph (higher than) was located to have bullied and harassed Ms Leggett about numerous months in 2016. The Federal Courtroom listened to Mr Rudolph’s conduct triggered Ms Leggett to build a depressive condition that has remaining her unemployable for six a long time

Racing SA main government Nick Redin confirmed past month he and his board were at ease with Mr Rudolph’s appointment to the freshly-produced work, despite Ms Leggett’s practical experience.

‘We did our due diligence when Greg joined us,’ Mr Redin explained to the Herald Sunlight.

‘We ended up happy with Greg on the way in and we’ve noticed nothing given that he is been with us to reveal we should have any bring about for worry.’     

Ms Leggett’s situation involved an email she sent Mr Rudolph in which she referred to him screaming at her on the telephone to return to the business office when she was at the race barriers.

She described experience embarrassed by Mr Rudolph’s ‘rude’ demand from customers and stated the incident ‘compounded numerous other predicaments which I have felt downtrodden, excluded and questioned unreasonably’.

‘I come to feel like we are reaching an untenable condition which demands to be fixed,’ Ms Leggett wrote. 

Vivienne Leggett sent this email to Hawkesbury Race Club CEO Greg Rudolph complaining he had embarrassed her in a screaming phone call ordering her back to the office. The incident 'compounded many other situations which I have felt downtrodden' she wrote

Vivienne Leggett sent this electronic mail to Hawkesbury Race Club CEO Greg Rudolph complaining he had embarrassed her in a screaming cellular phone call buying her again to the workplace. The incident ‘compounded quite a few other scenarios which I have felt downtrodden’ she wrote

Mr Rudolph did not address any of Ms Leggett's concerns in a response to her email about his behaviour. Instead he asked her to attend a meeting with him the following morning

Mr Rudolph did not deal with any of Ms Leggett’s fears in a response to her electronic mail about his behaviour. As an alternative he questioned her to go to a meeting with him the pursuing morning

In response, Mr Rudolph did not deal with any of Ms Leggett’s concerns, in its place telling her to attend his office environment with the club’s features manager the adhering to working day.

‘Please meet me in my workplace tomorrow morning at 9am with Joanne Cost, to discuss your function general performance,’ Mr Rudolph wrote.

‘You may perhaps convey a help man or woman with you if you wish.’ 

When Ms Leggett obtained that reply she felt ‘even much more distressed, emotionally drained and began vomiting’, in accordance to the Federal Court judgement.   

The courtroom heard Ms Leggett began employment at the club in 1991 when she was 28 yrs previous, working underneath then-CEO Brian Fletcher, who described her as a ‘trusted employee’.

Mr Rudolph took over as Hawkesbury Race Club CEO in May 2016. The court heard the new chief began bullying Ms Leggett from the outset, believing she was being paid too much. Hawkesbury racecourse is pictured

Mr Rudolph took over as Hawkesbury Race Club CEO in Might 2016. The court docket read the new chief started bullying Ms Leggett from the outset, believing she was becoming compensated also substantially. Hawkesbury racecourse is pictured

She was liable for bringing in new offers and retaining present contracts, and was promoted to come to be the club’s sponsorship and marketing and advertising manager.

Mr Rudolph took more than as CEO in Could 2016 following Mr Fletcher still left to acquire the leading occupation at the Penrith Panthers NRL club.

The courtroom listened to the new main commenced bullying Ms Leggett from the outset, believing she was getting paid out as well considerably.

Mr Rudolph would one the sponsorship supervisor out, micromanage her tasks, relentlessly electronic mail her and deny her essential employee gains.                   

Ms Leggett complained to Mr Rudolph about his conduct about four months after he began his new role, outlining the impact it was having on her mentally and her capacity to do her have task.

Vivienne Leggett (pictured) worked in sponsorship and promotions at Hawkesbury Race Club for more than 25 years before quitting due to the treatment of its CEO - before winning $2.8million after taking the club to Federal Court

Vivienne Leggett (pictured) worked in sponsorship and promotions at Hawkesbury Race Club for a lot more than 25 several years right before quitting owing to the remedy of its CEO – before profitable $2.8million right after using the club to Federal Court docket

The Federal Court read the incident at the limitations on October 9, 2016 and the subsequent e-mail from Mr Rudolph was ‘the previous straw’. 

Soon just before the start of the day’s final race Mr Rudolph had identified as Ms Leggett and ‘screamed down the phone with rage in his voice’.

Ms Leggett reported she had formerly been instructed she ought to ‘feel free’ to be at the obstacles ‘whenever’, but Mr Rudolph demanded she return to the office then hung up.

Following obtaining Mr Rudolph’s reaction to her email about the incident Ms Leggett acquired a healthcare certificate from her GP stating she was unfit to operate for the subsequent 7 days.

She emailed the certificate to Mr Rudolph, who later that day forwarded it to his father-in-law, Racing NSW’s revered former chairman of stewards Ray Murrihy, with the comment: ‘Dropping like flies’.

Brian Fletcher (above) was Hawkesbury Race Club's CEO before Greg Rudolph and described Ms Leggett as a 'trusted employee'

Greg Rudolph is the son-in-law of respected former Racing NSW chief steward Ray Murrihy (above)

Brian Fletcher (still left) was Hawkesbury Race Club’s CEO before Greg Rudolph and described Ms Leggett as a ‘trusted employee’. Mr Rudolph’s father-in legislation is revered former Racing NSW main steward Ray Murrihy (proper)

Mr Rudolph claimed his e-mail to Ms Leggett inquiring her to occur into his office was despatched out of problem for her welfare, which Justice Rares pointed out could be contrasted with his ‘gloating’ to Mr Murrihy. 

‘A genuinely concerned human being would not have behaved in this way,’ Justice Rares discovered. 

‘Rather, Mr Rudolph’s legitimate colors came out in his triumphal statement that mirrored what he experienced been accomplishing for months, namely, making an attempt to power Mrs Leggett out of her work with no dismissing her, for the reason that he understood that there was no basis to do so.’ 

On one more situation, on examining Ms Leggett’s use of the club’s credit rating card, Mr Rudolph questioned her paying out $15 on parking. The court listened to he usually held ‘dogged interrogations’ more than expenses.

Justice Rares found the club was in breach of its contractual obligation and the Reasonable Operate Act for not having to pay Ms Leggett the gains she was entitled to.

The court docket also ruled that the club was negligent in offering a secure get the job done ecosystem for Ms Leggett.

Ms Leggett began employment at the club in 1991 when she was 28 years old, working under then-CEO Brian Fletcher, who described her as a 'trusted employee'

Ms Leggett commenced employment at the club in 1991 when she was 28 yrs previous, doing the job less than then-CEO Brian Fletcher, who explained her as a ‘trusted employee’

‘In my belief, the club’s carry out, by way of Mr Rudolph, efficiently wrecked Mrs Leggett’s life,’ Justice Rares located. 

‘She are unable to get the job done and, as the joint industry experts agreed, is permanently incapacitated from undertaking so mainly because of Mr Rudolph’s and the club’s carry out.’ 

In an interview with Just Horse Racing, Ms Leggett claimed she experienced ‘suicidal thoughts’ since of the ordeal but did not have enough cash to shell out for treatment.

After resigning in 2019, Mr Rudolph claimed he was proud of his achievements at the helm of Hawkesbury Race Club.

‘The Board and I are happy of what we have obtained during my expression, which has extended over and above my first three calendar year commitment,’ he mentioned.

‘The time is ideal for me to finish my business reports and to set some much more time into numerous other commitments I have, in charity fields, for instance.’