A painting company has been fined $90,000 after its manager insisted he and a worker get a hotel room and give each other massages.
Oz 22 Painting Pty Ltd was sentenced in the Sunshine Magistrates Court earlier this month after being found guilty of failing to provide a workplace that was safe and without risks to health.
The court heard the inappropriate behaviour started from the worker’s first shift with the company in May 2022.
The company’s manager, who was the husband of its sole director, made comments about the worker’s appearance and asked intrusive personal questions.
His behaviour escalated with requests to spend time together and unwanted physical contact.
In July 2022, the manager picked up the worker from Bundoora train station on the pretence they had a job in the area.
Instead he drove them around for more than 1.5 hours pressuring them to spend the day with him.
He also suggested the pair go to a hotel room and give each other massages.
The worker resigned following that incident and said they continue to suffer flashbacks and disturbed sleep.
WorkSafe Victoria found the worker had been subjected to 60 days of harassment and the company had no sexual harassment policy in place.
WorkSafe Executive Director of Health and Safety Sam Jenkin said the company should have had systems in place to prevent bad behaviour.
“This is an abhorrent case of someone in a position of power preying on a vulnerable worker new to the job,” Mr Jenkin said.
