Vitality Works Australia Pty Ltd v Yelda (No 2) [2021] NSWCA 147

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Vitality Works Australia Pty Ltd v Yelda (No 2) [2021] NSWCA 147 Hearing dates: 19 May 2021 Date of orders: 19 July 2021 Decision date: 19 July 2021 Before: Bell P and Payne JA at [1]; McCallum JA at [125] Decision: (1) Grant leave to appeal on grounds 1, 2, 4 and 5; (2) Refuse leave to appeal on ground 6; (3) Appeal dismissed; (4) Vitality Works to pay Ms Yelda's costs of the application for leave to appeal and the appeal. Catchwords: EMPLOYMENT AND INDUSTRIAL LAW – discrimination – harassment – sexual harassment – where applicant was contracted to design, publish, display and distribute a poster depicting a captioned photograph of the respondent at her workplace – whether conduct was "other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature" – whether parties were "workplace participants" – Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW), ss 22A, 22B CIVIL PROCEDURE – appeal on question of law Legislation Cited: Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW), ss 22A, 22B, 25(2)(c), 52, 53, 89, 89A, 89B(1), 93A, 93B, 93C Administrative Decisions Tribunal Act 1997 (NSW), s 119 Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (NSW), ss 39, 83 Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) Cases Cited: Amaba Pty Ltd (under NSW administered winding up) v Booth [2010] NSWCA 344 Ballina Shire Council v Knapp [2019] NSWCA 146 Barkat v Roads and Maritime Services [2019] NSWCA 240 Bronze Wing International Pty Ltd v SafeWork NSW [2017] NSWCA 41 Coleman v Bentley [2002] NSWADT 87 Ewin v Vergara (No 3) [2013] FCA 1311; (2013) 307 ALR 576 Favell v Queensland Newspapers Pty Ltd (2005) 221 ALR 186; [2005] HCA 52 Ferella v Chief Commissioner of State Revenue [2014] NSWCA 378 Hall v A & A Sheiban Pty Ltd (1989) 20 FCR 217; (1989) 85 ALR 503 Iannella v French (1968) 119 CLR 84; [1968] HCA 14 Johanson v Michael Blackledge Meats [2001] FMCA 6; (2001) 163 FLR 58 Kostas v HIA Insurance Services Pty Ltd (2010) 241 CLR 390; [2010] HCA 32 Kraus v Menzie [2012] FCA 3 O'Callaghan v Loder (1983) 3 NSWLR 89 Orr v Cobar Management Pty Ltd (2020) 103 NSWLR 36; [2020] NSWCCA 220 Poniatowska v Hickinbotham [2009] FCA 680 PT Ltd v Spuds Surf Chatswood Pty Ltd [2013] NSWCA 446 Styles v Clayton Utz (No 3) [2011] NSWSC 1452 Thomas v R (1937) 59 CLR 279; [1937] HCA 83 Vergara v Ewin [2014] FCAFC 100; (2014) 223 FCR 151 Webb v Bloch (1928) 41 CLR 331; [1928] HCA 50 Williams v R (1986) 161 CLR 278; [1986] HCA 88 Wilson v Chan & Naylor Parramatta Pty Ltd atf Chan & Naylor Parramatta Trust [2020] NSWCA 62 Workers Compensation Nominal Insurer v Hill [2020] NSWCA 54 Texts Cited: Neil Rees, Simon Rice, Dominique Allen, Australian Anti-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Law (3rd ed, 2018, Federation Press) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Vitality Works Australia Pty Ltd (Applicant) Reem Yelda (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: K Edwards and M Bridgett (Applicant) Q Rares (Respondent)