Bibby Financial Services Australia Pty Limited v Sharma [2014] NSWCA 37

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Bibby Financial Services Australia Pty Limited v Sharma [2014] NSWCA 37 Hearing dates: 12 August 2013 Decision date: 05 March 2014 Before: Beazley P at [1]; Barrett JA at [13]; Gleeson JA at [14] Decision: 1. Appeal dismissed. 2. Appellant to pay the respondent's costs of the appeal. [Note: The Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 provide (Rule 36.11) that unless the Court otherwise orders, a judgment or order is taken to be entered when it is recorded in the Court's computerised court record system. Setting aside and variation of judgments or orders is dealt with by Rules 36.15, 36.16, 36.17 and 36.18. Parties should in particular note the time limit of fourteen days in Rule 36.16.] Catchwords: CONTRACT - Whether employment contract terminated without cause or terminated for cause for serious misconduct - Whether election was made between available grounds for termination - Whether subsequent conduct amounted to a withdrawal of termination - Whether compliance with process for termination for serious misconduct - Whether non-compliance rendered the asserted termination for cause invalid and of no effect - Whether proper grounds available on the facts for termination for serious misconduct - Whether employee had an accrued right which remained even if terminated for cause EVIDENCE - Standard of Proof - Briginshaw Standard - clear and cogent proof of serious allegations EVIDENCE - Standard of Proof - s140(2) Evidence Act - gravity of the matters alleged - clear and cogent proof of serious allegations HUMAN RIGHTS - Discrimination - Sex Discrimination - Sexual Harassment - s28A Sex Discrimination Act - Whether incidents relied upon constituted sexual harassment Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s140(2)(c) Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth), s28A Supreme Court Act 1970, s 75A Cases Cited: Agricultural and Rural Finance Pty Ltd v Gardiner [2008] HCA 57; 238 CLR 570 Association of Quality Child Care Centres of NSW v Manefield [2012] NSWCA 123 Bale v Mills [2011] NSWCA 226; 81 NSWLR 498 Birrell v Australian National Airlines Commission (1984) 5 FCR 447 Blyth Chemicals Ltd v Bushnell [1933] HCA 8; 49 CLR 66 Briginshaw v Briginshaw [1938] HCA 34; 60 CLR 336 Cavenagh v Williams Evans Ltd [2012] EWCA Civ 697; [2013] 1 WLR 238 Commonwealth v Verwayen [1990] HCA 39; 170 CLR 394 Concut Pty Ltd v Worrell [2000] HCA 64; 176 ALR 693 Coulton v Holcombe [1986] HCA 33; 162 CLR 1 Director General of Department of Community Services; re Sophie [2008] NSWCA 250 Downer EDI Ltd v Gillies [2012] NSWCA 333; 92 ACSR 373 Hodgson v Amcor Ltd; Amcor Ltd and others v Barnes and others [2012] VSC 94 Holcombe v Coulton (Court of Appeal (NSW), 25 June 1985, unreported) Khoury v Government Insurance Office (NSW) [1984] HCA 55; 165 CLR 622 Kuru v New South Wales [2008] HCA 26; 236 CLR 1 McDonald v Denny's Lascelles Ltd [1933] HCA 25; 48 CLR 457 Metwally v University of Wollongong [1985] HCA 28; 60 ALR 68 Midya v Sagrani [1999] NSWCA 187 Multicon Engineering Pty Ltd v Federal Airports Corporation (1997) 47 NSWLR 631 Neat Holdings Pty Ltd v Karajan Holdings Pty Ltd [1992] HCA 66; 67 ALJR 170 O'Brien v Komesaroff [1982] HCA 33; 150 CLR 310 Ogle v Comboyuro Investments Pty Ltd [1976] HCA 21; 136 CLR 444 Palmer v Dolman [2005] NSWCA 361 Qantas Airways Ltd v Gama [2008] FCAFC 69; 167 FCR 537 Sargent v ASL Developments Ltd [1974] HCA 40; 131 CLR 634 Sharma v Bibby Financial Services Australia Pty Ltd [2012] NSWSC 1157 Shepherd v Felt and Textiles of Australia Ltd [1931] HCA 21; 45 CLR 359 Sunbird Plaza Pty Ltd v Maloney [1988] HCA 11; 166 CLR 245 Suttor v Gundowda Pty Ltd [1950] HCA 35; 81 CLR 418 University of Wollongong v Metwally (No 2) [1985] HCA 28; 60 ALR 68 Water Board v Moustakas [1988] HCA 12; 180 CLR 491 Zhu v Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games & Ors [2001] NSWSC 989 Texts Cited: Australian Human Rights Commission, Effectively preventing and responding to sexual harassment: A Code of Practice for Employers (2008 ed.) Professor John Carter, Carters Breach of Contract, (2011 LexisNexis Butterworths) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Bibby Financial Services Australia Pty Limited (Appellant) Ashley Lalit Sharma (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J K Kirk SC with T O Prince (Appellant) G P McNally SC with D C P Stewart (Respondent) Solicitors: Allens (Appellant) People + Culture Strategies (Respondent) File Number(s): 2012/314833 Decision under appeal Jurisdiction: 9111 Citation: Ashley Lalit Sharma v Bibby Financial Services Australia Pty Ltd [2012] NSWSC 1157 Date of Decision: 2012-10-12 00:00:00 Before: Bergin CJ in Eq File Number(s): 2009/291197