A former employee has been awarded $40,000 in compensation after a tribunal found that colleagues repeatedly compared her to Darth Vader, causing significant emotional distress.
The incident occurred at a marketing firm where the woman, whose identity has been withheld, alleged that her co-workers routinely made derogatory comments about her appearance.
According to court documents, the woman claimed that the persistent remarks about her physical appearance severely impacted her mental health and self-esteem.
The tribunal heard that the offensive comparisons began after she was promoted to a management position, leading to increased tension among staff members.
Despite reporting the behavior to human resources, the woman alleged that no meaningful action was taken to address the harassment. She testified that the workplace culture enabled bullying and that her complaints were dismissed as being overly sensitive.
