HP CEO resigns over sexual harassment claims

Hewlett Packard CEO Mark Hurd abruptly resigned today, as an investigation began into allegations he sexually harassed a female contractor. Update: Hurd will reportedly receive a $40-50 million severance package.

• [Anonymous]

  From the article: “The investigation determined there was no violation of HP’s sexual harassment policy, but did find violations of HP’s Standards of Business Conduct.”

  So I think the investigation is over, and he didn’t technically resign over the sexual harassment allegations.

• [Snig]

  HP CEO’s seem bug prone.

• [dculberson]

  They aren’t exactly batting a thousand for CEOs lately.

  • [Felton]

    To be fair, there are plenty of honest, straightforward CEO’s out there getting rich off the blood of the workers without sexually harassing anyone or causing environmental catastrophes.

• [xzzy]

  Well GM’s CEO just announced he’s “not a car guy”, so maybe it’s just really hard to find a good CEO.

• [tyger11]

  Now that he’s ruined his own life (instead of ruining the company), he can follow Carly Fiorina into politics. Yay?

• [Felton]

  I’m assuming he’s wearing that red tie in the picture to be more appealing to women.

• [314159265359]

  Yo dawg, I Hurd you like abruptly resigning.

• [Anonymous]

  IT-Crowd, S04E01. I’m just saying…

• [Alan]

  Dude’s also getting $53 million severance. I’d be happy to go halvsies with anyone who wants to accuse me of sexual harassment, if I get that kind of payoff.

• [Anonymous]

  “Hurd will reportedly receive a $40-50 million severance package.”

  HP sends this message: we reward alleged sexual harassers with millions of dollars.

  HP from now on actually stands for “Harassment Pays”.

• [Anonymous]

  Book title: “Riding Hurd”. You hurd it here first.

  • [ChibiR]

    The puns! They hurd!

• [Anonymous]

  Wow…now that he’s gone, can I have my job back?

• [Alan]

  And the final severance figure is…

  $12.2 million, shares worth $16 million (they would’ve been worth 10% more until all this happened) plus benefits. Guess HP wanted to teach him a lesson!

  http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/47217/000104746910007177/a2199755zex-10_1.htm

  Also, he was actually canned for expensing the hush money, not for sexual harassment itself.

• [Brainspore]

  Soon after announcing his resignation he was overheard bragging about the size of his package to the contractor in question.

  • [Felton]

    Is that $40-$50 million in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?