Welcome to 2012 and Happy New Year!

One business executive who almost certainly did not have a Happy New Year is former HP CEO Mark Hurd.  Right before the New Year, a federal judge in Delaware released the contents of a letter from attorney Gloria Allred, who represents Jodie Fisher, an event hostess and actress.  In the letter, Fisher makes certain embarrassing allegations about how Hurd used his position and expense account at HP to lure her into a sexual relationship.  When the allegations first surfaced in August 2010, HP's Board of Directors fired Hurd, in spite of his performance in turning the company to profitability and record stock prices.  Hurd went to work for HP rival Oracle, where he is still co-CEO.

If allegations in the letter turn out to be true, they represent a textbook definition of quid pro quo and hostile environment sexual harassment.  You can read the lurid details for yourself below.

Follow up story here.
Read the letter that brought down HP CEO Mark Hurd‎