Ousted HP CEO Settles Sex-Harass Case

Ousted Hewlett-Packard CEO Mark Hurd has settled allegations of sexual harassment lodged against him by a female contract worker, a person with intimate knowledge of the case told the AP late yesterday. The source told the AP that Hurd agreed to pay the woman, but wouldn't reveal the size of the payment. The settlement was between Hurd and his accuser and did not involve a payment from HP.

Hurd was forced to resign Friday after HP's board of directors said Hurd falsified expenses to hide numerous private dinners with a woman who was paid up to $5,000 per event to greet people and make introductions among executives attending HP events that she helped organize, in one case for work she didn't do. That was for an event that was canceled at the last minute and the woman's contract required that she be paid unless an event was canceled 30 days in advance. (More Hewlett-Packard stories.)