The Federal Court has dismissed an appeal from Sal Grover and her company, Giggle for Girls, over findings they had indirectly discriminated against Roxanne Tickle when she was removed from their social media app.
The appeal court also found in favour of a cross-appeal from Tickle, which argued Grover and her company had directly discriminated against her, a finding that was not delivered by the original judge hearing the case, Justice Robert Bromwich.
Justice Melissa Perry, Justice Geoffrey Kennett and Justice Wendy Abraham delivered their findings in the Sydney court on Friday afternoon, with a live stream broadcasting the judgement to a national audience.
The judgement compels Grover and her company to pay the original $10,000 in compensation, plus an additional $10,000 for the finding of direct discrimination. The court also ordered they are responsible for legal costs totaling $100,000 across the original case and the appeal.
The case is the first to test changes made to the Sex Discrimination Act in 2013 when protections on the basis of gender identity were introduced.
Ahead of the decision being handed down Grover said she would be appealing for the High Court to review the case if the judges did not find in her favour.
