A landmark ruling against the former French telecommunications monopoly could pave the way for similar collective procedures.
The telecom group Orange and former CEO Didier Lombard were guilty of "moral harassment" that prompted a spate of suicides during a restructuring in the late 2000s, a Paris court ruled on Dec. 20.
The court sentenced Lombard to a year in prison, of which eight months will be suspended, and a €15,000 ($16,700) fine. Yet since that term is under two years and as Lombard does not present a danger to society, he will not spend time behind bars under French court rules.