Former ORF Director Roland Weißmann faces court over alleged breach of resignation agreement

At the Vienna Labor Court, former ORF chief Roland Weißmann faced a hearing concerning a press release that announced his denial of sexual-harassment allegations and his immediate resignation. His attorney, Oliver Scherbaum, contends that the release broke a prior understanding that the allegation would not be made public if Weißmann stepped down, referencing discussions on 6 March with board chair Heinz Lederer and deputy chair Gregor Schütze.

The court considered whether the matter is a simple legal question, which would avoid a factual hearing. Additional parties named include Gabriele Zgubic-Engleder of the ORF audience council and the board’s lawyer Roland Gerlach. Weißmann’s side also points to 3,820 private messages between him and the employee, arguing they should not have entered public debate, and seeks compensation for potential future damages. The parties will now exchange further written submissions.