Former Motorola Officer Called A 'Treacherous Officer'
Posted on: Friday, 10 April 2009, 14:55 CDT
Motorola stated in court documents that a former executive who filed a lawsuit against the company for firing him was a "treacherous officer," The Associated Press reported.
The telecommunications equipment maker said former Chief Financial Officer Paul Liska was fired for "serious misconduct and incompetence" and he planned a "scheme designed to portray himself as a whistleblower and demand millions in return for his silence."
The documents making the serious allegations were obtained by the Chicago Tribune and posted on its Web site Thursday.
Liska, who filed the suit in Cook County Circuit Court in Chicago on Feb. 20 — a day after he was fired - claims his dismissal was a "retaliatory discharge," a term typically used to describe an employee that is fired for being a whistleblower.
Motorola and Liska declined to comment beyond the filings, but according to a regulatory filing that the company issued on March 3, Liska was terminated "for cause". However, Cook County officials did not release Motorola’s court filings to AP.
Liska claims Motorola was trying to "destroy his reputation in retaliation for raising legitimate concerns" about the company’s cell phone unit.
He said before the incident Motorola officials consistently praised him for his work with the company.
With his termination, Liska did not receive his signing bonus, stock options or severance pay.
Motorola Inc, North America's largest maker of telecommunications equipment, posted a massive fourth-quarter loss in February, as it recorded charges to reflect the shrinking value of its cell phone business.
The company also suspended its dividend and stated that CFO Paul Liska had left and gave a disappointing forecast for the fiscal first quarter.
Last year, the company planned to spin off its Mobile Devices business in an attempt to boost cell phone revenue, but persistent losses caused it to postpone that move.
Motorola gave no specific reason for Liska's departure when it reported fourth-quarter earnings in February, but co-CEO Greg Brown implied that it had something to do with the delay of the phone spin-off.
Brown said the "business environment" was making changes and Motorola felt a change was also needed at the CFO position.
With a 6.5 percent share, Motorola is now the No. 5 cell phone maker worldwide.
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Source: redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports
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