French phone and internet provider Orange has been found guilty of "moral harassment" that resulted in a string of employee suicides during the late 2000s, a Paris court has ruled.

Key points: At least 18 suicides and 13 attempts were recorded between 2008 and 2010

At least 18 suicides and 13 attempts were recorded between 2008 and 2010 Prosecutors blamed the deaths on the company's privatisation methods

Prosecutors blamed the deaths on the company's privatisation methods The company and its former chief executive denied wrongdoing

The company was fined 75,000 euros ($120,835) on Friday in a landmark court ruling that could set a precedent for similar legal bids across France.

Former Orange chief executive Didier Lombard has also been sentenced to a year in jail — of which eight months was suspended — and a 15,000-euro fine in a landmark ruling.

But a decision on whether to award 2 million euros in damages from the company to victims, or relatives of victims, was pending.

Prosecutors argued the restructuring used to fully privatise the former state company, then known as France Telecom, triggered a wave of suicides in the late 2000s.

Prosecutors listed at least 18 suicides and 13 suicide attempts between April 2008 and June 2010.

The BBC reported another employee wrote that the company was "responsible" for his 2009 suicide.

The traumatic episode prompted deep soul-searching over corporate culture in France, a country that has traditionally given workers in the public and private sectors strong labour protections, and had previously guaranteed people life-long employment with state companies.

But the court heard that during France Telecom's privatisation push workers under state contracts were seen as a liability.

At one point, Lombard told senior managers the company should "be quite clear that we cannot protect everyone".

"In 2007 I will have these job cuts one way or another. By the window or by the door," he said.

Report finds restructure used 'pathogenic' methods

Lombard told senior executives he would get employees out "by the window or the door". ( AP: Michel Euler )

The guilty verdict against Lombard and the company may send a shockwave across European boardrooms as the case could inform the claims from other corporate employees seeking justice.

Orange's case centred around the culling of 22,000 jobs and redeployment of another 10,000 as it adapted to competition in the private sector.

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Unions alleged management sought ways to encourage workers to quit or accept reassignment.

A 2010 report by labour inspectors said management used "pathogenic" restructuring methods, such as forcing people into new jobs in far-away cities and giving them unattainable performance objectives.

The court concurred and ruled the methods used to cut the 22,000 jobs was illegal.

Orange has previously acknowledged the suffering expressed by victims and said it recognised there may have been management errors in implementing the restructuring, but maintained there was not a systemic plan or intention to harass employees.

Lombard had also denied wrongdoing.

Three other former Orange executives also accused of "moral harassment" have denied responsibility, saying the restructuring plan was an economic necessity.

ABC/wires