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A manager's "unchecked authority" effectively empowered his "rapacious pursuit" of an employee, the Fair Work Commission has found in stop s-xual harassment proceedings.

The Riverton Bar & Grill kitchen hand applied for stop harassment orders late last year, shortly after the new provisions came into effect, claiming the manager asked her for sex, pushed for her to be his girlfriend and told her if she did what he wanted then she wouldn't face any problems at work.

She submitted four audio recordings of conversations with the manager as evidence before the Commission. These conversations occurred in the restaurant carpark, in a car on their way to work, and over the phone while she was at home.

The manager told the Commission he was "playing the part of a very neutral friend" and the conversations were "how normal friends talk"...