IBM employee sues computer giant for bonus An IBM sales executive on a salary of $295,000 is suing the company because it paid her a bonus of $543,000 - half a million dollars less than she believes is owed to her. Fiona White is an account manager in IBM's business solutions area who, according to a statement of claim filed in the Federal Court, is suing the company for loss and damage. Ms White has worked for IBM since October 2010 and is still working at the computing and consulting giant - despite suing the company and attempting to penalise it $138 for each day that her outstanding bonus is not paid. Legal counsel for Ms White appeared in a directions hearing on Monday morning over the matter. IBM had a two-person legal team opposing Ms White. Lawyers for Ms White said in her statement of claim that she was paid an annual salary of $295,000, and that she was entitled to earn commissions "depending on her exertions and work levels." Having been set a target of $US900,000 ($A1 million) in sales, Ms White said she had achieved recognisable revenue of $US9.1 million. This, Ms White calculated, meant she should have been paid a bonus of just over $1 million. But, her statement of claim said, IBM had "failed to pay all commissions due" under the company's incentive plan. IBM had paid Ms White $543,000, which meant her employer still owed her $478,000, the statement of claim said. The case "involves a breach of an incentive plan," barrister Anna Forsyth, acting for Ms White, told the Federal Court. The applicant was placed on an incentive plan, which essentially involved her reaching a certain quota, and upon doing so being eligible for a certain amount of bonus. Ms White, who graduated in commerce and science from Melbourne University in 2005, did not return a phone call on Monday. Ms White's solicitor, Tracey Davies, declined to discuss the case, while IBM also said it would not discuss the case while it was before the court. Judge Tony North, who heard the case on Monday, moved the hearing from the Federal Court to the Federal Circuit Court, where it will continue next year.