HR manager sues workplace over alleged disciplinary action

A leading compensation law firm will defend itself from allegations it brought "inappropriate disciplinary action" against a former human resources manager.

Bridgett Maddox, a former national human resources manager, lodged a small claims filing with the Federal Court for the $4,400 in annual leave entitlements she alleged Slater & Gordon failed to pay her when she departed from the firm last December.

In partly redacted documents obtained by Lawyers Weekly – following an interlocutory suppression application heard last week – Maddox claimed her payslips and a breakdown of her leave balance will prove the firm refused to pay out 49.84 hours in unused leave.

In support of her small claims, Maddox alleged her manager engaged in “inappropriate disciplinary action” after she made a number of complaints about the “unsuitable working conditions and inappropriate behaviour by upper management” towards her team.

Maddox also alleged this behaviour began after she reportedly discovered “historical underpayment of leave entitlements dating back 11 years”. The human resources manager said she has disputed allegations of misconduct by engaging legal representation.

In addition to the annual leave entitlements, Maddox has sought a further remedial payment of $1,500 for legal fees.

She alleged this was because she made “numerous” attempts to communicate with Slaters to resolve the issue, “at a significant cost to me … as the company refused to respond to me directly”.

“I am now also requesting they compensate me for the costs as it was clearly a deliberate attempt to cause me further distress and deter me from obtaining my legal entitlements,” Maddox alleged.

The hearing has been listed for 18 March.

The firm did not respond to a request for comment.

In addition to the small claims application, Slater & Gordon has been dealing with the leak of a spreadsheet that allegedly revealed the salaries of over 900 staff and claims of supposed dysfunction.

The email was purportedly sent from outgoing chief people officer Mari Ruiz-Matthyssen, but she has denied sending it.

A spokesperson for Slaters said it would be reported to police.

“The contents of the email include a range of disparaging remarks about individuals – what is presented as internal information in the email is incorrect and in many ways a work of fiction,” they added.

Last July, the firm self-reported to Fair Work over a payroll error it said resulted in a collective underpayment of at least $300,000 for around 100 employees between late 2011 and mid-2023.

This error was said to have “disproportionately affected employees who have taken personal leave and elected to take this at half-pay”.