A senior political staffer to federal teal MP Monique Ryan has raised the stakes in her unfair dismissal declare after personal talks broke down.
The Kooyong MP’s chief of employees Sally Rugg will search so as to add claims of “critical contraventions” of the Honest Work Act after mediation did not resolve her authorized dispute with Dr Ryan and the Commonwealth.
Maurice Blackburn’s principal lawyer Josh Bornstein mentioned the penalty for knowingly and systematically breaching labor requirements is as much as $660,000.
“The intense contravention declare is made in circumstances by which Dr Ryan publicly acknowledged that her employees have been working 70-hour weeks and that it was not secure,” he mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.
“As well as, the Commonwealth has been on discover of illegal extreme hours being labored for parliamentary staffers for a few years, together with by purpose of inquiries and reviews to Parliament.”
Mr Bornstein mentioned the social activist’s case can be a check of what constitutes “cheap” additional time or further hours for parliamentary staffers and will have wider implications if profitable.
“If Ms Rugg’s case succeeds, it should open the door for additional litigation together with class actions, not only for workers of the Commonwealth however for each Australian employee experiencing exploitation due to a contractual obligation to carry out undefined ‘cheap further hours’,” he mentioned. .
In an announcement, Dr Ryan mentioned the extra claims are rejected and might be defended, however because the matter is earlier than the courtroom, no additional remark might be made.
Dr Ryan employed Ms Rugg, a former Change.org head, final yr following her profitable problem to then-treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s seat of Kooyong within the federal election.
Ms Rugg has alleged Dr Ryan and the Commonwealth breached nationwide employment requirements and office agreements by sacking her for refusing to work unreasonable hours.
Her employment was on account of finish on January 31, however she has been allowed to maintain her job till the case returns to courtroom on Friday.
As soon as the injunction is heard, Ms Rugg will search compensation and pecuniary penalties from all events.
