Skip to main content

BT executive accused of drug supply claims $600k in damages

A former BT Financial Group executive is suing Westpac’s wealth management arm for past and future economic loss after he was terminated from his role as chief operating officer of the advice unit.

Wes Hall is seeking $600,000 in compensation and is claiming he was dismissed after raising "serious concerns" about the quality of advice at BT.

However, BT is arguing that the 42-year-old was terminated because his behaviour at work functions had been “inappropriate” and he "lacked judgment and was ineffective as a leader".

It is also alleged that Hall supplied drugs to colleagues at work functions, however there was insufficient evidence to support this.

Hall said in a statement of claim filed in the Federal Circuit Court that in October 2015 he expressed serious concerns about the quality of financial advice to BT clients.

BT’s defence claims that after Hall had been appointed to the COO of advice role, the company became concerned about his performance and scheduled a meeting in January 2016 to talk about it.

The company also claims it became aware of allegations Hall had taken what was believed to be cocaine and supplied illegal drugs to others at work functions, according to Fairfax Media.

Moreover, BT is alleging that in the months prior to his termination, Hall tried to blackmail the company by claiming he had information about "serious misconduct" of other employees that had the potential to "embarrass" and damage the bank's reputation.

The bank also argued Hall's stated concerns about risk management were not true or not genuinely held by him.

They claimed that as a senior manager, Hall was required to "lead by example", be a "role model" and "demonstrate sound judgment".

However, he "lacked judgment and was ineffective as a leader" and the bank "lost all faith, trust and confidence" in him after he tried to blackmail them.

Hall is demanding a $600,000 payout in past and future economic loss. He also said if he had not been sacked by BT for raising these concerns, he would have been employed by the firm for at least 20 more months and received over $1 million in salary and bonuses.

The case is due to go to hearing in September. BT and Hall went to mediation last October but were not able to settle.

 Originally published at - http://www.hcamag.com/hr-news/bt-executive-claims-unfair-dismal-accused-of-supplying-drugs-237100.aspx

AWPTI - workplace investigation Sydney and through-out NSW, QLD and Victoria. Workplace training national wide


Misconduct investigations, bullying investigations, harassment investigations & sexual harassment investigations, complaint investigations, grievance investigations, discrimination investigations
www.awpti.com.au
http://awpti.com.au/investigations/
http://awpti.com.au/training/


Labels:
Location: Sydney NSW, Australia

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Unfair dismissal – harsh to dismiss, however reinstatement not appropriate

In the recent decision of  Paul Johnson v BHP Billiton Olympic Dam Corporation Pty Ltd  [2017] FWC 4097, Commissioner Hampton found that, although the employee had engaged in misconduct constituting a valid reason for dismissal, the dismissal was nevertheless harsh due to a number of mitigating factors. However, the Commissioner did not consider reinstatement appropriate because the employer had a rational basis for its loss of trust and confidence in the employee given the importance of the need for compliance with safety policy and the maintenance of appropriate discipline in connection with workplace health and safety matters. The employee was instead awarded compensation. The facts The employee was employed by BHPB from 24 May 2001 until his dismissal on 31 March 2017. At the time of his dismissal, the employee was a process specialist, responsible for a team of technicians looking after a flash furnace and other equipment in areas of a smelting facility at an und...
Post a Comment
Read more

Lorna Jane vindicated after two-year, $570,000 bullying case

Legal experts are urging businesses to train their staff in up-to-date social media policies this year, after activewear brand Lorna Jane won a two-year legal battle in November against a former employee who claimed the company was responsible for the psychiatric impacts of bullying at work. Former Brisbane store manager Amy Robinson filed a legal claim against Lorna Jane in 2015, seeking $570,000 in damages. The former manager claimed Lorna Jane was negligent and should be held responsible for her being bullied by a learning and development manager at the company, which led to psychiatric illness and a loss of employment and future employability. The company came out swinging against the claims early on,   posting a later-deleted Facebook post in 2015 defending itself against the claims  and saying it had been “very disappointed” by what had been reported in the media about the case. The claims included that Robinson was bullied and called a variety of names while...
Post a Comment
Read more

Stop-bullying application rejected

An employee who claimed his new team leader micromanaged and bullied him has had his stop-bullying application rejected, after the Fair Work Commission found her behaviour "abrupt" but not repeated or unreasonable. The Bunnings Warehouse employee claimed that in May 2016 the new team leader asked him about his face – the left side of his face "droops" and he is unable to move his left arm – which he found "deeply disrespectful and hurtful". A few weeks later, the team leader on two occasions confronted him and questioned why he was in different sections of the store, he told the Commission, noting he believed he was being singled out and treated differently from colleagues. He contacted the store manager to discuss the issue but was told she was too busy to speak with him, and he subsequently took two days off because of work-related stress. The employee claimed that when he returned to work, the employer suspended him but didn't tell him wh...
Post a Comment
Read more