Lorna Jane employee Amy Robinson breaks down in Brisbane court over bullying claims
Updated
A woman suing active wear company Lorna Jane over bullying claims that include allegedly being called an "oxygen thief", has broken down in the District Court in Brisbane while testifying how the abuse led her to have suicidal thoughts.
Former employee Amy Louise Robinson, 40, sobbed quietly as she spoke of how she had suffered mentally because of a barrage of negative attacks by her area manager Megan McCarthy.
Ms Robinson told the court said Ms McCarthy often told her to lose weight when she visited the DFO store in 2012.
"I'd be eating lunch in the back room ... and she'd say 'should you be eating that?'" Ms Robinson told the hearing.
The mother of three weighed 68 kilograms at the time she worked as manager of the store.
Ms Robinson is suing Lorna Jane for over $500,000 in damages, saying she suffered depressive moods, anxiety and worthlessness because of the way she had been treated.
In a medical report tended to the court she had talked to doctors about how "some days she could not see the light at the end of the tunnel".
"She felt no-one would employ her any more; she had thought of ending her life," the report said.
Lorna Jane lawyer questions accuracy of resume
Ms Robinson broke down again in court late this afternoon during cross examination after being repeatedly questioned over inaccuracies on her resume.
Barrister Rebecca Treston QC for Lorna Jane accused Ms Robinson of lying about being the general manager of Curves Aspley in 2015.
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Citing tax returns, she alleged Ms Robinson only worked part-time for the company a few hours a week while mostly relying on the single mother's pension.
She also cast doubt on Ms Robinson's claims she was an Australian Businesswoman if the Year nominee in 2011.
"So the picture you were trying to paint was of a busy and successful businesswoman, wasn't it?" Ms Treston asked.
Ms Robinson replied: "Yes."
Ms Treston: "You were not busy and successful you were almost unemployed."
Ms Robinson: "I considered myself to be successful."
Judge Gregor Koppenol told the claimant she must answer questions frankly and honestly and "not in a coy way".
Alleged abusive Facebook posts
Also tended were alleged Facebook posts from Ms McCarthy in 2012 saying:
"I have discovered a new name for the people I despise — I call them 'generators' — purely because they fill their days generating more problems for me to deal with. Generators are similar to mutants — people who are genuine oxygen thieves," the post read.
Ms Robinson said she was often called a "generator" during Ms McCarthy's critical visits to the store.
In another post after working with Ms Robinson in November 2012, the manager allegedly posted:
"What a day! It is difficult to soar with the eagles when you are surrounded by turkeys. Is it too late to pursue a different career?" the post said.
Ms Robinson left the company in December 2012 on stress leave and has not been back.
Company 'vehemently denies' Ms Robinson's claims
However in an unusual move, the multi-million-dollar company read a statement to the media a day-and-a-half into the proceedings.
The company's head of people and culture, Emily Bourke, addressed the media at lunchtime today saying:
"As an employer of more than 2,000 people we take the claims being taken against the company very seriously," she said.
"We have conducted a through internal investigation and vehemently deny Ms Robinson's claims.
"We have workplace policies and procedures in place that very clearly state the company's position on workplace bullying and harassment and it was not tolerated in any circumstances.
"This is the first time in the company's 27-year history that we have been involved in proceedings of this nature.
"We will allow the legal process to run its course and we look forward to all evidence being presented to the court."
Ms Rourke would not take questions outside court after the statement.
Topics: courts-and-trials, law-crime-and-justice, discrimination, brisbane-4000, qld
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