Has anyone pursued discrimination case at work against their employer? Has it been successful? Is it worth it? Any good lawyers or fair work is the way?
I work for a European company in Sydney. I hate it but the market is bad to switch and I have a young family to take care of. Workplace is toxic. Managers are fighting all the time. I have been here close to 2 years.
I am a middle manager. Long story short - the new CEO of Australia doesnt like me a lot. He got promoted from within the company to ceo last year. Why doesn’t he like me? Coz I ask too much questions about irregularities in some things- I actually questioned some errors by one of his closest mates (another top manager) but I was only doing my job and picked up real errors.
My manager loves and supports me. I did the heavy lifting when staff was short. Worked my ass off to really make my department functional from scratch. Anyway, annual review happened. My manager wanted me to get a raise as I didnt get it last year as I was under 9 months in the company last year. This was a policy decision. Now, there is a new employee who my ceo loves, the employee is shit at work and I have a feeling ceo wants this employee to cover me or eventually replace me. My manager hates new employee but has hands tied coz of pressure from ceo to keep him. Infact my manager wanted this employee out during probation but ceo interfered. Very complicated case of bias. HR is in bed with ceo.
During an appraisal, the new employee got low points from our manager. I got near perfect comments. Most employees over the minimum term got raise except me. New employee got raise to counter me. I didnt and my manager said the ceo blocked it. There are other issues of bias and discrimination which is a different post. But in short- Me and the new employee put cross complaints against each other due to new employee errors and behavioural issues. My hr opened a case against me but not against the new employee-yet. I am about to anyways start a fight on this but was delaying it as my mental health is bad and I was hoping I might just leave rather. Can it be seen as coercion to make me leave? Bullying by management.
Or this raise incident alone is strong enough to fight a legal battle? Job market is slow. Very difficult to find something else and just move on. My manager is ready to support me and ready to give all proof in writing if I pursue a case. Can they take adverse action if I file complaint? How long do these cases take?
I need genuine advice on what to do. I dont have a backup to fall on other than this job. I am upset, stressed. My manager said I am the best employee he has but its not in his control coz of the new ceo blocking it. He is making my life difficult.
Need honest advice if I have to suck it till O find another role or fair work or lawyers can help. My mental health is out the window stressing about it and I may get anxiety attack.