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Stripping an employee of his core duties without explanation was "objectively unreasonable", the Federal Circuit Court has found, in ruling an employer breached its obligation to provide him with a safe workplace.

It was foreseeable that the employer's "covert" decisions would negatively impact the employee's welfare, Judge Catherine Symons said, in awarding him $35k in damages.

The performance reporting specialist claimed his employer, South Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network, breached its enterprise agreement when it failed to: consult with him before deciding to make his role redundant; and take all reasonably practicable steps to provide him with a work environment that was safe and without risks to his health.

Regarding the latter allegation, the employee said that in the months leading up to the redundancy meeting in May 2022, the employer's CEO and COO bullied him...