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An employee's request for a 919-day extension to lodge a general protections dismissal claim, based on a suggestion made by ChatGPT, was best described as "hopeless" and an unnecessary waste of time, according to the Fair Work Commission.

"The circumstances highlight the obvious danger of relying on artificial intelligence for legal advice," said Deputy President Tony Slevin.

The Fair Work Act requires general protections applications to be lodged within 21 days of dismissal, but the employee – who resigned from Electra Lift Co in October 2022 – filed his nearly two-and-a-half years late.

Seeking an extension on the basis of "exceptional circumstances", the employee claimed the delay was caused by his lack of awareness of his workplace rights, and by fear of retribution from his former employer...