A Brisbane, Queensland, woman sued the cosmetics store where she used to work because, according to her lawsuit, the company discriminated against her and fired her Take frequent bathroom breaks due to a health problem.
Caitlin Myers29 years old, denounced Sephora, the Australian division of the American cosmetics giant and demanded financial compensation in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia in the amount of 235,177 Australian dollars, more than $156,000 American.
According to local media The courier postwho was granted access to the lawsuit, Myers worked full-time as a beauty consultant at the Westfield Chermside store from 2017 to October 2021. His problems with the company began in early 2021.
Myersp suffers from this Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CPPS)a condition that includes symptoms of urinary urgency and frequency, as well as menstrual, bowel and bladder pain. This condition forced her to go to the bathroom more often than average.
Myers claimed that his boss was at the store Westfield ChermsideJamila Verdouw and assistant manager Beth Frost questioned “the number or frequency of bathroom breaks” he took during his work hours. She claimed that as a result of Sephora’s alleged actions, she suffered from depression, was humiliated and lost her salary. She assures me of that Sephora has known about its SDPC since early 2021.
According to the lawsuit, this worsened the frequency and severity of his symptoms “Pressure” what she felt about her superiors questioning her or asking her to come home early. This in turn resulted in the employee not showing up for work on some scheduled shifts.
Myers stated that he “felt pressure to leave early” at least four times between 2021 and 2022 because His superiors asked how often he went to the bathroom. He believed that if he did not leave voluntarily, he would be ordered to end his shift early.
Additionally, Myers claimed that Verdouw and Frost competed against each other seven more times between 2021 and 2022 They “forced” her to finish her shift planned ahead of time due to the number or frequency of health breaks taken.
In October 2021, Myers accepted Sephora’s offer Temporarily reduce your working hours from full-time to part-time. Eva Kuan, a human resources assistant at Sephora, reportedly explained in writing that the move to part-time was intended to “support her continued health journey” and “improve her attendance at work.”
However, Sephora fired Myers on May 23rd of the following year. The company argued that Myers was “unable” to comply with workplace attendance requirements.
Myers asserted that on the day he was fired, Sephora “could have done it, but did not suggest doing it.” reasonable accommodationsB. Allow him to work up to four hours a day, five days a week, which he did not do.
Sephora again The allegations of discrimination were rejected and dismissal because of his disability. The company argued in its defense that the reasonable accommodation was the October 2021 offer of part-time work and access to restrooms.
In its statement of claim, Sephora pointed out that despite the company reducing its working hours to part-time five months earlier Myers’ attendance at work did not improve. Kuan reportedly informed Myers on March 9, 2022 that the company could no longer maintain the part-time agreement. The company said Myers was unable to meet the requirements of the beauty consultant position.
The defense of Sephora asked the court to dismiss Myers’ lawsuit. A mediation hearing is scheduled to take place in Brisbane on or before December 19. The court has not set a date for a future hearing in the case.