Robert Lawrence and Attorney General's Department [2004] NSWIRComm 59

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales

CITATION : Robert Lawrence and Attorney General's Department [2004] NSWIRComm 59 APPLICANT: PARTIES : Robert Lawrence RESPONDENT: Attorney General's Department FILE NUMBER: 3864 of 2003 CORAM: Sams DP Termination of employment - unfair dismissal - Sheriff's Officer - applicant also engaged as private security officer - secondary employment - failure to disclose secondary employment - workplace injuries - applicant engaged in secondary employment while on sick leave and workers' compensation - overpayment of workers' compensation - waiver of debt - failure to disclose other work - duties of security officer and Sheriff's Officer - medical evidence - whether management aware of secondary employment - principle of condonation - whether dismissal too harsh - whether conduct wilful - repudiation of contract - procedural fairness - state of evidence - principles considered - remedy of compensation sought. CATCHWORDS : Held, applicant informed management of secondary employment - management aware of applicant's secondary employment - respondent condoned conduct - paucity of respondent's evidence - conduct not wilful breach of contract of employment - medical evidence not inconsistent - different duties of security officer - financial hardship of applicant not taken into account - otherwise unblemished record not taken into account - dismissal too harsh - dismissal harsh and unreasonable - compensation appropriate remedy - mitigation of loss - orders made - recommendation to waive overpayment debt. Industrial Relations Act 1996 LEGISLATION CITED : Public Sector Management Act 1988 Workers' Compensation Act 1987 Australian Transport Officers' Association v Department of Motor Transport (1988) 25 IR 235 Bankstown City Council v Paris (1999) 93 IR 209 Bigg & Anor v NSW Police Service (1998) 80 IR 434 Blyth Chemicals Limited v Bushnell (1933) 49 CLR 66 Burge v NSW BHP Steel Pty Ltd (2001) 105 IR 325 Busways v Johnson (1994) 55 IR 255 Byrne & Anor v Australian Airlines (1995) 61 IR 32 Cementaid (NSW) Pty Ltd v Chambers (unreported, Supreme Court, Spender AJ, 29 March 1995) Clarke v Metropolitan Meat Industry Board [1967] AR (NSW) 16 Concut Pty Ltd v Worrell and Anor (2000) 103 IR 160 D & R Commercial Pty Ltd v Flood (2002) 113 IR 344 Electricity Commission of New South Wales t/as Pacific Power v Crump (1993) 48 IR 296 Federated Municipal and Shire Council Employees' Union of Australia, New South Wales Division, on behalf of Bowman, and City of Sydney Council [2001] NSWIRComm 91 Franklins Ltd v Webb (1996) 72 IR 257 Hill v Department of Juvenile Justice [2000] NSWIRComm 128 Hivac Ltd v Park Royal Scientific Instruments Ltd [1946] 1 CH 169 Hollingsworth v Commissioner of Police (1997) 77 IR 339 CASES CITED : Humphries and Cootamundra Ex-Services and Citizens Memorial Club Limited [2003] NSWIRComm 211 Laws v London Chronicle (Indicator Newspapers) Ltd [1959] 2 All ER 285 Hunt v Hornsby Shire Council [2001] NSWIRComm 242 John Lysaght (Australia) Limited and Federated Ironworkers' Association of Australia, New South Wales Division & Ors (1972) AILR 517 Outboard World v Muir (1993) 51 IR 167 Paris v Bankstown City Council [1999] NSWIRComm 10 Pastrycooks Employees, Biscuit Maker Employees & Flour and Sugar Goods Workers Union (NSW) v Gartrell White (No 3) (1990) 35 IR 70 Phillips v Foxall (1872) LR 7 QB 666 Police Association of New South Wales on behalf of Adam Tregonning, and New South Wales Police Service [2000] NSWIRComm 14 Price v Box Valley Pty Ltd (1999) 90 IR 480 Shop, Distributive & Allied Employees' Association v Jewel Food Stores (1987) 22 IR 1 Staal and Tupene and Health and Research Employees' Association of New South Wales (on behalf of Nagy and Others) and Western Sydney Area Health Service [2004] NSWIRComm 27 Standley and Electronics Boutique Pty Ltd (unreported, Sams DP, IRC98/4516, 18 March 1999) Transport Workers' Union of Australia, New South Wales Branch, on behalf of Joseph Vallis, and TNT Australia Pty Limited, trading as TNT Express [2002] NSWIRComm 46 Wang v Crestell Industries Pty Ltd (1997) 73 IR 4 Western Suburbs District Ambulance Committee v Tipping (1957) AR (NSW) 273 Youssef and Western Sydney Area Health Service [2002] NSWIRComm 8