Lupcho Dafkovski v Attorney General's Department [2006] NSWIRComm 378

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales

CITATION: Lupcho Dafkovski v Attorney General's Department [2006] NSWIRComm 378

PARTIES: Lupcho Dafkovski Attorney General's Department of New South Wales

FILE NUMBER(S): IRC 890 of 2006

CORAM: Grayson DP

Unfair dismissal - Application for relief - Allegations of harassment and sexual harassment both in and outside workplace - Breaches of employer code of conduct and harassment prevention policy - Applicant a senior officer in supervisory position over complainants - Credibility of witnesses - Unsatisfactory nature of evidence of complainant - Relevance of out of hours conduct - Whether proceedings initiated in GREAT preclude applicant from bringing and maintaining proceedings before the Commission - Statutory construction - Whether in exercise of discretion out of time application should be accepted - Burden of proof - Doctrine of condonation and waiver CATCHWORDS: Held - Applicant not precluded from bringing proceedings here - Out of time application accepted - Less serious charges made out - More serious charges not made out - Dismissal harsh - Applicant reinstated on conditions - Nil back pay ordered - Nil continuity of employment ordered.

Anti Discrimination Act 1977 LEGISLATION CITED: Government and Related Employees Appeal Tribunal Act 1980 Industrial Relations Act 1996

Australiasian Transport Officers v Department of Motor Transport (1998) 25 IR 235 B. Rose v Telstra Corporation Limited - 1444/98 N Print Q9292 [1998]IRCommA 1592 (4 December 1998) Bhattacharya v Director General of Department of Education and Training [2000] NSWCA 74 Blyth Chemicals Ltd v Bushnell (1933) 49 CLR 66 Burge v NSW BHP Steel Pty Ltd (2001) 105 IR 325 Byrne & Anor v Australian Airlines (1995) 61 IR 32 Cavacuiti & Anor v Toyota Motor Corporation Australia Limited (2002) 122 IR 247 Cementaid (NSW) Pty Ltd v Chambers (unreported, Supreme Court, Spender AJ, 29 March 1995) Clarence v Electricity Commission (NSW) (1990) 33 IR 94 Clarke v Metropolitan Meat Industry Board [1967] AR (NSW) 16 Colonial Sugar Refining Company Limited v Irving [1905] AC 369 Commonwealth v Verwayen 170 CLR 394 Farquarson v Qantas Airways Ltd (PR97168, 10 August 2006] CASES CITED: Forbes v Public Service Board (NSW) (1986) 14 IR 375 Gallo v Dawson (1990) 64 AJLR 458 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 McManus v Scott-Charlton (1996) 140 ALR 625 Pastrycooks Employees, Biscuitmakers Employees and Flour and Sugar Goods Workers Union (NSW) v Gartrell White (No 3) 35 IR 70 Public Employment Office, Department of Corrective Services v Boda [2006] NSWIRComm 1 Public Service Association of NSW v NSW Crime Commission (1993) 48 IR 363 R v Baker [1999] NSWCCA 277 Secretary of the Department of Health (NSW) v Harvey (1990) 34 IR 58 Skelly v Prouds Jewellers Pty Ltd (1994) 53 IR 3 Smith v Allan, Secretary, Treasury of New South Wales (1993) NSWLR 52 Wang v Crestell Industries Pty Ltd (1997) 73 IR 454 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales v Parkes Council (1999) 70 IR 298 Zoological Parks Board of NSW v AWU (2004) 135 IR 56