Social activist turned political staffer Sally Rugg has launched a legal challenge for unfair dismissal against a federal Teal MP over claims she was sacked for refusing to work unreasonable hours.
Rugg was hired as chief of staff to Monique Ryan last year after the doctor successfully challenged then-treasurer Josh Frydenberg for the seat of Kooyong in the May 2022 election.
She’s now launched a bid in the Federal Court to stop Ryan and the Commonwealth from sacking her, alleging breaches of national employment standards and workplace agreements for political staffers.
Documents filed in the Federal Court allege adverse action, being a decision to dismiss Rugg effective from Tuesday, was taken because she had exercised a workplace right to make complaints and inquiries about her employer.
It’s alleged she was sacked for exercising a workplace right to refuse to work additional hours that were unreasonable and for proposing to continue exercising that right.
The first respondent in the case, filed on January 25, is the Commonwealth, with Ryan named as the second respondent.
Represented by high-profile employment lawyer Josh Bornstein, Rugg is seeking a full injunction preventing her position from being terminated, as well as a temporary injunction until the matter is finalised.
An interlocutory hearing has been listed in Melbourne on Friday.
It’s argued her sacking breaches national employment standards in the Fair Work Act as well as the enterprise agreement for staff employed by commonwealth MPs.
The suit argues the Commonwealth injured Rugg in her employment by engaging “in hostile conduct in the workplace”.
Rugg also wants a declaration that Ryan was involved in the contravention of workplace laws by having been the “principal actor” on behalf of the Commonwealth.
She is seeking compensation and pecuniary penalties to be paid to her by both the Commonwealth and Ryan.
Before joining Ryan’s office, Rugg was the head of Change.org and previously directed campaigns at GetUp.
