Dismissal – Facebook comments

[2014] FWC 9330 Qld Faulkner v BHP Coal (whilst A was in the back of a dump truck which was stationary with its park brake on he discovered his mobile phone in his bag and breached policy by posting a comment on Facebook saying “Zachary J……..your lucky I’m here to get your truck out of the bog you got it into” – the policy was not a ‘zero tolerance’ policy and “the consequences of a breach of the new procedure was not clear, and the evidence demonstrated the introduction of the procedure and training documentation was also not adequate” @98 – valid reason for dismissal, but A’s dismissal was harsh etc for procedural reasons and differential treatment – “at least three issues emerged from the [difference between the] show cause and termination letters in relation to the reasoning for the dismissal decision: the level of risk associated with such; having a mobile phone versus using the mobile phone; and having a mobile phone whilst operating a vehicle, as opposed to the vehicle being stationary. The procedural deficiencies undermined the substantive basis for the termination. There was also no consideration of appropriate alternatives to dismissal” @76-77 – A reinstated)