Fired WFH Employee: Firm Tracks Laptop Activity, “No One Will Hire Me

Suzie Cheikho, a 38-year-old work-from-home (WFH) employee, was terminated from her position at Insurance Australia Group after serving for 18 years. The termination followed a formal warning about her performance and output in November 2022.

She was let go on February 20 due to her failure to meet deadlines, regular absence from meetings, and inability to complete essential tasks. The Fair Work Commission (FWC) discovered that she frequently did not work her scheduled hours, arrived late, and left early on multiple days, and on some days did not work at all, based on her online activity.

During a formal meeting, Ms. Cheikho disputed the accuracy of the data but did not provide evidence to support her claim. In her written response, she attributed her declining performance to personal issues affecting her mental health and an injury.

She stated that she informed her managers about medical appointments and committed to making up for the lost work time. Ms. Cheikho later alleged that the company had a deliberate plan to dismiss her and that she was targeted due to her mental health issues.

She now relies on welfare support and mentioned that she received her final payment from the company. Despite these challenges, Ms. Cheikho has gained attention through her online presence and has become a micro-influencer with nearly 8000 followers on TikTok.

She uses this platform to raise awareness about mental health issues and claims to make a small amount of money, which helps cover her bills. She expressed concern about the possibility of not being hired again, emphasizing that she had only received one warning in her 18 years of employment at the company.