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

Suzie Cheikho, a 38-year-old work-from-home (WFH) employee, recently disclosed that she was terminated from Insurance Australia Group after 18 years of service. The termination came after a formal warning regarding her performance and output in November 2022.

She was let go on February 20 for consistently missing deadlines, skipping meetings, and failing to complete important tasks. The Fair Work Commission (FWC) discovered that she often did not work her scheduled hours, frequently arrived late, and left early on many days.

There were even instances when she did not work at all, as evidenced by her online activity. During a formal review meeting, Ms. Cheikho contested the accuracy of the data but failed to provide any evidence to support her claim.

In a written rebuttal, she attributed her declining performance to personal issues and a decline in mental health, citing an injury as one of the reasons. She also mentioned communicating her medical appointments to her managers and assured that she would compensate for the missed time.

A month later, Ms. Cheikho alleged that the company had a premeditated plan to remove her from the business, supposedly targeting her due to her mental health issues. Following her termination, Ms. Cheikho has become dependent on welfare support and has received her final payment from the company.

Despite her circumstances, her online presence has grown, with nearly 8000 followers on TikTok. She mentioned that she earns a modest income from TikTok, which helps cover her bills.

She attributes her advocacy for mental health awareness to her own struggles, using her platform to engage in live discussions on the topic. She expressed concerns about her future employability, noting that in her entire tenure at the company, she had only received one prior warning.