WFH Employee Fired After Company Monitors Laptop Activity: “No One Will Hire Me

Suzie Cheikho, a 38-year-old work-from-home (WFH) employee, was recently discharged from her job at Insurance Australia Group after 18 years of service. The firing was a result of a formal warning about her performance and output in November 2022.

She was let go on February 20 for failing to meet deadlines, missing meetings, and not completing crucial tasks. The Fair Work Commission (FWC) discovered that she frequently didn’t work her scheduled hours, arrived late, and left early on numerous days.

There were even days when she didn’t work at all, as indicated by her online activity. During a formal review, Ms. Cheikho disputed the accuracy of the data but failed to provide evidence supporting her claim.

She mentioned having personal issues and a decline in her mental health, which she believed affected her performance at work. She also cited an injury and informed her managers about medical appointments through Teams messages, promising to “make up the time afterwards.”

A month later, Ms. Cheikho alleged that the company had a “premeditated plan” to dismiss her due to her mental health issues. She now depends on welfare support and has received her final payment from the company.

Interestingly, her online presence has gained attention, and she has become a micro-influencer with nearly 8000 followers on TikTok. She claims to make a small income from TikTok, just enough to cover her bills, and attributes this to her mental health advocacy work.

She now worries about the possibility of never being hired again, expressing her concern that despite her 18 years of service with only one prior warning, her employment prospects may now be limited.