Fired WFH Employee’s Laptop Activity Leads to Unemployment: “No One Will Hire Me

Suzie Cheikho, a 38-year-old work-from-home (WFH) employee, recently disclosed that she was terminated from Insurance Australia Group after serving for 18 years. The termination occurred following a formal warning about her performance and output in November 2022. On February 20, she was let go for not meeting deadlines, missing meetings, and failing to complete crucial tasks.

During an investigation by the Fair Work Commission (FWC), it was revealed that Suzie often did not work her scheduled hours, arrived late, left early on several days, and even had days where she did not work at all, as evidenced by her online activity. When confronted with the findings, Suzie expressed disbelief in the accuracy of the data but failed to provide any evidence supporting her claim. In a written response, Suzie attributed her declining performance to personal issues affecting her mental health, including an injury, and assured that she would make up the time after attending medical appointments.

A month later, Suzie claimed that the company had intentionally targeted her due to her mental health issues, alleging a premeditated plan to remove her from the business. Subsequently, Suzie revealed that she is now dependent on welfare support and has received her final payment from the company. Remarkably, she has become a micro-influencer with nearly 8000 followers on TikTok, where she shares her experiences to raise awareness about mental health issues and earn a modest income.

Suzie admitted to worrying about her future employment prospects, stating that she only received one warning in her 18 years at the company.