Aussie mum claims her job was so disgusting it left her unable to speak for SIX years
The 44-year-old was allegedly sent into urine and faeces-covered homes while employed as a disability support worker for Woodbine, a not-for-profit organisation that supports people with intellectual disabilities based in Warracknabeal in north-west Victoria.
In 2019, the fit and healthy mum-of-two, who has asked not to be identified, transported a client who required medical treatment to Warracknabeal Hospital.
She had to stay with him for several days as the hospital was unable to provide the necessary support for his needs, news.com.au reported.
During that time, the woman came down with a respiratory illness similar to that of other patients.
The woman, who worked for the not-for-profit for two decades, was off sick for three weeks before returning to work in allegedly unsafe conditions.
'Unfortunately [the clients] weren't able to keep their house clean, it would be filthy... urine, faeces, and mum would have to go there quite a bit,' her 21-year-old daughter told the publication.
'Mum didn't want to be rude. Woodbine was aware of the circumstances but there was nothing put in place to protect mum at all.'
The disability support worker's respiratory condition is said to have worsened following her return to work.
She was later diagnosed with a chest infection and pleurisy, inflammation of the lining of the lungs and chest cavity, which symptoms include a sharp, stabbing chest pain that worsens with breathing, coughing or sneezing.
She was hospitalised in March 2020, where she lost her voice completely.
Her daughter said her mum's condition 'developed into this vocal cord dysfunction from the recurrent infections'.
The mum-of-two never regained her vocal function and today, she can't speak for more than a few minutes at a time, and lives in constant pain.
She was left unable to work and moved to the Gold Coast in 2022.
Her daughter claimed her mum's life has been impacted severely by the condition and feels let down by her former employer.
Once fit and healthy, she requires medication to get through the day and is no longer able to exercise.
The financial implications have also been 'significant.'
The 44-year-old has received WorkCover payments at 80 per cent of her previous salary for more than five years.
However, the mum-of-two now intends to lodge an application for a serious injury certificate.
She is being represented by Shine Lawyers senior associate Nehad Elmassry, who described the case as a 'very bizarre and unique situation'.
The lawyer alleged Woodbine failed in its duty of care as an employer by not providing the mum with personal protective equipment.
Mr Elmassry said the her client had met the threshold to get compensation for losing her voice, but she would 'have to sue the Victorian WorkCover Authority, which steps into shoes of the employer' to get further compensation.
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