Latest news with #supportWorker
Daily Mail
18-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Aussie mum claims her job was so disgusting it left her unable to speak for SIX years
An Aussie mum says she lost her voice after being exposed to filthy conditions at her former workplace. 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, 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.
News.com.au
18-05-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
Disability worker loses voice for six years after being exposed to filthy conditions
A former disability support worker who alleges she was sent into urine and faeces-covered homes by her employer has been left unable to speak for six years. In late 2019, the 44-year-old, who asked not be identified, was working as a support worker for Woodbine, a not-for-profit that assists people with intellectual disabilities based in Warracknabeal in Victoria's wheatbelt, 330km northwest of Melbourne. The disability support worker of two decades took a client to Warracknabeal Hospital for treatment and had to stay with him for several days as it wasn't equipped to properly cater for their needs. A number of other patients there had respiratory illnesses, and she came down with a similar illness as a result of her time there. The mum-of-two spent three weeks off sick, and when she returned she alleges she was put to work in 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 said. '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.' As a result of her exposure to that environment, her respiratory condition worsened and she was diagnosed with a chest infection and pleurisy -- inflammation of the lining of the lungs and chest cavity. Her condition continued to deteriorate before she was eventually hospitalised in March 2020, losing her voice completely. 'She never came back and it developed into this vocal chord dysfunction from the recurrent infections,' her daughter said. '[The doctors said] mycoplasma pneumoniae is really hard to treat.' Six years later, she can't speak for more than a few minutes. She lives in constant pain and has to take heavy muscle relaxants just to keep her vocal chords at peace. She moved to the Gold Coast in 2022, and has been unable to work since her injury. Her daughter said the impact on her mum and their family had been 'devastating'. 'Day-to-day is pretty up and down,' she said. 'Prior to this injury mum was quite a fit and healthy person, mum would do swimming with me, exercise has all come to a halt. She has to be on medication to get through the day. The financial implications have been [significant].' 'It's a very bizarre and unique situation,' said Shine Lawyers senior associate Nehad Elmassry, who is representing the worker. 'She contracts this viral disease -- this is in the pre-Covid days -- then she loses her voice chronically for the rest of her life. There's no surgery, no therapy, no kind of treatment that's going to get her to be able to speak the same way.' Shine alleges Woodbine breached its duty of care by failing to provide her with personal protective equipment. 'There was no risk assessment when they sent her to the hospital,' said Mr Elmassry. 'She complained about the environment the patients were in and they still sent her. She complained the patients were unwell, they told her 'go do your job'. Her condition continued to get worse. No one expects to go to work and lose your voice for the rest of your life. [Being] unable to work, that's the least of your problems. Her daily activities are impacted -- she can't go to the shops, speak to other people, all of the things we take for granted.' She has been receiving WorkCover payments at 80 per cent of her previous salary for more than five years, but now intends to lodge an application for a serious injury certificate with the insurer in the coming months. 'She met the threshold to get compensation for losing her voice, now to get further compensation you have to sue the Victorian WorkCover Authority, which steps into shoes of the employer,' said Mr Elmassry. The claim has not been finalised but is expected to be 'hundreds of thousands for pain and suffering and economic loss'. 'Certainly if she can't work again, the WorkCover insurer would have to compensate her for the economic loss she would have suffered up until the age of 67,' he said. Shine is hopeful the claim will reach settlement without having to go to court. 'If there's a dispute and we can't come to agreement on who's at fault, it could land in court,' said Mr Elmassry. 'Woodbine [are] going to be under the gun. They'll be responding because they'll be asked a lot of questions.' The woman's daughter said her mum felt let down by her employer of more than 20 years. 'They forced her to resign on pretty bad terms, it ended pretty nasty,' she said. 'Mentally it was just so draining. Mum was so passionate and caring for her clients, they were always treated as so much more than a job. They were mum's world, she loved her job. It's just been really tough.' She added that the goal of the claim 'more to be recognised, to be shown that what happened wasn't fair'. 'This has been a really lengthy process and ultimately she just really wants it to come to an end,' she said.
