An art and design school principal who says she was fired by Instagram while on vacation in Europe is seeking nearly $900,000 in damages from her former employer.
Karen Webster claims she was sacked by LCI Melbourne for taking annual paid leave during ‘the most important period of the year’ after being instructed to apply for leave.
She is suing her former employer in the Federal Circuit and Family Court, seeking $786,051 in lost earnings and $100,000 for humiliation, suffering and pain.
Ms. Webster, who was paid $270,000 a year, has held senior academic positions at universities, including RMIT, and was previously director of the L’Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival.
Before teaching, Ms. Webster was a designer for over a decade and in 2012 was inducted into the Victorian Capital’s Fashion Hall of Fame.
An art school principal who says she was fired via an Instagram post while on vacation in Europe is seeking nearly $900,000 in damages. Karen Webster (above) claims she was fired by LCI Melbourne for taking annual paid leave after being instructed to apply for leave
Karen Webster says her furlough request from January 16 to February 17 this year has been approved by her bosses. From January 19 to February, her Instagram account was filled with photos from her travels in Paris, Rome, Milan, Florence and Venice (above)
Ms Webster started as dean and director of LCI Melbourne in Collingwood in 2019 on a five-year contract and was told in June 2022 that she had accumulated an excess of annual holiday entitlements.
LCI Melbourne’s chief financial officer, Robin Jain, allegedly told Ms Webster that the unused leave was a financial liability for the company and asked her to use up some.
Ms Webster says she applied in August to take leave between January 16 and February 17 this year, according to documents viewed by Daily Mail Australia.
In her claim, she states that the request was approved by Professor Warren Bebbington, the chairman of the board of LCI Melbourne.
Ms. Webster went on vacation and from January 19 to February 7, her Instagram account was filled with beautiful photos from her travels to Rome, Milan, Venice, Florence and Paris.
The St Kilda woman claims LCI Melbourne director Claude Marchand, also named as a respondent, contacted her via a direct message on Instagram on Feb. 7.
Mr Marchand allegedly told Mrs Webster that she had taken a leave of absence while she was needed at school and that he had been ordered to terminate her employment.
Ms. Webster has held senior academic positions at universities including RMIT and was previously director of the L’Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival. She was inducted into Melbourne’s Fashion Hall of Fame in 2012 and is pictured in Venice during her travels in January
LCI Melbourne’s first academic term this year began Feb. 13 and runs through June 5, according to the website.
“You don’t work at RMIT,” Mr Marchand is said to have written. You work for a family business.
‘Why pay that salary when you’re in Europe while our teachers and students replace the most important semester of the year?
‘Wow. Major misunderstanding between us about the role and responsibilities of a dean and rector.
“I have issued instructions to terminate access to a deal with termination effective today (aka the date I realized). We’ll arrange that when you get back to Australia.’
Later the same day, Ms. Webster received written notice that she was fired with immediate effect, court documents show.
Professor Bebbington sent an e-mail to the LCI Melbourne board of directors on 7 February, which, according to Ms Webster’s allegation, read in part: ‘I am writing to report that our parent company LCI Education Network has accepted the employment of Karen Webster as our Dean and director in Melbourne has considered. has ended with immediate effect.’
“That is why we must comply with this decision. Her rights will be paid according to the termination provisions of her contract.’
Ms Webster claims LCI Melbourne director Claude Marchand contacted her via a direct message on Instagram on February 7 to inform her that she was being fired. “You don’t work at RMIT,” Mr Marchand is said to have written. ‘You work for a family business’
LCI Melbourne’s principal, Claude Marchand (above), who is also named as a defendant in Ms Webster’s action, allegedly told Ms Webster that she had taken leave while she was needed at school and that he had been ordered to terminate her employment to end
LCI Melbourne is part of the global LCI Education Network and was formerly known as the Australian Academy of Design.
It is a subsidiary of College Lassalle International, a Canadian registered company with campuses in Barcelona, Indonesia, Morocco, Vancouver and Montreal.
Mr. Marchand is chief executive officer of College Lasalle International and the LCI Education Network, which employs 2,000 staff to teach more than 20,000 students worldwide, according to the website.
Ms Webster claims that LCI Melbourne’s conduct violates the Fair Work Act and is seeking damages and a fine in lieu of reparation.
She says the termination of her employment was an illegal negative action after she exercised her workplace right to take annual leave agreed to by the school.
Her claim includes the loss of an opportunity to sign a new five-year contract and the loss of an entitlement to shares.
Maurice Blackburn Advocaten, specialists in employment law and compensation, declined to comment. LCI Melbourne has been contacted for comment.
LCI Melbourne is part of the global LCI Education Network and was formerly known as the Australian Academy of Design. The Melbourne campus (above) is located in the inner city of Collingwood