An art and design school principal who said she was fired by Instagram while on vacation in Europe is no longer seeking nearly $900,000 in compensation from her former employer.
Karen Webster had claimed she was sacked by LCI Melbourne for taking paid leave during ‘the most important period of the year’ after being instructed to apply for leave.
She sued her former employer in Federal Circuit and Family Court, claiming $786,051 in lost earnings and $100,000 for humiliation, suffering and pain.
The case was scheduled for Tuesday, but a note in the court’s file stated that the proceedings were dismissed with consent without an order for costs.
An art school principal who said she was fired via an Instagram post while on vacation in Europe is no longer seeking nearly $900,000 in compensation. Karen Webster (above) claimed she was fired by LCI Melbourne for taking annual paid leave after being instructed to apply for leave
Ms. Webster, who earned about $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.
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 said she applied in August to take leave between January 16 and February 17 this year, according to documents accessed by Daily Mail Australia.
In her claim she had stated that the request had been 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.
Ms Webster alleged that LCI Melbourne director Claude Marchand contacted her via a direct message on Instagram on 7 February 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’
The St Kilda woman alleged that LCI Melbourne director Claude Marchand, who was also named as a respondent, contacted her via a direct message on Instagram on February 7.
Mr Marchand allegedly told Mrs Webster that she had taken a leave of absence while she was needed at the academy and that he had been ordered to terminate her employment.
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.’
Karen Webster said her leave application from January 16 to February 17 this year was 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)
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 claimed that LCI Melbourne’s conduct violated the Fair Work Act and that she had sought damages and a fine rather than reinstatement.
She said the termination of her employment was an illegal negative action after she exercised her workplace right to take annual leave that the school agreed to.
Her claim included the loss of an opportunity to sign a new five-year contract and the loss of an entitlement to shares.
Ms Webster was represented by Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, the employment law and compensation specialists, who 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