A long-time postal service employee in Newcastle, Australia, has been unsuccessful in his attempt to be reinstated after being terminated for making an unscheduled stop at a KFC outlet during his lunch break in his delivery van. Despite his thirty-plus years of service with Australia Post, the Fair Work Commission upheld the company’s decision to dismiss him, citing multiple instances of serious misconduct, including the KFC incident.
The incident at KFC occurred on May 7, 2025, when the worker visited the fast-food restaurant in his delivery vehicle without prior approval while on an unauthorized hour-long break. Although he was allotted a 30-minute unpaid lunch break at 10:40 am, he failed to inform his supervisor about the change in timing or location, as required.
On the same day, the employee also left work half an hour early without permission and was uncooperative when questioned by his supervisor. Additionally, he mentioned plans to retire soon and expressed intentions to “have some fun for the next two years,” which Australia Post interpreted as disregarding authority and playing games with the company.
Within a month, the worker accumulated nine unexplained absences and ignored 17 messages from his superiors. Despite claiming that he thought the messages might be a scam, he could not provide a satisfactory explanation for not verifying their authenticity by contacting his workplace.
Although the employee presented medical certificates indicating an “acute stress reaction” due to interactions with his employer, the Fair Work Commission sided with Australia Post, emphasizing the worker’s consistent failure to cooperate, which it deemed detrimental to maintaining a meaningful employment relationship. The Commission acknowledged the employee’s potential job challenges due to his age and lengthy tenure but upheld the company’s decision based on the severity of his misconduct.
Australia Post welcomed the Fair Work Commission’s ruling in its favor, signaling the conclusion of the legal battle.
