A Brisbane dry cleaner who taunted a fired employee as 'broke and miserable' in an email has been ordered to pay her nearly $20,000 in compensation.
asserted
who → taunt → compensation
Ms Carla Gleeson, formerly a press operator at Stafford Dry Cleaner, won her unfair dismissal case in the Fair Work Commission after her former boss skipped the final hearing.
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boss → win → hearing
Ms Gleeson had worked at the business for more than three years before it changed hands in early October 2025, with Mr Demetrius Kamakaris taking over.
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Kamakaris → work → October
This ownership change prompted Ms Gleeson to worry about her job security, with her anxiety further compounded by a new hire taking over her usual duties, the FWC said.
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FWC → prompt → duties
On October 3, upon becoming 'overwhelmed by frustration and emotion' at feeling sidelined, Ms Gleeson informed her boss that she would be going home since somebody else was performing her job.
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somebody → overwhelm → job
Later that evening, Ms Gleeson and Mr Kamakaris had a 'heated' phone call, but ultimately agreed the roster would remain the same, the FWC heard.
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FWC → have → call
Five minutes after hanging up, Mr Kamakaris texted Ms Gleeson a formal warning, chiding her over 'displaying an abrasive attitude'.
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Kamakaris → hang → attitude
'Our work environment thrives on mutual respect and professionalism.
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environment → thrive → respect
Please understand that if this behaviour continues, I will need to take further action regarding your employment with Stafford Dry Cleaner,' he wrote.
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he → understand → Cleaner
Ms Gleeson texted back apologising for her conduct, telling Mr Kamakaris: 'Yesterday was not one of my best days.'
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Yesterday → texte → days
Ms Carla Gleeson, formerly a press operator at Stafford Dry Cleaner, won her unfair dismissal case in the Fair Work Commission after her former boss skipped the final hearing
Just days before the hearing, Mr Kamakaris sent Ms Gleeson an extraordinary email in which he taunted and called her miserable and broke
However, the next day, Mr Kamakaris sacked Ms Gleeson, texting her that 'the business had decided to move in a different direction'.
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business → win → direction
'Due to instances of unprofessional behaviour, including abrasive communication, walking out on the job when you were rostered and demands that were not aligned with our workplace standards,' Mr Kamakaris texted, 'we kindly ask that you do not come in on Tuesday, as your employment with us has ended.
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employment → include → us
When Ms Gleeson sought clarification, Mr Kamakaris reiterated that the decision was final and 'not a reflection of your individual value', but because of 'the overall needs of the company'.
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decision → seek → company
On October 6, Ms Gleeson filed her application in the FWC, and after a failed conciliation, the matter was given a hearing date for determination.
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matter → file → determination
After evidence was filed from both sides, a hearing date was set down for July 2, with six weeks' notice of the listing.
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date → file → listing
On June 28, Mr Kamakaris emailed the Commission to say he had Covid-19 and requested permission to attend the hearing remotely.
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he → email → hearing
Mr Demetrius Kamakaris (pictured) owns Stafford Dry Cleaner, where Ms Gleeson worked for three years before her sacking
Ms Gleeson had worked at the business for more than three years before it changed hands in early October 2025, with Mr Demetrius Kamakaris taking over
He did not respond when he was told that remote attendance would require a medical certificate.
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attendance → picture → certificate
However, on June 30, just days before the hearing, Mr Kamakaris sent Ms Gleeson an extraordinary email in which he called her 'miserable and broke'.
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he → send → her
'Haha, after the 2nd July I no longer have to see, hear your [insults redacted] face ever again.
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insults → have → July
'You can't put a price on peace…
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You → put → peace
You will go broke in a week and be miserable again working a job you hate for the rest of your life…
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you → go → life
'Me on the other hand, I'm about to buy my second business because I'm a good person and I get blessed for all the good things I do,' Mr Kamakaris said.
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Kamakaris → buy → things
'My life and future is looking amazing!
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life → look → ?
Your future looks dark and miserable after this and will continue to get worse.
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future → look → this
[laughing crying emoji] Enjoy your dark and lonely broke life as u deserve that as you are a bad person.
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you → laugh → that
God punishes bad people remember that...'
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God → punish → that
This email was then tendered to the FWC as evidence.
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email → tender → evidence
Neither Mr Kamakaris nor his witness appeared at the July 2 hearing, and after repeated attempts to contact them, the hearing took place in their absence.
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hearing → appear → absence
After the hearing, Mr Kamakaris explained his absence was due to Covid-19 and being hospitalised for asthma, but refused to hand over any documentation, citing his 'medical privacy'.
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absence → explain → privacy
He asked the FWC to make a determination without his input.
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He → ask → input
Ultimately, the Commission ruled that while Ms Gleeson's walking off the job was inappropriate and constituted a valid reason for dismissal, that conduct was somewhat mitigated by her distress at feeling sidelined from the business.
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conduct → rule → business
It also accepted that Ms Gleeson had apologised and displayed a willingness to resolve the matter professionally.
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Gleeson → accept → matter
It found the warning she received over text appeared to be 'the end of the matter' and did not indicate that dismissal was under consideration.
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dismissal → find → consideration
Deputy President Butler found that the sequence of Mr Kamakaris 'issuing a warning, receiving an apology the next day, and then giving notice of dismissal with immediate effect the day after' was 'manifestly unreasonable'.
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Kamakaris → find → effect
Upon finding the dismissal was unfair, the FWC ordered Mr Kamakaris to pay his former employee $19,877.51 in compensation within 28 days.
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FWC → find → days
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