Business · Companies · 22 hrs ago
Toll ordered to pay former manager $176,250 over missing notice term
Rodney Lord worked for Australian transport company Toll for 34 years and became its Queensland general manager in 2018.
Toll dismissed him in 2021 and gave him three months’ notice.
His contract said either side could end his employment with “months’ written notice,” but did not say how many months.
A court found that Toll should have given him 12 months’ notice and ordered the company to pay $176,250.
The judge cited Lord’s long service, loyalty and limited prospects of finding a role with similar pay and seniority.
Lord’s claim that he was dismissed because of complaints about an executive was rejected; the court accepted Toll’s evidence that the dismissal was part of a wider business overhaul.
After leaving Toll, Lord found work with rival operator Followmont Transport within about four and a half months, in a less senior role with lower pay.
A court ordered Toll to pay former Queensland general manager Rodney Lord $176,250 after finding he should have received 12 months’ notice.
Lord’s employment contract said either party could end the job with “months” of written notice but did not state how many.
Toll gave Lord three months’ notice when it dismissed him in 2021.
Judge Gregory Egan found Toll breached an implied term of Lord’s contract by not giving him 12 months’ notice.
The court rejected Lord’s claim that he was dismissed because of complaints about an executive, accepting Toll’s account that the dismissal was part of a business overhaul.
- Who
- Toll and its former Queensland general manager, Rodney Lord.
- What
- A court ordered Toll to pay Lord $176,250 after finding he was entitled to 12 months’ notice.
- When
- Lord was dismissed in 2021; the decision was published in March this year.
- Where
- Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
- Why
- The contract did not specify the number of months’ notice, and the judge found Lord should have received 12 months.
Rodney Lord
Toll
Notice entitlement
Rodney Lord
Lord argued he was entitled to 12 months’ notice under his employment contract.
Toll
Toll gave Lord three months’ notice; the court found that was insufficient.
Reason for dismissal
Rodney Lord
Lord alleged he was dismissed because of complaints about an executive he accused of bullying him.
Toll
Toll said the termination was part of a broader effort to overhaul the struggling business, and the court accepted Toll’s evidence.
long-term, faithful servant
I had to make decisions to turn the business around for the future
At that age, Lord's prospects of transitioning to a position of equal pay and equal seniority were limited.
Lord became Toll’s Queensland general manager.
Rugendyke gave Lord a termination letter offering three months’ notice.
Lord found work with rival transport operator Followmont Transport.
Judge Egan’s decision was published.
- Compensation
- $176,250
- Notice found to be due
- 12 months
- Notice given by Toll
- 3 months
- Lord’s salary at dismissal
- $235,000 a year
- Length of service
- 34 years
- Followmont starting salary
- About $140,000
Sources
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