Yahoo Lifestyle Lovisa accused of 'bullying' employees: Here's what you need to know
Former employees of Lovisa have shared their experiences pending possible legal action against the popular Australian jewellery company over allegations of work rights violations.
Video transcript
- Lovisa is being accused of bullying employees, denying them toilet breaks, and paying them in store gift cards for additional hours. Here's what you need to know. Former employees of Lovisa have shared their experiences pending possible legal action against the popular Australian jewelry company over allegations of work rights violations. The retailer may face a class action suit launched by legal firm Adero, which is investigating allegations of mistreatment and underpayment.
Adero says it is aware that staff at certain stores were directed to not take meal and toilet breaks, were directed to work before and after rostered shifts without compensation, and worked over the festive period without being compensated appropriate overtime rates. The firm says it may pursue a class action against Lovisa and seek that compensation be paid to any employee whose entitlements were not paid in full.
One former employee, Shannen Vonmunster, told Yahoo News Australia she frequently performed stock takes from 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM and wasn't properly compensated, adding she was "paid in Lovisa gift cards instead of actual money, and it was a $50 gift card for three hours of work." Another former employee, Taylah Davidson, worked the same stocktake hours at her store between 2020 and 2021 and allegedly wasn't paid at all.
Additionally, Lovisa management was described as toxic by the two former workers. Ms. Vonmunster said her in-store experience was horrible and she was forced to submit a formal complaint to her regional manager after an extended period of being bullied by her store manager. Ms. Vonmunster also claimed management told her to avoid drinking water during the shift as she was not permitted to take toilet breaks. She said, "It was pretty regular that only one person would be rostered on at a time. You can't close the store during opening hours, not even to go to the bathroom. So that was our bathroom privileges revoked, basically." Both former employees said they frequently cried due to the work conditions they experienced, with Ms. Davidson saying, "I'll never work there again." What do you think?
