Text transcripts led to payout for worker

'im boss, you just a worker'. Photo / APN

A transcript of kept text messages has meant a man has been paid more than $34,000 for being unfairly dismissed.

Todd Douglas resigned from tree felling company B A Logging after he feared for his safety following a prank and was told not to go to work because he did not have the right chainsaw.

According to Employment Relations Authority documents, the drama at the logging site started last year on Thursday, June 11.

Mr Douglas reached for his cigarette lighter and found it - and his car door - smeared with grease.

He reached behind and grabbed what he thought was a rag to wipe his hands, but it was actually his workmate Shane's sweatshirt.

Shane threw a hard hat at Mr Douglas, giving him what was later diagnosed as concussion.

Mr Douglas texted his boss, Brendon Adcock, telling him he no longer felt safe at work and Shane needed a warning.

Mr Adcock texted back: "There really aint much can do mayb you should have used rag instead of his top still no reason to throw things around hope hard hat ok and not broke start costing money."

Mr Douglas felt humiliated when Shane was given his warning from Mr Adcock because the pair were pointing and laughing at him.

Later that day, Mr Douglas passed out while using a chainsaw and was told to stay home from work for a week.

When he tried to return to work he was forced to sign an employment agreement, undertake a drug test and provide a medical certificate. Mr Douglas accepted all these requirements.

But his boss told him by text that he could not work until he got a better chainsaw. Mr Douglas could not afford a new one and texted he was not employed to operate a chainsaw.

His boss replied: "If you going to work for me you do as you told, im boss, you just a worker, just remember, buddy, if you told to use a chainsaw, should be happy to have job at all."

Mr Douglas resigned and took his case to a lawyer.

The authority agreed the events leading to Mr Douglas' resignation were unfair and ordered B A Logging to pay him $10,000 for "injury to feelings" and $24,750 for lost wages.