Trust-based roles attract higher standards, and "no harm done" wasn't a defence
An executive assistant who booked a personal rental car through her employer's corporate travel system, then deleted the approval email, has lost her unfair dismissal bid.
The Fair Work Commission handed down the decision on 24 April 2026, dismissing Sharron Morgan's application against Eastern Melbourne Healthcare Network Ltd (EMPHN), a registered charity and not-for-profit organisation funded by the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments.
Morgan had worked as executive assistant to the CEO since 13 December 2021. Her duties included booking travel approved by chief executive Janine Wilson through the organisation's corporate travel provider, ATPI Australia.
On 2 December 2024, Morgan used the ATPI portal to book a Budget rental car for personal use, marking it "PERSONAL BOOKING – NOT EMPHN." The booking was initially made for the period 2-5 December 2024, but Morgan kept extending the rental until 20 January 2025. The total cost for the rental vehicle for the period from 2 December 2024 - 20 January 2025 was $3,784.68, split across three invoices.
Wilson never approved the booking. In fact, she could not have. Wilson was in New Zealand on 2 December 2024 with her email access blocked, and Morgan knew it.
That is where the case took a forensic turn. After Morgan's dismissal, an investigation uncovered an "approval email" titled "Approved – Trip for Sharron Morgan to Moorabbin departing 2...
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