The decision to fire was made before the meeting even started, the FWC found
A Perth employer dismissed a supervisor for a safety breach it never communicated to staff. The Fair Work Commission ruled the termination unfair.
Commissioner Lim handed down the decision in Kee Onn Yong v UGC Holdings Pty Ltd [2026] FWC 976 on 23 March 2026, ordering $39,498.90 in compensation plus a 12% superannuation contribution.
Mr Yong worked as a supervisor at UGC Holdings, a civil contracting and commercial landscaping company in Perth, from July 2024 until his summary dismissal on 2 October 2025.
At the centre of the dispute was a side door at UGC's warehouse that staff used to access vehicles and load equipment. In early September 2024, an A4 piece of paper reading "no entry or exit" was placed on the door and the handle was shackled with a chain, despite an emergency exit sign above it. No explanation was given to staff. A former employee confirmed she did not know it was an emergency exit until after Mr Yong's dismissal.
When crew members asked if they could keep using the door, Mr Yong agreed on the basis he could not see any safety issues. Neither he nor another supervisor knew why the door had been blocked off. On 16 September 2025, he learned the directive came from managing director Nathan Ulrich and sought an explanation. Mr Ulrich would not explain why the door had been blocked off, asked who was still using it so he could issue them with a warning, and said the crew did not...
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