 |
WhyWork PodcastAuthor: Alan Girle, Trajce Cvetkovski, & Sara Pazell
The WhyWork Podcast is an organisational strategy session and legal dissection of workplace events that are laced with humour. Your bloggers, Alan, Trajce, and Sara, explore the contemporary and uncomfortable realities of work and the boundaries that are tested. Alan and Trajce dismantle case law and Sara pushes all to consider how to redesign the world of work so that business objectives are realised and that people thrive. Good stories are told. The WhyWork team throws shade on some of the stories and the people involved as they consider defensible and remarkable work design strategy. When you listen to the WhyWork Podcast, you realise that no skeleton in the workplace closet is too sacred to unearth. Its like listening to the water cooler gossip but then shit gets real, and it all becomes serious fast. This is a must-listen for executive and emerging managers, work design strategists, human factors specialists and ergonomists, work health safety and law specialists, organisational scientists, occupational health academics, and anyone humoured by office and workplace antics! Get ready to exclaim, She said WHAT...? and He DIDNT! OMG!. Laugh along with us while you learn lots. Language: en Genres: Business, Management, Science, Social Sciences Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
Listen Now...
S09 E12: “Puppy-Gate” and Stripping as a Side-Hussle
Episode 12
Monday, 26 January, 2026
Season 09 Episode 12: “Puppy-Gate” and Stripping as a Side-HussleWARNING: This episode includes discussion on stripping as a trade – we advise listener discretionAlan reflects on the South Australian work-from-home ‘puppy-gate’ test of law when a local government worker claimed worker’s compensation for an injury she sustained while working from home. In this instance, she tripped over a puppy fence she’d installed in the home to segregate her puppy from a pet bunny.Here is the breakdown of the case:Initial Decision: The Local Government Association Workers Compensation Scheme (LGAWCS) rejected Ms. Vercoe's claim.The Appeal: Ms. Vercoe (the employee) appealed that decision to the South Australian Employment Tribunal (SAET).The Ruling: In October 2024, the SAET ruled in favour of Ms. Vercoe, finding that her injuries were compensable, arising from her employment.Appeal Decision (Full Bench of SAET): On 8 December 2025, the Full Bench of the SAET overturned their earlier ruling. The case was sent back to the original Tribunal member to reconsider and proper applications of the legal test.“But can you appeal an appeal?” Sara begs to know. Trajce replies, “Short answer is, yes, potentially anything; the apex of the court structure is The High Court.” Trajce and Sara engage in debate with Alan about the merits of work from home, or anywhere for that matter (W-F-A), and the legal tests of environmental and technical safety.For more information, refer to Vercoe v Local Government Association Workers Compensation Scheme (2024)Alan presents a second case from Victoria about a construction worker stripper with a thumb injury, a decision in the County Court of Victoria. Alan explains, “The decision was whether or not to grant leave of the courts to consider the case.” He leaves the team guessing about the sex of the worker and circumstances pertaining to the case.For more on these topics, tune in to:· S01 E03: Pets ‘n’ Air Fryers· S01 E07: Design When we Work-From-Anywhere· S04 E02: The WooFA Work-From-Anywhere (WFA) Reality· S07 E10: That Old Chestnut – Pets & Work From Home
