$350,000 for school library worker who hurt her back

A leading Catholic girls’ school has been ordered to pay $350,000 to a library technician who was injured while moving heavy books during Covid lockdowns.

The County Court ruled this week the Genazzano College library worker, who hurt her back while working at the school in 2018 and 2020, was required to undertake unsafe work.

The worker, represented by lawyers Arnold, Thomas & Becker, claimed the school’s previous principal Karen Jebb was negligent by making her sort, lift and carry books despite her existing back injury.

The 2020 injury occurred during Covid lockdowns, when the worker said she was told she had to come onto campus rather than from home or she would lose her job.

The worker, who had two spinal surgeries as a result of her injuries, was awarded $100,000 for the 2018 injury, including pain and suffering and $250,000 for the 2020 injury.

Jodie Harris, principal at Arnold Thomas & Becker, who acted for the worker, said it was “very disappointing that a genuinely injured person who suffers injury due to her employer’s negligence, has to be put through the trauma of a protracted legal battle”.

“She was not asking for the world, but wanted fair compensation and recognition for her injury. The jury heard her and awarded just and fair damages,” she said.

Read more at The Herald Sun.

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