Ike
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
It was a routine fire drill.
Ike was one of many staff spilling out of the fire escape and across the busy street, just following each other. Ike was hit by a car, resulting in traumatic brain injury and multiple broken bones. He went through six weeks of post-traumatic amnesia before he began to recover.
Eventually Ike was able to return to work. But because the accident left him with ‘significant short-term memory issues, concentration issues and self-regulation issues,’ he needed support.
Ike felt confident he would receive reasonable adjustments because the government department he worked for had good policies in place.
But from day one, Ike said, he was bullied and discriminated against.
‘[The manager] made it quite clear to me in our first meeting that she thought the accident was my fault and that I did not deserve any support,’ Ike said.
A rehabilitation specialist and Ike’s GP both suggested that work provide Ike with an iPhone as a reasonable adjustment to act as a memory prompt. This was originally approved, but soon after the phone was taken off him. Ike was asked to repay the costs.
‘As well as removing my reasonable adjustment the director has repeatedly refused to release work that I have done’. And in the 10 years since the accident, Ike says, he has been ‘denied … any progression’.
The director also accused Ike of misconduct and escalated the case, contravening workplace policy.
Ike spoke to another manager about his treatment and lack of support but they advised advised him not to pursue disability support with the department. If his disability was documented, the manager said, Ike would be discriminated against.
Ike shared his story with a workplace conciliator and two executive directors. They all agreed his treatment was unlawful, but took no action.
He requested a secondment to a different group in the department. The support there was better, but he felt it was unfair that he had to move to improve the situation.
Ike says workplace grievance procedures ‘support managers and not staff’. He hopes that in future government departments will ‘model the behaviour they promote through their many policies’.
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.