27 August 2025

Each week, Dr Kirstin Ferguson tackles questions on workplace, career and leadership in her advice column Got a Minute? This week: dismissed after a single bullying allegation, unwanted discussions and being asked to move office equipment at the weekend.

Last year I was called into my boss’s office after a single bullying accusation. Without asking for my side, they terminated me. Because I earned above the threshold, I couldn’t claim unfair dismissal. I negotiated a slightly higher payout but, on legal advice, signed an agreement preventing further action. Since then, I haven’t been able to find work. It feels deeply unfair that I was accused, denied the chance to respond, and now face long-term career damage. I also feel trapped: my agreement bars legal recourse, yet I’m left unemployed and forced to explain – or lie about – the gap to potential employers. I want justice, but know I may have no choice but to move on. How is this fair?

Your letter is one of the harder ones I have had to answer. I have empathy for your situation and the uncomfortable limbo you find yourself in. At the same time, I struggle with some of the choices you have made which have led you to this point.

You seem indignant you were dismissed without a chance to defend yourself. I am curious whether you think this was because the actions you were alleged to have engaged in were so serious your employers felt it called for summary dismissal? If not, do you think the allegations were fabricated? Or embellished? If that is the case, why did you accept the higher payout? When you say you want justice, I am trying to understand what that will look like for you.

As hard as it might be, you could be best to try being honest with future employers. Let them know what happened and explain what you have learnt from the situation about yourself, and about how you will never find yourself in this situation again. Rather than skirt around the issue, tackle it head on, owning up to your part in whatever happened and reflecting on how this experience has made you a better employee than before.

I have a history of an eating disorder and find it difficult when colleagues frequently talk about diets and weight in our small office. I don’t want to disclose my history, but I am struggling with the constant exposure. Is it reasonable to ask for these conversations to stop, and if so, how can I raise it gently as someone junior in my career?

I am sorry you have had to struggle with eating disorders and can imagine how those kinds of conversations may be triggering for you. It must be hard for you in a great deal of settings given the extent of the diet culture we live in. I wonder whether this is a trigger many people experience after recovering from an eating disorder. Can you speak to specialist counselling groups or a psychologist about strategies for dealing with these kinds of triggers?

Given you don’t want your colleagues to know your history, it may be difficult to find a way to gently ask them to stop talking about these kinds of topics. And it may be that a future colleague who doesn’t know you are sensitive to the topic does the same thing. Specialist support groups, such as the Butterfly Foundation, will be your best source of advice. I wish you all the very best and hope things get easier for you soon.

My daughter has worked at a company of about 150 staff for three years. Management is relocating to new premises and has asked staff – and their families – to help move computers and other office equipment, and assemble new furniture. The move must happen over a weekend, so operations aren’t disrupted. This request feels completely unreasonable. Is it acceptable for an employer to expect this?

I don’t agree it is completely unreasonable, but it certainly isn’t professional. Is your daughter and anyone else who turns up being paid for their time over the weekend? And is the request voluntary? In those circumstances, your daughter can choose whether she does or doesn’t help out and there should be no issues if she doesn’t want to be involved.

Ultimately, while the company obviously wants to save money, it should fork out for a professional removalist which will cover it for insurance in case someone’s Uncle John drops the server on the stairs in the move.

To submit a question about work, careers or leadership, visit kirstinferguson.com/ask. You will not be asked to provide your name or any identifying information. Letters may be edited.