Sacked man sends tobacco bill
The former engineer suing energy giant Woodside for more than $42 million over allegations of bullying and unfair dismissal is including a claim of more than $70,000 for cigarettes he says he needs to calm his anxiety.
The Weekend West last week revealed the courtroom claim of Hassan Zaghloul, who until March last year was Woodside's principal structural engineer, responsible for the safety and integrity of major offshore assets.
After being sacked, Dr Zaghloul launched an extraordinary legal broadside at the company, claiming he was subjected to a two-year campaign of harassment, intimidation and bullying before his termination.
Details of the claims can now be revealed, including Dr Zaghloul's arguments that he needs a $3000-a-month driver, a housemaid and thousands of dollars for cigarettes, yoga and acupuncture.
He talked this week about his legal fight, saying he was now so affected by the alleged treatment by Woodside, he felt unable to live in Australia, prompting a move to his native Egypt.
He also produced medical documents to back a claim that while in hospital with the severe anxiety he says was brought on by workplace bullying, he received electroconvulsive therapy.
"Woodside continues to be vindictive, causing acceleration, aggravation, deterioration and exacerbation of the illness. Woodside dragged the court case to wear me out," Dr Zaghloul said.
"They refused to settle my claim for damages and dragged the matter in court. It is another form of bullying."
His financial claims run to more than three pages, to a total of $42,663,767 in past and future losses.
The breakdown includes two separate claims of more than $35,000 each for tobacco, which Dr Zaghloul claims he needs to "reduce anxiety pains". He also claims $250,000 in case of future open heart surgery.
The UWA graduate also asserts he will need more than $1.3 million for a driver at $3000 a month, in case he is not able to drive, nearly $350,000 for "domestic help in lieu of ex-wife's conduct" and $164,000 for costs of alternative medicine treatments, which have included energy healing, yoga and acupuncture.
Dr Zaghloul has made more than 40 separate bullying allegations against 10 Woodside employees. When contacted this week, Woodside declined to comment.
But legal documents reveal the company intends to fight the claims, saying it will call each of the 10 employees accused of the bullying to give evidence at any trial, as well as eight other employees to counter the claims.
'They refused to settle my claim for damages and dragged the matter in court.'" *Hassan Zaghloul *
