The importance of rigorous employment checks has been highlighted with the ongoing saga at Slater & Gordon a multinational law firm.
Whilst no link is claimed between this matter and the incendiary email sent to more than 900 current and former staff in February this year, the law firm settled with a Bridgett Maddox paying at least $60,000 in a termination agreement.
The trigger was an improper allocation of a $200 gift voucher by the employee.
But the firm could have avoided all of this if better checks were made prior to employment.
Bridgette Jones or Bridgette Maddox had allegedly committed three breaches between 2006 and 2014 for credit card and other frauds with the first at Pizza Hut resulting in a good behaviour bond.
Then in 2017 and 2018 she was seemingly sentenced to a year each in prison according to the Australian Financial Review eventually being released in 2019.
Perplexingly, she then gained employment at Downer Group, CPA Australia (a lead professional body for accountants) and Slater and Gordon.
How and Why she passed employment checks at all three organisations is a mystery.
It is also a clear warning for employers to spend adequate attention to the matter either with internal recruitment or have it outsourced to a reliable and thorough agency.
Whilst this may cost circa $2,000 the cost of not doing so can be far, far worse.
As early as 2017, Victorian Judge Elizabeth Gaynor in Bridgette’s sentencing said, she posed a “high risk of re-offending” but more importantly noted that she noted, “Obviously, if you have got any brains, you will not obtain employment – in fact I am sure you will not be able to – which involves any financial responsibility.”
Sadly due to inadequate screening, this indeed was possible and the consequences now well reported.
Speak to us prior to your next hire about a comprehensive reference check that may just save you and your organisation more than just money. +61 8 6377 7607 – madhuri@marvinhr.com
Timeline of Bridgett Maddox
| (source – Australian Financial Review) | |
|---|---|
| 2006 | Bridgett Jones placed on good behaviour bond for fraudulent use of credit cards while working at Pizza Hut. |
| 2007 | Bridgett Jones placed on community corrections order on charges of obtaining property by deception, theft, and using a false document for altering a payout cheque from $400 to $4000. |
| 2014 | Bridgett Jones given suspended sentence for 66 charges relating to unlawful use of company credit cards. |
| Jun-17 | Bridgett Jones sentenced to one year prison term on four charges of obtaining financial advantage by deception and one charge of theft for stealing more than $240,000 while employed in admin at Melbourne flooring business. |
| Sep-18 | Bridgett Jones sentenced to one year prison term on three charges of theft and one charge of obtaining financial advantage by deception for stealing $87,000 and using forged payslips to obtain a $900,000 mortgage. |
| Late 2019 | Released from prison. |
| Late 2019 | Employed as Bridgett Maddox in human resources at Downer Group. |
| Jan 2020-Jul 2022 | Employed as Bridgett Maddox in human resources at CPA Australia. |
| Aug 2022-Dec 2024 | Employed as Bridgett Maddox in human resources at Slater and Gordon. |
