Fair Work Commission dismisses Woolworths worker’s baseless ‘plumber’s crack’ dismissal claim
Consensus Summary
The Fair Work Commission dismissed a case filed by a Victorian Woolworths worker who claimed unfair dismissal after a co-worker told him to cover his ‘plumber’s crack.’ Deputy president Alan Colman ruled the claim was baseless, noting the worker was never dismissed and continued working after lodging the application. Colman criticized the case as a speculative claim, part of a broader trend of unmeritorious filings overwhelming the commission. This was the worker’s fifth application in two years, and he ignored a hearing summons. Fair Work Commission president Justice Adam Hatcher previously linked the surge in cases—up 70% over three years—to AI tools generating applications, with lodgments rising from 29,631 in 2020-21 to 44,075 in 2024-25. Colman emphasized such claims waste resources and unfairly burden both respondents and legitimate applicants.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Fair Work Commission deputy president Alan Colman dismissed a case filed by a Victorian Woolworths worker claiming unfair dismissal over being told to cover his ‘plumber’s crack’
- The worker was told by a co-worker during a casual shift that ‘the cleft of his bottom was protruding from his trousers’ and was asked to cover it up
- Woolworths stated the worker continued working shifts after lodging the claim and later stopped turning up for work, disproving the dismissal claim
- This was the worker’s fifth application to the Fair Work Commission in two years
- Colman described the case as a ‘speculative claim’ made to avoid Woolworths defending it, noting the worker ignored a direction to attend a telephone hearing
- Fair Work Commission president Justice Adam Hatcher previously noted a 70% increase in caseloads over three years, attributing part of the rise to AI-generated applications
- The decision was published on or around 2026-05-11, with the Guardian noting it was dismissed ‘ex tempore’ on that date
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The Business Briefing newsletter is mentioned as delivering major stories, exclusive coverage, and expert opinion.
- The article includes a direct quote from Colman: ‘Anyone wanting insight into the phenomenon of unmeritorious claims in the Fair Work Commission may wish to consider [this case].’
- The article includes the same Business Briefing newsletter mention as SMH, with identical phrasing.
- The term ‘builder’s bum’ is used alongside ‘plumber’s crack’ to describe the anatomical feature in question.
- The article provides specific lodgment statistics: Fair Work Commission cases rose from 29,631 in 2020-21 to 44,075 in 2024-25, with projections exceeding 50,000 in the coming year.
- Justice Adam Hatcher explicitly stated in February that AI tools like ChatGPT were a ‘main driver’ for the surge in applications, noting AI-generated language became widespread in filings since 2022.
Where the reporting differs
Details that conflict, or appear in only some outlets:
- The SMH and THEAGE describe the worker as ‘a Victorian man,’ while the Guardian refers to him as ‘a former Woolworths employee’ without specifying current employment status beyond the context of the case.
Source Articles
Woolworths worker who was told to cover his ‘plumber’s crack’ has case dismissed
A casual worker who said his feelings were hurt by a co-worker was berated by the Fair Work Commission for wasting its time with his unfair dismissal claim.
Woolworths worker who was told to cover his ‘plumber’s crack’ has case dismissed
A casual worker who said his feelings were hurt by a co-worker was berated by the Fair Work Commission for wasting its time with his unfair dismissal claim.
No butts: case dismissed after Woolworths worker claims hurt feelings over plumber’s crack
Fair Work Commission deputy president Alan Colman rejects Victorian man’s case, warning there is no disincentive for speculative claims Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A former Woolworths employee has been accused of wasting the Fair Work Commission’s time for filing an unfair dismissal case over feeling “upset” at being told to cover up his bum crack. In a decision published on Thursday, the Fair Work Commission