My Story - Modern Day Slavery

Note: names and genders of the characters in this story have been withheld to protect identities. This story was published in November 2023.

Would you work around the clock if you had an employment contract that contained a bonus structure offering you the chance to earn uncapped commissions? A normal employee earns 2.2 times their salary. A great employee 3.2 times. I was offered 1/3 of profits over 3.2 times. Everyone else in the company were comfortable earning around 2.8, 3.0 times their salary. I worked like a machine to create opportunity for my future. I came from Sydenham in Victoria, had hard working parents who taught me that you can get out what you put in. I put myself through uni whist working in a call centre. I busted my arse to have a career.

This is my story. A story of modern slavery.

Between 2013 and 2016 Boat Boss was responsible for slavery.  They forced me into forced Labor, where I was required to work in conditions where I was unable to refuse to work due to coercion, threats and deception contrary to subsection 270 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).  Although I was kept in decent conditions, I was not free to live my life as I wanted due to coercion, threats and deception, making his employment, forced labour. 

Deceptive recruitment for labour services is defined as recruiting someone under false pretences.  Boat Boss hired me, yet the actual job scenario was different from what was promised and I was paid far less than what was agreed. I was then kept in the company due to threats, deception and coercion, this also breaches to subsection 270 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).

I was employed on $85k and replaced a girl on $135k. My contract, however, contained a standard bonus agreement that was contractual. It delivered me 1/3 of profits once I generated over 3.2 times my salary. 

In 2013/14 the company delivered $1,485,249 and I was responsible for $652,044. That was 42% of company revenue.  The rest of the employees were required to deliver 7% per person. 

 I was entitled to a $125,000 contractually owed bonus.  Boat Boss offered me $30k.  Boat Boss told me that they would declare a loss and activate a no payment clause in the bonus contract if I didn’t agree to $30k.  Boat Boss invited another director into a meeting who referred to me as a Greedy Faggot and told me if I was to leave the company, he would sue any clients that I poached, destroying the relationship and making it impossible for me to succeed. 

I accepted a $50k bonus later that day. This $50k plus my $85k salary brought me to $135k which was the salary of the girl I replaced.  She was responsible for 7% of company revenue, not made to manage 42%.

I was given a letter that stated the company wasn’t in a great financial position and the $50k would be paid in 2 payments. I later found out around $1Million was taken in dividends that year. I was promised that I wouldn't have to negotiate the payment again. Boat Boss apologised and blamed the company situation. I believed them.

In 2014/15 the company delivered $3,128,178.16 and I delivered $1,528,729.50 profit. I had the help of 1 junior staffer.  My salary was increased to $120k but I was responsible for 51% of company revenue. The rest of the employees were required to deliver 5.1% per person that year.

I was entitled to a $381,576 bonus.  Boat Boss reneged on her commitment not to negotiate and offered me $50k. Boat Boss provided me with a letter saying the Bonus would be reviewed in February. 

When it was time to pay the $50k and I had already earned the company an additional $1,200,000 in profits to the company told me that their would be no bonus. At this point I was owed $368,000.

I wasn't paid anything despite generating record profits for the company. I had built up a strong client base and was promised Shares in the company. I was also told I would be given a directorship in the company. Another emplroyee was gifted 20% of company shares in exchange for her bonus' deal. So I was disappointed, but hopeful. I kept reminding myself that I was on a good wicket despite the failure of the company to honour the contractual agreement. I kept working because of the promise of shares. It was my dream to own shares in an advertising agency.

When it came time to provide me with the directorship and shares in the company, I was told I would have to wait but there would be no Bonus.  $331,576 contractually owed to me was not paid.  I wasn't counting on a bonus this time because I was supposed to be a shareholder. That was the deal, shares in exchange for a bonus agreement. I later found out that the directors withdrew a $1Million dividend for themselves and shared nothing with me.

When the time for the shares finally arrived, I was hit with a bill for $55k. I had to take out a loan for the shares I was promised for free when my contractual bonus was taken from me.

When it was time to pay dividends, Boat Boss changed the company dividend policy.  Instead of paying out 50% it was changed to 10%. It's illegal to change dividend policy to disadvantage a minority shareholder.

All the while some client funds were secretly kept off the books. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were kept from the tax man and divvied up amongst the 3 other shareholders. I owned 5% but wasn't given a look in.

To manage my workload, I was required to work significant overtime.  Recorded on company time sheets during the 2014/15 period I recorded 31 hours in August, 29.5 hours is September, 27 hours in November, 47 hours in January, 58 hours in March, 83 hours in April. I would work 3 months straight without a day off. Everybody else was out the door at 5pm and strictly 4 or 5 days a week.

I was made to earn 51% of the company revenue and everyone else was good on 5%.

My direct reports were on higher salaries than myself. I was the lowest paid manager in the business.

I claimed to be bullied by boat boss and another director and tried to sell my shares

according to the contractual sale of share agreement the parties had signed. Boat Boss refused to honour the sale agreement and created a new agreement that paid me out over 12 months,

dripping me through the money that was contractually owed to him in 30 days. This financial

situation trapped me in the company and I was unable to leave.

12 months later, I was still stuck working in the company, none of my money had been released to me as Boat Boss refused to release it inline with the contractual sale of share agreement.

My mental health was deteriorating, bullying was intensifying, and I was trapped in my

employment because Boat Boss wouldn’t pay me back for the shares I had bought and taken out a loan for,

I eventually fell seriously ill from an injury and could no longer work. Regardless, Boat Boss refused to pay me anything. I had to walk away from $140k in contractually owed money and take Boat Boss to court in the hope of seeing any of my investment. I had to keep paying down the loan.

 I was suffering from a mental illness, unemployed with no income to finally receive the money for the shares I purchased.

I was deemed permanently unfit for work by the County Court of Victoria due to bullying at

the company years later.

As a slave, I was then punished for leaving the company. Boat Boss tried to shut down my

LinkedIn, they sent aggressive legal letters to a new employer threatening them should they

move forward in a relationship with me and ruined a serious future opportunity. Boat Boss also disparaged me and had me fired from 2 other positions.

Boat Boss was privy to my medical records as part of a Workcover claim. Boat Boss told the

entire industry that I contracted HIV a second time. She also spread word that I was a junkie because she found out I suffered from addiction issues, a symptom of the mental injury the County Court ruled I suffered under her leadership in the company.

I was Boat Boss' slave, I was forced to work, unable to refuse to work due to coercion,

threats and deception contrary to subsection 270 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).

Chapter One - The Company (the longwinded version)

Before The Company, waking up each morning felt like a triumph. I had already won. I had conquered my childhood challenges and carved out a life for myself. I was somebody. The day's events were inconsequential. I knew hard work would yield good results. I had laid the groundwork, received the education. I was ready for any challenge. When they launched their deliberate assault, for reasons unknown, they stripped that from me. They bullied, exploited, then robbed me, demolishing everything I had built over years. I was no longer the man who had triumphed over adversity. I was nothing. They were everything.

I held a job where my boss stole $750k in contractually owed funds. They stole my future after I had earned it. Then, they crushed my present. They'll claim the company couldn't afford to pay me, but they won't mention the $2million in dividends they pocketed that same year. They bought a boat. They argue LGBTQIA+ individuals face pay discrimination. They felt justified in spreading a false rumor that I had HIV. They claim they're not homophobic. Figure that out. I had just bought a house, was financially overstretched, and my partner lost his job; every cent I earned was critical. But they decided they needed a boat more than they needed to pay out my contractual entitlements.

I joined a business with seven employees, bringing skills I had honed elsewhere to help transform this small company into one we could all take pride in. My efforts were pivotal in increasing the revenue, allowing the business to grow to a team of 26. By my second year, I was generating 75% of the company's revenue, which later stabilized at around 50% in the third and fourth years. It was only after reaching my breaking point that they finally agreed to provide me with the necessary resources.

My dedication stemmed from a passion for my work and the desire to forge a new path after a successful stint in the performing arts. I had also secured a lucrative bonus agreement to compensate for my contributions. Despite this, my requests for additional resources were repeatedly denied for years. According to my contract, I was to be rewarded for my hard work, but the 'Boat Boss' had different plans. When the '3rd Boss' secured a significant opportunity—seemingly through bribery, given their reputation—I recommended hiring someone with a solid track record rather than a junior. This person's close relationship with the '3rd Boss' quickly elevated them to '2nd Boss'. At the time, I was unconcerned, not realizing that they would soon target me, with the 'Boat Boss' too cowardly and avaricious to intervene. In hindsight,

I regret not anticipating their actions; I had witnessed their ruthless treatment of a predecessor, whose health they had callously disregarded, even finding humor in her suffering. She had lost so much, and I should have foreseen that they would attempt to do the same to me, perfecting their tactics of destruction.

The bonus that was largely withheld from me was based on a contractual agreement. This standard formula is widely used by Australian law firms, where you receive one-third of the profits after earning over three times your salary. The benchmark for my role is typically 2.2 times the salary. It's common knowledge that if an individual is generating ten times their salary, the company is severely understaffed and likely struggling. At my previous job, ten people were employed to achieve a quarter of what I managed alone. I committed to this because of the promised contractual bonus, which ultimately cost me my relationship. When it was time for the payout, it turned into a massacre, with me as the sole casualty for over two years. They refused to pay the second bonus I earned, which I anticipated to be between $100k and $150k. Instead, they offered $30k after negotiations. That year, they profited between $1.2 and $1.5 million but declared only about $500k, having used company funds to buy out the former Managing Director's shares, avoiding personal expense. I had expected them to be grateful, considering I had significantly increased their wealth. However, during our "negotiation," I was insulted and pressured to accept $30k or risk getting nothing if they declared a loss. Eventually, we settled on $50k, despite them contractually owing me $150k.

My negotiation powers were a little damaged given I was a greedy faggot in their eyes, that's what they called me in the "negotiation" meeting. Plus, they threatened to fiddle the books and declare a loss for the year to avoid paying me. I'd just seen them do something similar to someone else, so it wasn't a huge stretch for them to fiddle some more. Because they called me a greedy faggot, I didn't feel proud or deserving of much in that moment. Things got dark for a while after. When they say they never called me that, please ask the office manager at the time, she heard. They told my lawyer this. I should also state that I replaced someone whom I became mates with. They were on $130k. I came in on $85k. That was $45k less, to do the same job. LGBTQIA+ pay discrimination at its finest. I knew this, but It didn't bother me because I was geared up to work hard and make a name for myself. I saw it as a challenge. Having a bonus driven incentive was perfect as it kept me on my toes. They just had to pay it. I never anticipated my contractually owed bonus would be denied. What a fool.

I was bullied out of my job, and the situation was so severe that it led to what I believe was the most favorable outcome in the history of Victorian Workcover. However, $350k was claimed by lawyers, leaving little for me. I wasn't prepared for the remainder of the battle and exited as soon as possible. Subsequently, my medical information from years post-employment was disclosed publicly, causing me immense shame and making the process unbearable. If I had persisted, my barrister estimated a $1.6 million settlement. Yet, in that moment, my dignity held more value than the money. Throughout this ordeal, I was cognizant of numerous details deemed inadmissible in my injury lawsuit. For instance, Boat Boss sent an email to other staff saying, "Ha Ha, Wait for the stress leave move tomorrow, looks like I've sped this up," fully aware of my ill health and taking pride in exacerbating it. This was the level of malice I faced. Boat Boss even misled Worksafe, insinuating that I was afflicted with HIV.

Accusations were made against me, such as taking frequent sick leaves on Mondays, yet the leave records show I hadn't taken a single Monday off in the two years prior to the false interview. They also claimed I was escorted from the building for drug intoxication after declining a meeting. I had fortunately documented all my activities on the day in question, foreseeing the need to refute such baseless allegations from a Director who is legally bound to behave differently. I may be getting ahead of myself; the truth is the bullying was intense, to the extent that the St Kilda police investigated it under Brodie's Law, related to stalking charges. The police essentially said, "Look mate, we can go ahead, but they have significant resources, and there's a commercial aspect to consider." I understood his point. He indicated a colleague would be involved in any trial, and I vowed to protect them as they had provided essential evidence that I wouldn't have otherwise had. Because of my promise, I agreed to the St Kilda police not proceeding with charges under Brodie's Law.

The bullying was intense. At its peak, I would arrive at the office to complete silence. When I greeted with "good morning," I was met with stares directed at the floor. I discovered later that my other boss, referred to as Second Boss, had instructed people to ignore me, treating it like a game. They even sent a text message to one of my direct reports stating, "tell him not to speak to Glenn, no friend making." Apparently, they circulated photos of me around the office with captions that contained nasty insults. Although I never saw these images, my colleague expressed their disapproval to me. Second Boss coined a derogatory nickname for me, which was used to demean me in front of the staff, including my own team. I was forced to endure being called "munchkin" daily. They found it amusing to call a 35-year-old man "munchkin," but I did not. However, that paled in comparison to Second Boss referring to me as a "poofta" and a "homo." Second Boss was scheming to undermine me at the first opportunity. If confronted, they would claim they never spoke ill of me and that they were merely concerned about my well-being.

Gaslighting was their expertise. I believe they lacked the capacity for mature emotions, so understanding the gravity and malevolence of their actions was beyond them. They still defend their homophobic actions to this day, which I find inexcusable. Frequently, I would enter the office to overhear staff mocking my speech or choice of words. Despite being engrossed in my work and achieving many goals, it was hard to overlook the constant ridicule, especially with the Second Boss's endorsement. Consequently, they ousted me from my job and financially cornered me. They denied me my entitlements, leaving me cash-strapped and unable to pursue the employment dispute to its rightful conclusion. They deliberately withheld contractually due funds, preventing me from resolving the issue. Their tactics were effective; I reached a point where I couldn't afford rent and felt compelled to accept their offer. An email from the Third Boss revealed their boast of financially overpowering me, requiring $100k for my defense if they maneuvered correctly. They managed to do just that. After more than a year of legal battles, they partially paid my entitlements. They adamantly refused to discuss the contractual bonuses, my shareholder dividends for the year, and my share of the profits. They betrayed me, even counter-suing for $20,000 under false pretenses related to a bonus. Defending against their claim cost me $10k. Boat Boss had confirmed in an email that the disputed $20k was a target-based bonus. Their falsehoods in court were designed to exacerbate my financial distress—an illegal act, yet I was powerless to challenge it.

They embezzled revenue from an international client, setting up an overseas bank account to funnel the money and evade taxes. They divided the revenue among themselves, deducting job costs from the company's annual revenue, effectively depriving me of my share twice. Despite being entitled to 5%, they disregarded shareholder oppression laws. They also sabotaged my employment prospects. When I secured a position at a new company to run a side business, they thwarted the opportunity by threatening legal action against any collaborators. A colleague from HR, distressed by the aggressive tactics, apologized for a threatening letter sent to my home. They revealed it was crafted by lawyers to intimidate. During contract negotiations, they deceitfully added a confidentiality clause, which I discovered years later. In the final round of revisions, their law firm inserted the clause without marking it, hoping it would go unnoticed. This act of deception was both underhanded and illegal. We inadvertently signed a contract with an unjust clause that had been slipped in without our knowledge.

They sued me based on a clause they had unlawfully inserted into the contract. It cost me $40,000 until they realized their case was weak and dropped the lawsuit. After losing the contract lawsuit, they sued me for defamation, despite knowing I hadn't made any statements nor was I responsible for the Herald Sun article that sparked media interest. Nevertheless, they proceeded. Boat Boss, who was exposed as a homophobe, didn't appreciate the revelation. Another $40,000 later, the defamation claim was settled. I didn't lose or pay anyone because I hadn't defamed anyone. To be clear, the lawyers who issued the statement compensated them and also compensated me. They boast about winning, but we both received settlements. Boat Boss had all my correspondence with the lawyers and could have sued them instead of me. They chose to target me intentionally. They also had my medical records and knew my mental state was fragile, yet they increased the pressure. It seemed like a deliberate attempt to push me to the brink. This was all happening while my injury lawsuit was underway. The court found I am permanently disabled due to mistreatment at the business. The judge was appalled they sued me concurrently and expressed his disgust openly. It was incredibly draining for me.

But the situation deteriorated further. My survival hinged on an income protection policy I had taken out. However, my income protection company was contacted, and without any explanation, they cancelled my policy. With no income, mounting legal issues, and an injury that barred me from an industry where I once flourished, I was in dire straits. Lacking funds, I couldn't afford my rent, and the policy was terminated just two days before it was due. Burdened by legal expenses, I was living from paycheck to paycheck, having depleted all my savings in an attempt to secure my entitlements from the company. My options were severely limited.

My confidential medical records were submitted to Boat Boss as part of the Workcover claim. They were supposed to remain confidential, but they were not. I haven't informed my family about a recent diagnosis, yet an old colleague offered me condolences on Chapel Street. This was highly private information, protected by an employment contract and company policies that prohibited its disclosure. Additionally, there are several post-settlement contracts with non-disparagement clauses. I presume Boat Boss treated it as public record after Workcover's court disclosure, which is incorrect; they had no right to divulge it. Only three people knew of my condition, and neither my housemate nor my mother was among them. Yet, they disclosed it to anyone willing to listen, using the stigma to tarnish my reputation once again. It's frightening to think someone might mention it again in public. The embarrassment was overwhelming. It seems they triumphed, and my secret is now public. Writing this is humiliating. It makes me want to die.

I had an impeccable record at the company, yet Boat Boss approached my previous employer to stir up issues. It's unbelievable, considering it was my first job after university. She not only tarnished my reputation with an employer I left on good terms, where I held my boss in high professional and personal esteem, but she also attempted to undermine me with a collection of emails during a Workcover claim. Despite my mature conduct, they scavenged for anything from my first job to discredit me. The extent of their deceit to gather this information is unknown.

Thankfully, the evidence was deemed inadmissible as it was irrelevant to the current role, and I suspect it was a violation of the privacy act for Boat Boss to possess such emails. This is yet another instance showing their complete disregard for standard procedures, this time concerning a Workcover claim for an injury that the County Court of Victoria had already confirmed occurred in Boat Boss's workplace.

I got into drugs at this point. I know it was a stupid path to take. Drugs had been a part of my life previously, just socially, no different from most people my age and ilk. But at this point my relationship with drugs changed. "Fucked" is the only word that describes my state. I stopped caring about everything across the board. It was a really shit time for me and it seemed to keep on going and going. Whilst I get drug use is a symptom of my disability in the DSM5, I knew better. I just thought there was nothing left to live for and dived right in. Headfirst. I didn't look back.

It's been ruled that working at The Company caused my disability and drug use is a symptom of my disability. In my head I blame myself because I knew better, but technically it is a result of my employment at The Company. Knowing that doesn't make it any easier unfortunately. Placing blame doesn't do anything to help the battle I face every day. I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure they are still on the attack and have been watching me closely. I had surveillance on me for some time during the first Workcover suit so I’m unsure if its PTSD from that and all of the other horrors they inflicted on me over the 7 years prior. Alternatively, I’ve exacerbated my mental illness because of my own behaviour. Probably a smart mix of the two I imagine. It scares me to the core, and I fear for my life on the daily because of it. I'm not a lawyer but I'm fairly confident their actions are exactly why the charge of Corporate Manslaughter was created. I think attempted murder would be appropriate also. At least that way my life wouldn't need to be lost before these criminals were held to account. Thing is, I am alive.

What a fucked situation this is. These people have been able to torture me for 10 years. Destroy my future, destroy my now. The only time they will be properly held to account is when I kill myself. I know the likelihood is I will eventually, as sad as it seems, they are the statistics. Truth, this burden is too heavy, and I’ve got little left in my tank. That is why I'm writing this story, so when that day comes there will be this.

Chapter Two - The Darkest Times

What I understand the least about this whole Corporate Manslaughter thing is why there isn’t a steppingstone charge. A criminal charge that doesn’t require a death. I mean, I have been hospitalised 4 times for trying to take my own life. Each time I’ve used a difference cocktail and had a different result. The reason has been the only consistency. Does attempted murder not apply to directors of companies? It should, something needs to be done to protect people in situations like mine.

The first time I was at home. I took a bottle of Xanax. This was shameful as. I woke up 4 days later surrounded by handwritten notes I had left for my loved ones. It was humiliating, I had failed at something else.

The second time I was pretty low. Started to take more pills than I was prescribed, then, to my surprise I began to hear Second Boss yelling at me to take more pills. I say yelling but it was more like a soft encouragement. They were there, in this moment, suggesting I end it. I called 000. Then I hung up the phone and thought “fuck it” 'Second Boss is right' so i smashed 3 boxes of an antidepressant. I woke up the next day in hospital. The nurse told me that waking me up was almost impossible and I had stopped breathing. Fail number 2.

The third time I had created a scenario in my head that Boat Boss had offered to protect me from boss two who was trying to kill me. I stupidly sent boat boss a SMS with a picture of the pills I was swallowing, then again when they were half gone. You know what they did? NOTHING. They sent me a legal letter 2 weeks later. They didn’t think to call “000”, NOPE. That’s what a normal person with feelings would have done instantly. I get getting involved would be a no go zone, but human compassion you would expect from anyone, right? The letter was pretty full on, no concern that a life nearly ended because of their torture circulating around in my head. That night I went to sleep and woke up projectile vomiting across my bedroom. I had to go to hospital the next day because my stomach was in agony. It wasn’t my finest moment.

The fourth and final time was my closest effort. I’m really shady on the details but I remember I smashed 2 or 3 boxes of sleeping tablets and went to bed. By some miracle I was picked up by an ambulance 2kms from my house. I must have sleepwalked there, I have absolutely no memory after putting myself to bed. Anyway, I was in a coma for 2.5 weeks. When I woke up, I had lost all kidney function. I ended up being in hospital for a month this time and left thinking I would need dialysis daily. I had a permcath imbedded in my chest. I think prayer combined with a splash of luck saw this situation turn around. The doctors at the hospital couldn’t believe it.