New court filing says a Woolworths 360 manager warned a contractor's death meant no bonuses for her team
A new statement of claim filed by a former Woolworths 360 executive alleges her manager threatened her over a contractor's death, warned her she would need to be "ready" to give evidence in an unrelated legal matter, and accused her of improperly accessing company systems after she went on leave
Jane Frewen, former director of facilities at Woolworths 360 – the unit responsible for store design and facilities management, including fulfilment centres – worked at Woolworths for eight years before resigning in February 2025.
As previously reported by HRD, she alleges she experienced a sustained and severe pattern of workplace bullying and harassment from Rob McCartney, the unit's managing director, and was ultimately forced out over his conduct.
What the new filing alleges
According to the amended statement of claim, cited by the Australian Financial Review (AFR), McCartney threatened that Frewen's team would not receive a bonus following the death of a contractor at a Woolworths facility in Newcastle – despite Frewen being the one made responsible for coordinating the funeral, flights, transport and communication with the contractor's family.
The filing also alleges McCartney repeatedly and without basis told Frewen she would be subpoenaed and "needed to be ready," before changing the subject, and that raising the comments internally led nowhere.
Separately, the claim alleges McCartney told a leadership meeting Frewen "never listens" to him, and dismissed a policy she had proposed by saying it was "like turkeys voting for Christmas."
Colleagues reportedly saw her crying at work. Frewen was diagnosed with acute stress and anxiety in November 2024 and attended a rehabilitation facility in Queensland in February 2025 to treat burnout linked to the alleged bullying.
The filing further alleges that after Frewen went on gardening leave in July 2025, McCartney's insistence led to her being accused of improperly accessing company systems – an allegation she says was unfounded – and that he aggressively questioned whether she was joining a competitor.
Frewen says she did not detail the alleged conduct in her February 2025 resignation letter because it was addressed to McCartney directly and she feared reprisal. She also alleges staff had previously complained about McCartney to then-Woolworths chief executive Brad Banducci, and that while McCartney was sent for further training as a result, the conduct continued.
The claim alleges Frewen was routinely required to work 12 to 14 hours on weekdays plus one weekend day, producing roughly 70-hour weeks during quieter periods and up to 90-hour weeks at peak workload. Woolworths has not yet filed a defence but has confirmed it intends to contest the lawsuit.
Second Woolworths executive to allege overwork in a year
Frewen's case follows a separate Federal Court claim by former chief growth officer Miwah Van, who alleged she was forced to work up to 120 hours a week and was told to "drink from a fire hose" after complaining she was sleeping only an hour a night.
As HRD Australia reported when that claim was filed, Van also alleged she was overlooked for promotion following a cancer diagnosis. Woolworths is defending that matter too.
The two cases add to a wider reckoning over executive workloads and workplace culture in corporate Australia, an issue HRD Australia has tracked in its coverage of how a toxic workplace culture can expose employers to liability.
Excessive workload and bullying are increasingly treated as psychosocial hazards under work health and safety law rather than purely HR matters, per Safe Work Australia's guidance on managing psychosocial risks.
