Dr. Gareth Roberts has filed a lawsuit against the Australian software company Culture Amp, alleging that he was wrongfully terminated from his senior AI specialist position. Roberts, who earned $300,000 annually, claims his dismissal in December 2025 occurred after he raised concerns about a colleague, workplace allocation, and role clarity.
Culture Amp, a workplace software company valued at $1.5 billion, denies Roberts' allegations. In its defense filed with the Federal Court, the company states that the decision to terminate Roberts' employment was made prior to his complaints and was based solely on performance issues.
Roberts worked at Culture Amp for three months before his termination. Court documents indicate that on December 1, Roberts' direct manager, Greta Bradman AM, assured him he was a "good cultural fit" and should not seek other employment after he inquired about his job security. Around December 15 and 17, Roberts reportedly informed Bradman that a colleague, referred to as "Co-worker A," had instructed him not to speak during meetings, had misrepresented his work, and had claimed credit for his contributions, including a text-to-speech prototype.
During the same conversation with Bradman, Roberts also voiced concerns about his work assignments, expectations, and the visibility of his work to management. On December 19, Roberts was informed of his dismissal in a video conference with Bradman and Sascha McPherson, a "Lead People Partner." The termination letter cited the conclusion of his probationary period but did not specify performance deficiencies or misconduct.
Subsequent communication from McPherson outlined the purpose of probation periods and referred to informal feedback and a meeting with Bradman on November 28. The email mentioned broad themes of "collaboration, openness and approaching things with curiosity over judgement" but lacked specific incidents supporting the dismissal.
Culture Amp's defense filing asserts that the decision to terminate Roberts was made on December 8 by Bradman and Chief Product Officer Chris Mander. The company argues that Roberts' claims are "vague and embarrassing." A spokesperson for Culture Amp stated that Roberts' dismissal was handled with care and in good faith during his probationary period, citing performance-related reasons and consistent feedback and support.
The lawsuit comes as Culture Amp recently announced workforce reductions, with 70 roles made redundant in June as part of organizational changes to align with refreshed strategic priorities. CEO Caroline Rawlinson cited the rapidly changing world of work as the reason for these adjustments.