An Italian restaurant has been ordered to pay $8,615 in compensation to a former employee after failing to communicate her termination, an action described by the Fair Work Commission (FWC) as "ghosting." Lorraine Knight had worked at Manos in Paradise Point, on the Gold Coast, for nearly two decades before the establishment rebranded to Bibi's Italian Restaurant.
Following the transition, which was completed in August 2025, Ms. Knight found herself no longer assigned her regular shifts. She had been working a minimum of 15 hours per week. In January 2026, after the rebrand, Ms. Knight sent a text message to restaurateur Ben Kanaghines inquiring about her shifts. "Am I not working at all today? I have had all my shifts cut with no prior notice or explanation as to why. I show up for my shift, just to have to come straight back home," she wrote.
Mr. Kanaghines did not respond directly to Ms. Knight's inquiry. Instead, the following day, he sent a text stating, "Breakfast at bibis Has made me exhausted! I won't open before 12pm again. My apologies, I've tried to give as many hours to you as possible, but I've never guaranteed. November/ December have been a disaster. Now it's about my survival, long term … I cannot afford wages before 12pm." When Ms. Knight sought clarification, Mr. Kanaghines responded, "Yep I f**ked up and I'm failing! Now I cut everyone and run."
These messages left Ms. Knight uncertain about her employment status. Mr. Kanaghines did not reply to further messages, leading Ms. Knight to assume she had been dismissed. In his submission to the FWC, Mr. Kanaghines stated he dislikes using phones and texting, and believes employees should not text their employers. He also included personal criticisms of Ms. Knight, including remarks about her car and her receipt of Centrelink payments, which the FWC deemed irrelevant to her employment.
The FWC ruled that Ms. Knight was unfairly dismissed because her termination was not properly communicated, preventing her from responding. "As Bibis effectively ghosted Ms. Knight, it is obvious that Ms. Knight was never informed of a reason for the dismissal and not given an opportunity to respond," Commissioner Pearl Lim stated. The commission found no valid reasons for dismissal related to Ms. Knight's conduct or capacity at work. The compensation amount was calculated based on a minimum of 15 hours per week for six months. The ruling indicated that Bibis Adventures, Mr. Kanaghines' company, is liable for the payment.