CBRE agent takes firm to court over stand down, alleged bullying, ‘wage theft’ and a dead pet rabbit

A high ranking real estate agent's legal battle against global firm CBRE has exposed allegations of workplace bullying, wage theft and a mysteriously deceased pet rabbit.

Former CBRE colleagues Leif Olson and Damian Frazzica allegedly had a dispute at work.

A stoush between two high-ranking real estate agents at a global firm – which has seen allegations of wage theft and fraud and accusations of a deliberately-killed pet rabbit – has escalated into a Federal Court showdown which looks likely to stretch into a second year.

Senior manager Damian Frazzica launched Fair Work action against global agency CBRE in September, targeting a former colleague, who he alleges in his claim bullied, intimidated and degraded him and other staff.

Mr Frazzica was stood down in March in what he claims was a deliberate move by CBRE to stop him complaining about his colleague at CBRE’s Sydney offices.

However, the agency has denied making any adverse actions against Mr Frazzica, saying he was placed on leave because the company no longer considered it safe for him to work due to his mental health issues.

The senior manager has asked the court to prevent CBRE from sacking him and has asked for compensation and fines to be paid to him by the company.

According to Mr Frazzica’s claim, the dispute started after he complained about having to split commissions with his boss, CBRE’s former national head of retail leasing Leif Olson, who he said was no longer performing property listings.

Damian Frazzica is taking CBRE to court in a Fair Work action.

Leif Olson left CBRE in October.

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Mr Frazzica alleges multiple complaints against Mr Olson had been substantiated by CBRE, including that he falsely accused Mr Frazzica of intentionally killing his rabbit and that he asked him about which of his female colleagues he would have sex with.

Also substantiated, according to the court filing, was a complaint that Mr Olson had engaged in financial misconduct and said he was “the Turkish Olympian shooter”, in an apparent reference to silver medal-winning Yusuf Dikec.

According to his statement of claim, Mr Frazzica suffered depression, anxiety and panic attacks because of the stress he was placed under at work.

He claimed CBRE found “relatively trivial” excuses, like a changed email address, to stand him down but that he’d really been punished for speaking up about his colleagues’ alleged bad behaviour.

Mr Olson left CBRE in October last year and is in the process of starting a new agency, Minton Property Co.

He was also at the centre of a complaint unrelated to Mr Frazzica’s court case, in which a USB drive was left in the office for him to collect.

Although CBRE told The Courier-Mail “the USB contained family photos and personal documents belonging to Mr Olson” the company has since conceded it contained “current and former employees consuming alcohol in a social setting”.

Mr Frazzica said his matter was likely to go to mediation in March next year and declined to comment further.

Mr Olson did not respond to requests for comment.

Originally published as CBRE agent takes firm to court over stand down, alleged bullying, ‘wage theft’ and a dead pet rabbit