Camerons Accounting: Thane Bardenhagen sued for $28,000

A Tasmanian accountancy firm is suing a senior accountant formerly employed with them for a mammoth sum.

A Tasmanian accountancy firm is suing a senior accountant formerly employed with them for nearly $30,000, alleging he is liable to cough up because he took up with a rival firm.

Camerons Accountants and Advisers, which has four Tasmanian branches, launched the breach of contract claim against Lilydale man Thane Bardenhagen, who was formerly employed in their Launceston office as a senior accountant, on March 30 last year.

Mr Bardenhagen is currently employed with ALA Partners, which has three branches across the state, as a senior accountant.

According to Camerons’ statement of claim, Mr Bardenhagen was employed on July 28, 2015, until he ceased employment on April 23, 2019.

The firm alleged Mr Bardenhagen “engaged in restrained activity by commencing employment with a competing firm,” in May, the month after his employment ceased.

They claim that in the period between May and December 2019, Mr Bardenhagen “acquired clientele” from Camerons.

According to the statement of claim, Mr Bardenhagen’s employment contract stipulated that if he were to breach the non-compete clause of his employment contract, he would be liable to pay Camerons 80 per cent of his fees billed from clients in the year preceding the termination of his employment.

They calculated this figure to be $28,625.71.

In his written defence, Mr Bardenhagen alleged that his employment at Camerons in fact ceased on April 3, 2018, with him submitting a letter of resignation on March 6.

Mr Bardenhagen “denies an obligation to pay” on the basis that the clause relied upon by Camerons is unenforceable “and/or is contrary to public policy”.

The case remains before the Launceston Magistrates Court.