A Victorian health department worker suing her employer for threatening termination, claims she did not know taking home confidential documents was wrong because “everyone was doing it”.

Lucia Losinno, who worked as Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton’s executive assistant in 2020, has launched legal action in the Federal Court against the state of Victoria and the health department.

She claimed she was threatened with termination, in breach of her enterprise agreement and the Public Administration Act, and alleged she was denied entitlements to paid allowances.

The parties had tried to mediate the dispute to avoid a court battle and a statement of claim was yet to be filed, the court was told on Friday.

Barrister Chris O’Grady, KC, acting for the state, said Losinno continued to be paid as she was still employed by the health department.

Brett Sutton’s former executive assistant Lucia Losinno.

He said Losinno needed to provide further detail and evidence in support of her case, including claims she made about other department workers in 2020.

“The applicant says she did not realise dealing with the documents she dealt with, having sent a number of confidential documents to her home, was wrong because everybody was doing it,” O’Grady said.

“We would want some real detail as to who it is she says was doing what.”

Judge Michael Wheelahan ordered Losinno’s lawyers to file and serve a statement of claim outlining her case by April 14. He adjourned the case to May 26.

In February 2022, Losinno was fined $2500 for asking nail technicians to work on her during the state’s 2020 lockdown. She had offered five beauty workers double rates, in breach of stay-at-home orders.

AAP

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