After being unfairly dismissed because of a costly mistake in gold mining, Jamie-Lee Corless-Crane, a FIFO Mining (fly-in-fly-out) worker who worked as a pit technician at Aurenne Management Services, received more than $30,000. In January 2025, during a night shift at the Mt Ida mine site in Western Australia, a mistake that cost about $200,000 worth of gold happened. This case shows not only how hard it is for FIFO workers to work in remote mines, but also how important it is for the workplace to be fair and accountable.
A $200,000 Mistake – What Happened
Corless-Crane was working a night shift on January 7, 2025, when a mistake caused the loss of 54 ounces of gold worth about $200,000. The problem happened when the excavation team, following Corless-Crane’s orders, dug in the wrong place because of wrong paperwork and old maps that the day shift crew gave her.
The excavation was supposed to take place in an area with gold ore, but the wrong place had been marked. Corless-Crane used the map that the day shift gave her, not knowing that it had mistakes. The problem got worse because the excavator’s GPS system had failed and the lighting was bad. This triggered the gold to be lost when it was taken to waste piles instead of being sent to the processing plant.
The Dismissal and the Lawsuit
After the incident, Corless-Crane was fired and an investigation began. She was accused of not making sure that the right place was being mined. The company said that Corless-Crane, as a pit technician, should have been more careful and noticed the differences in the location.
Corless-Crane, on the other hand, stated that the errors were not her fault. She said she didn’t know about the mistakes in the location at the time and that the day shift crew who gave her the wrong paperwork was to blame for the mistake. She also said that she was working in tough conditions, like bad lighting and broken tools, which made it harder for her to find the mistake.
After she was fired, Corless-Crane filed an unfair dismissal claim with the Fair Work Commission (FWC). She said that her firing was unfair and that it would be extremely difficult for her to find new work in her field.
Decision by the Fair Work Commission
After looking at the evidence, the FWC determined in Corless-Crane’s favour. They said that the mistakes that led to the loss of gold were made by a number of more senior and experienced workers. The Commission agreed that Corless-Crane was in charge of the excavation process, but she was not the only one who made the mistake.
The Commission said that the day shift crew, which included the people who worked the excavators, were to blame for the first errors in marking the site. The Commission also said that Corless-Crane was the last line of defence in a series of failures, such as the bad handover paperwork and the bad working conditions she had to cope with.
Because of this, the FWC said her dismissing was unfair and gave her $30,769 in compensation for 16 weeks. The FWC’s decision made it clear that employers need to make sure they have the right systems and training in place, especially in high-stakes situations like mining operations.
The Bigger Effect on Corless-Crane’s Life
After losing her job, Corless-Crane, who was a single mother, had a lot of money problems. She spoke about how difficult it is to find a good job in the FIFO sector, especially since she couldn’t finish the required medical tests and training on time. The compensation payment was a welcome relief, but Corless-Crane said that the firing had a long-lasting effect on her career and personal life.
She had been a FIFO pit technician for 15 months before the incident and made about $100,000 a year. She was in a bad financial situation after being fired and having issues discovering similar work. If she didn’t find a job by June 2025, she could lose her home.
Other Workers Not Held Responsible
One of the most surprising things about this case was that none of the higher-ups who made the mistake were fired or punished in any way. Some of the employees who made the mistake were only given written warnings, yet they were more experienced and directly involved in the wrong handling of the location markings.
The fact that senior staff members weren’t held responsible made people wonder if it was fair to blame Corless-Crane for the mistake. The FWC’s decision caused attention to this difference, which made it even clearer that the loss of the gold was not due to one mistake but rather a series of mistakes made by several people.
The Future of FIFO Work and Responsibility
This case shows how difficult and complex it can be to work in remote FIFO jobs, especially in fields like mining where mistakes can have serious financial and personal effects. It shows how important it is to communicate clearly, keep accurate records, and supervise people properly to avoid making expensive mistakes.
It also makes us think about how fair it is to fire people in FIFO workplaces, especially when they are working in tough conditions and using wrong information. The case could lead to talks about how to hold both senior and junior staff in mining and other high-risk fields more accountable.
In the end
Jamie-Lee Corless-Crane’s case is a strong reminder of how important it is to be fair and hold people accountable at work, especially when employees are working from their homes or in high-pressure situations. The money she got is a step towards making up for the errors she faced, but it also shows that the FIFO sector needs to improve its systems and procedures to make sure that workers are treated fairly and aren’t blamed for mistakes that aren’t their fault.
As mining companies and employers in remote areas try to learn from this case, it’s important for them to think about how their choices affect others and make sure that everyone is held responsible. In the end, this case is a call for more fairness in the workplace, especially in fields where mistakes can have significant impacts on both workers and employers.
