Mecca Brands Responds to Staff Mistreatment Claims

SYDNEY — Mecca Brands has been ranked among the 50 Best Places to Work in Australia survey for the past six years, but company founder and co-chief executive officer Jo Horgan has suddenly been forced to address allegations that the company is a terrible workplace.
In late October, claims including bullying, harassment, racial discrimination, unpaid overtime and even complaints of inadequate restroom breaks were aired via a litany of anonymous direct messages shared by the anonymous beauty industry call-out Instagram account Estée Laundry.
On Monday, the story blew up in the Australian media via newspapers including The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age and News Corp. Australia’s The Herald Sun and Courier Mail, as well as ABC Radio Melbourne.
At time of writing, three complainants had been identified by name — Narita Salima, Brittany Withers and Kerrie Stanley. Salima and Withers claimed they were bullied and ridiculed by managers, often in front of customers.
Salima told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age that she was fired after a month and a half, after she raised her bullying concerns with her manager. Withers told News Corp. Australia that she quit her job at one of Mecca’s Gold Coast, Queensland stores after two years due

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