Man Sues After Being Hung Upside Down ‘Like A Piece Of Meat’ At Christmas Party
Published
A man is suing his former company for a prank that saw him ‘hung upside down like a piece of meat about to get cut’.
However, the 23-year-old apprentice quit his job after three years, alleging that he had been slapped and flipped upside down at the Christmas party, leading to him feeling ‘degraded, humiliated and embarrassed’.
At least one of Elkharraz’s co-workers can be seen slapping him in video footage of the incident which was posted onto social media.
The 23-year-old told 9 News:
All I remember is getting duct-taped to a machine. My boss was slapping me around and having a laugh.
I didn’t know it was going to go to that extent, I thought he was just going to pick me up.
Elkharraz stated that it wasn’t an isolated incident, and that he was sworn at ‘all the time’ by his boss Steve, and that if he ‘broke a panel of glass’ he would get ‘very angry and upset’.
‘[Steve would] grab me by my neck and push me against the wall,’ he said.
Elkharraz said he is responsible for providing money and food for his family, and that his boss had tried to prevent him from achieving his apprenticeship, not allowing him from going to Technical and Further Education (TAFE) college.
Elkharraz’s lawyer, Tony Carbone, stated:
If the thing that they tied around his legs were to have snapped or loosen and he hit his head on the ground, they are dealing with brain damage or quadriplegia.
Carbone said he felt ‘bewildered’ upon viewing the footage. ‘I was thinking wow, this still goes on,’ he said.
A year on and Elkharraz said he still ‘can’t sleep sometimes’ and is ‘getting psychological help’ after being unable to return to work. He claimed he also has ‘backflashes’ and ‘nightmares’ after being made to feel like a ‘cow’ left ‘hanging upside down’.
The governmental body that oversees workplace health and safety, WorkSafe Victoria, is currently investigating the incident.
A spokesperson for the company said it was an ‘ongoing case’ and as such weren’t able to discuss it.
Elkharraz concluded: ‘[Steve] is a big bully. I was supposed to be qualified this year, but unfortunately I’m still first year. I’ve got to start all over again, you know? He just wasted three years of my youth.’
If you’ve been affected by bullying and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Bullying UK (part of Family Lives) on 0808 800 2222. The helpline service is open 9am–9pm Monday to Friday and 10am–3pm Saturday and Sunday
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