A former employee at a cafe in Australia has been awarded over $65,000 in compensation after contracting salmonella while working at the establishment in 2017, according to ABC News.
The incident occurred at Central Cafe in Gungahlin, close to the Australian capital city of Canberra, which was temporarily closed by health inspectors in February 2017 following multiple reports of salmonella-related food poisoning. The cafe’s owner subsequently pleaded guilty to violating food safety laws and was fined $4,500.
The plaintiff, identified by the court-assigned pseudonym Sara Gibson, was a 15-year-old employee working outside school hours when she contracted the illness. Gibson was admitted to the hospital on February 5, 2017, with symptoms including fever, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Laboratory tests later confirmed she was infected with Salmonella Typhimurium.
The court heard evidence from other witnesses who had also contracted the same strain of salmonella after dining at the cafe. Health officials reported additional infections, with one witness testifying to severe complications requiring partial stomach removal.
An inspection found numerous hygiene and safety violations at the cafe, including a lack of soap or hand sanitizer for staff, inadequate temperature control in refrigeration units, and improperly stored chicken. A sample of frozen cooked chicken from the cafe tested positive for Salmonella Typhimurium.
Justice Belinda Baker ruled that while it couldn’t be definitively proven that Gibson contracted salmonella from consuming food at the cafe, it was likely she became infected while handling raw meat and chicken during her employment. The court found that the cafe had breached its duty of care by failing to ensure proper food storage and hygiene practices.
Although Gibson sought damages exceeding $400,000, citing long-term health impacts and educational disruptions, the court found some of these claims lacking credibility. Justice Baker determined that Gibson’s illness lasted approximately two weeks but acknowledged she had developed food phobias as a result.
Commenting on this story, one national Salmonella lawyer said, “For any business that fails to prioritize proper hygiene and food handling practices, there are potentially serious legal and financial consequences. Food establishments are obligated to protect both customers and employees from health risks.”
