Bank manager wins 'nervous breakdown' claim against Commonwealth Bank

A former bank manager who had a nervous breakdown due to stress has won a legal battle against the Commonwealth Bank for withholding his compensation.

Mark Reeve had been a manager at the bank's Mount Hawthorn branch in Perth where he said he was put under enormous pressure to achieve unrealistic goals which led him to suffer anxiety, depression and eventually a nervous breakdown.

In its defence, staff from CBA told the tribunal that they provided Mr Reeve support and assistance during his time as a branch manager. They also said he was considered to be doing a "competent and acceptable" job and that he had met all the bank's expectations.

In a statement issued this afternoon, CBA said cared deeply about the welfare of its staff.

"Commonwealth Bank is committed to ensuring the safety and welfare of its staff," spokesman Steve Batten said.

"In this matter the Bank worked closely with the staff member’s medical practitioners at all times. In lieu of the judgement we are considering the decision."

Worked in banking for 25 years

Mr Reeve, who is married and turns 50 this month, had worked in the banking industry for 25 years and at the CBA since January, 2007.

Mr Reeve told the court customers were picked at random to rank the branch between 1 and 10. Anything below an 8 was considered a 0, he said.

He was then asked to explain his perceived failings on a telephone conference in front of up to 17 branch managers in the area.

"[I was told] off, like I was inferior and made a comment about how this was not how (sic) to run a branch," Mr Reeve told the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

"I personally felt embarrassed and humiliated in having to discuss the situation in a public forum.

"Later that day, the survey for the current week came in and the result was again less than [CBA]'s requirements.

"The thought of going through the same scenario on the following Monday where (sic) another conference call was scheduled became too much for me."

Despite his anguish, Mr Reeve did not seek professional help.

"On Monday, 21 July 2008, I arrived at work at about 6.10 am, cleared my emails and spent an hour clearing my desk and putting things in order," he told the tribunal.

"I wrote a note to the staff.

"I went to my car where I tried on three occasions to [kill] myself.

"After the third attempt I telephoned my wife and told her I was coming home.

"I did not tell her until a week later what I had tried to do."

His wife insisted that he seek professional counselling once she learnt what he had tried to do.

He said that prior to this, he had never considered suicide.

"I have not experienced any family or relationship difficulties or issues that might have caused or contributed to the stress condition for which I am claiming worker’s compensation, and I have a happy marriage," he told the court.

Mr Reeve said his stress was exacerbated by a lack of consultation and support from the bank.

We look for best practice - manager

Mr Reeve's area manager denied he had done anything to upset Mr Reeve during the telephone conference.

"When taking results I will always compliment branch managers who have exceeded their commitment and will, on an ad hoc basis, ask those that didn’t meet their commitments what they might do differently next week," he told the tribunal in a written statement.

"At the same meeting we look for best practice to share to assist all branch managers.

"I cannot recall specifically what I said to Mark at our end of week debrief for week ending Friday, 18 July 2008.

"I am absolutely certain I would not have said anything to embarrass him or put him down in front of others.

"Mark would not have been treated any differently than any other branch manager attending the teleconference.

"Also, as Mark was still very new to my team, I would have been very careful how I addressed him along with the other 4 newcomers to the team."

Despite the CBA initially accepting the man's stress claim, they later reversed the decision prompting Mr Reeve to take the case to the tribunal.

The tribunal found that Mr Reeve's "major depressive disorder" was "contributed to, to a significant degree, by" his employment by the CBA.

The tribunal ordered that CBA must now pay Mr Reeve the compensation it ceased paying in October last year.

Outside the tribunal, Mr Reeve said despite the win he still held some resentment at the way he was treated and believed "life could never be the same."

"I had never imagined that I could have ended up in the situation that I did. I had led a healthy lifestyle, I had been a loyal employee and I was a hard worker," he said.

"I am so disappointed and angry with the way I was treated and by the bank's decision to make me fight for my claim, after initially accepting it."

(Published by Daily Telegraph - November 16, 2010)