Former Tabcorp CEO Adam Rytenskild’s unfair dismissal case to continue

Former Tabcorp CEO Adam Rytenskild’s legal battle over his exit from the wagering giant is set to continue in the Federal Court, with proceedings progressing to case management hearings over the coming months.

On Wednesday, Justice Elizabeth Raper laid out the timeline for the case, with the next hearing scheduled for August 12, following the discovery phase. Evidence will then be filed through September and October, with a further hearing slated for the week beginning October 27.

The seven Tabcorp board members who were in place at the time of Rytenskild’s abrupt departure in March 2024 have been named as respondents, along with Tabcorp itself.

The Federal Court proceedings follow a ruling by the Fair Work Commission in November last year, which cleared the way for Rytenskild to escalate his unfair dismissal claim. That hearing detailed the sequence of events leading to his exit.

Rytenskild stepped down after being confronted with an allegation that he made an inappropriate remark during an internal meeting in August 2023. The alleged comment referenced the female CEO of the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission.

Tabcorp argued in the Fair Work hearing that Rytenskild had resigned voluntarily, but Deputy Commissioner Gerard Boyce found that, on the balance of probabilities, the termination of his employment constituted a “dismissal”.