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Accusations that an employee committed "disgusting" acts against children played a major part in his psychological injury, a commission has ruled in rejecting an employer's 'reasonable actions' defence.

The Port Stephens City Council gardener claimed workers' compensation for major depressive disorder caused by nine work-related stressors between 2014 and 2017. Specifically, he said the employer:

• directed him to pick up cigarette butts in the rain at a sports complex while his supervisor sat in his car, which made him feel "degraded";
• instructed him to cut a tree with power lines running through it, which made him feel unsafe and prompted a workplace complaint; and
• told him to work during his lunch break over a six-month period...