Khoreich v Cisco Systems Australia Pty Ltd

In the matter of *Khoreich v Cisco Systems Australia Pty Ltd*, the applicant, Mr. Khoreich, brought proceedings against the respondent, Cisco Systems Australia Pty Ltd, in the Federal Court of Australia. The dispute concerned allegations of unlawful discrimination and adverse action taken against Mr. Khoreich by his employer.

The primary legal issues before the Court were whether Cisco Systems Australia Pty Ltd had engaged in unlawful discrimination against Mr. Khoreich under the *Age Discrimination Act 2004* (Cth) and whether the company had taken adverse action against him for a prohibited reason under the *Fair Work Act 2009* (Cth). Specifically, the Court was required to determine if Mr. Khoreich's age was a factor in the decisions made regarding his employment and if any adverse actions were taken because he had made a complaint or inquiry about his employment.

Judge Baird considered the evidence presented by both parties, focusing on the reasons for the decisions made concerning Mr. Khoreich's employment, including his performance reviews and the termination of his contract. The Court applied the principles of statutory interpretation to the relevant provisions of the *Age Discrimination Act 2004* and the *Fair Work Act 2009*. The Court found that Mr. Khoreich had not established that his age was the reason for the adverse action taken against him, nor had he proven that the adverse action was taken because he had made a complaint or inquiry.

Consequently, the Court ordered that the application be dismissed.