An employment lawyer has described Jackie ‘O’ Henderson’s sudden departure from ARN Media as strange, raising concerns about whether she may have been unfairly dismissed.
Following the recent controversy with The Kyle and Jackie O Show, Sydney employment lawyer Fay Calderone told ABC News about a specific issue that could cause trouble for the network.
Following a public disagreement with her colleague Kyle Sandilands in February, 50-year-old Henderson reportedly voiced concerns about her work environment. This action is considered a legal assertion of her rights as an employee.
However, ARN Media unexpectedly announced they were ending Henderson’s $100 million contract, stating she had informed them she could no longer work with Kyle Sandilands. Henderson strongly disputes this claim.
According to Calderone, that sequence of events raises eyebrows.
She explained that it’s illegal to punish a contractor for exercising their rights in the workplace.
‘I think that’s peculiar.’
If Henderson was fired for raising concerns about her work environment, the network could be in serious legal trouble.
Australian law protects workers – and sometimes even contractors – from being punished for raising health and safety concerns at work.
Calderone pointed out that Henderson’s case is unusual because she seemingly brought up a concern and then subsequently lost her job.
If confirmed, this action could lead to a lawsuit against ARN, potentially resulting in financial compensation.
The lawyer also mentioned reports claiming Henderson was offered a different position, which he refuted. This offer, the lawyer suggested, might have been a way for the company to reduce its potential legal liability.
Calderone wondered why ARN chose to end Sandilands’ contract at this moment, considering he’d behaved this way before.
She noted it was happening at a time when the network might not be making much money from it.
‘So, you know, cynically, I’d say it was opportunistic.”
Although Henderson hasn’t sued ARN, Sandilands has already started a lawsuit against his previous workplace, seeking millions of dollars in the Federal Court.
Sandilands, 54, is alleging that ARN intentionally worked to undermine his $100 million, 10-year contract. He claims this was a deliberate effort to get out of the agreement after only 14 months, and he has a strong legal team supporting his case.
According to Stefan Stojkovic, a partner at Axe Legal, a lawsuit could potentially last between two and three years if no appeals are filed, he told ABC.
Stojkovic predicted the case might be resolved outside of court if both sides can agree on a fair settlement.
According to The Australian, Sandilands is being represented by Kevin Lynch, a partner at Johnson Winter Slattery, who is described as a ‘ferocious’ legal advocate.
As a lifestyle strategist, I’ve spent the last couple of weeks really diving deep into the host agreement – every single clause, every nuance. And honestly, I’ve been building a solid plan to address the issues with ARN. It’s about being prepared and knowing exactly how to tackle things head-on.
He filed the necessary papers on Friday.
Sandilands is seeking his contract to be honoured in full.
On Monday, ARN released a statement saying they disagree with Kyle Sandilands’ claims and intend to fight the legal action.
According to their statement, the applicants believe Mr. Sandilands’ contract termination was unlawful because they claim he didn’t seriously misbehave or break his contract, and that ending his employment was unfair and violated Australian Consumer Law.
The people applying to the court are asking the judge to legally enforce two agreements, to receive any money owed to them under those agreements as of the court’s decision, and to be compensated for any losses they’ve experienced.
ARN’s new CEO, Michael Stephenson, is attempting to de-escalate the legal issues by offering Sandilands’ previous co-host, Henderson, a solo show on KIIS FM, hoping to bring them back on air.
ARN is trying to re-hire Henderson for a significantly reduced salary through a new initiative, following the cancellation of her previous ten-year, $100 million contract last month.
According to The Australian, Henderson isn’t keen on the offer. People who know her say she’s waiting to see how Sandilands’ legal battle plays out before making a decision.
Read More
- Invincible Season 4 Episode 4 Release Date, Time, Where to Watch
- Physics Proved by AI: A New Era for Automated Reasoning
- American Idol vet Caleb Flynn in solitary confinement after being charged for allegedly murdering wife
- Gold Rate Forecast
- “Wild, brilliant, emotional”: 10 best dynasty drama series to watch on BBC, ITV, Netflix and more
- Total Football free codes and how to redeem them (March 2026)
- Seeing in the Dark: Event Cameras Guide Robots Through Low-Light Spaces
- Magicmon: World redeem codes and how to use them (March 2026)
- eFootball 2026 is bringing the v5.3.1 update: What to expect and what’s coming
- Simulating Humans to Build Better Robots
2026-03-24 03:53