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A chief people officer's decision to sack an employee for assisting police in a murder investigation was "irrational, if not bizarre", a court has found.

Transport NSW summarily dismissed the forensic manager on 2 June 2020 – the day before he was meant to begin parental leave – for sharing confidential information with NSW Police without approval, failing to comply with a lawful and reasonable direction not to perform work, and breaching its code of conduct and his employment agreement.

The employee claimed Transport NSW had no lawful basis to sack him for serious and wilful misconduct, and had therefore repudiated his contract. He sought damages and a declaration that he still occupied his position.