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A talent advisory leader who signed contracts worth more than $2 million a year is suing her former employer for unlawful adverse action and contract breaches, alleging her complaints about its "toxic" culture were ignored.

The executive recruitment specialist joined Teneo Strategy Australia as head of APAC talent advisory in August 2021, after the global CEO advisory acquired her business. In a statement of claim to the Federal Court, she alleges she negotiated a remuneration package comprising $1 million in salary and super, plus the potential for more than $1 million in incentives, for working 38 hours per week.

She claims, however, that she often started work as early as 6am and would finish anywhere between 11pm and 3am, and that she was regularly required to work weekends and attend late-night online meetings with overseas colleagues.

Two months into her employment, she emailed the chair of Teneo International seeking a "more inclusive approach" to global management committee (GMC) meetings, to cater to different time zones, she alleges...