The lawsuit, lodged in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, marks the latest development in a controversy that has already triggered various departures.
Smith will oversee the company’s core operations, including supply chain, property, wholesale, customer service, and safety and wellbeing.
Uber is cutting about 3,300 jobs globally as the ride-hailing giant moves to simplify its organisational structure, with employees in Australia among those affected.
The Public Service Association mentioned its members had been offered pay increases below inflation while dealing with heavier workloads and the impact of public sector spending cuts.
LinkedIn data shows Australian applicants with an inside connection at a company are 4.5 times more likely to be hired than those without one.
