Berina Colakovic settles discrimination case against StackAdapt after maternity leave suspension
Berina Colakovic has settled her Federal Court lawsuit against advertising platform StackAdapt after the company suspended her on the day she returned from maternity leave. She alleged discrimination and a lack of procedural fairness; StackAdapt denied unlawful conduct and said complaints from staff justified its decision. The case was finalised on 15 October after court-ordered mediation, but the settlement terms are unknown.
Colakovic, a sales director and the wife of NRL player Jai Arrow, said she was suspended shortly after his motor neurone disease diagnosis. She had joined StackAdapt in Canada in 2019, moved to Australia in 2022 and became sales director in 2024. Court filings alleged that workplace tensions began before her maternity leave, including pressure to make organisational changes and the appointment of a new sales director while she was away. StackAdapt’s lawyers said the proceedings had been resolved and declined to comment further.
In short
- Berina Colakovic settled her lawsuit against StackAdapt.
- She alleged discrimination after being suspended on her return from maternity leave.
- Settlement terms have not been disclosed.
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The case for
Colakovic’s case can be understood as a serious concern about whether an employee returning from maternity leave was treated fairly and whether workplace decisions disadvantaged her because of that leave. The timing of her suspension, alongside her allegations about changes made while she was away and a lack of procedural fairness, supports the argument that such decisions warrant scrutiny, even though the settlement terms are unknown.
The case against
StackAdapt’s position is that staff complaints justified suspending Colakovic, and employers have a responsibility to respond to workplace concerns and protect staff. If the decision was based on those complaints and handled through a fair process, its timing on her return from leave would not by itself establish discrimination; the reported settlement does not reveal whether either party’s account was accepted.
Explained simply
StackAdapt is an advertising technology company whose platform helps businesses place and manage online adverts. Berina Colakovic joined the company in Canada in 2019, later moved to Australia and became a sales director.
Colakovic’s case concerned her treatment at work around her maternity leave. She alleged discrimination and said she was not given a fair process; StackAdapt denied acting unlawfully and said staff complaints informed its decision. The dispute also arose amid reported workplace tensions and changes to the sales team.
The case was brought in the Federal Court of Australia, which hears disputes under federal law, including discrimination claims. Colakovic is married to NRL player Jai Arrow; his motor neurone disease diagnosis was part of the personal circumstances she described. Settlement terms have not been made public.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Jai Arrow’s wife sued when her bosses suspended her on the day she returned from maternity leave after her NRL star husband’s bombshell MND diagnosis. Now she’s done a deal”.