The Workplace Ombudsman says Australia's bosses have been put on notice, warning that the "f-word" has no place in workplace negotiations.
Ombudsman executive director Michael Campbell said while the swear word may be commonly used in some workplaces, it had "no place in negotiations between employers and employees about their wages and conditions".
"Offensive and bullying behaviour towards employees is against the law and unacceptable," Mr Campbell said in a statement.
"Employers need to mind their Ps and Qs when dealing with staff."
The comments come after the Federal Magistrate's Court this week fined a Donut King franchisee $12,000 for breaches of the Workplace Relations Act.
The court heard Jim Martinoski, operator of the Donut King franchise at Melbourne's Greensborough Plaza shopping centre, repeatedly swore at an employee who he wanted to sign an Australian Workplace Agreement (AWA).
Mr Martinoski allegedly put the AWA documents on the table, in early 2007, and said the workers' hours would be cut if it was not signed.
The court heard he also said: "as for you asking for your f***ing payslips, we're not going anywhere, so you don't have to keep f***ing asking for them".
And: "if it was up to me, I would close the shop for a week, sack everyone and rehire people who do care about my business".
The Workplace Ombudsman initiated legal action against the company on behalf of the employee.
The court also heard the employee did not sign the AWA and her hours were cut from about 35 hours-a-week to 15, before she resigned.
Federal Magistrate Philip Burchardt fined the company $12,000 saying the worker was placed under duress, and it was an "inherently unattractive and significant form of misconduct".
"This was bullying conduct against an employee who plainly felt it to be offensive and oppressive, because she resigned almost immediately thereafter," Magistrate Burchardt said.
"This threat made by Mr Martinoski was made in anger and on the spur of the moment. Nonetheless (his) language and conduct at the time of the threat were offensive and bullying."
