Jai Arrow’s wife has launched legal action against her employer after she was suspended on the day she was due to return from maternity leave.
Berina Colakovic is suing AI advertising platform StackAdapt, alleging she was discriminated against and denied procedural fairness.
StackAdapt denies unlawfully suspending Colakovic or taking adverse action against her. The company claims complaints from staff justified its decision.
The workplace dispute began weeks before former NRL star Arrow was diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
Colakovic remains employed and continues to be paid while suspended.
‘It’s not just about the money, but the principle,’ she told News Corp.
Jai Arrow’s wife Berina Colakovic, pictured left, is suing her employer after being suspended following maternity leave in May 2026
Colakovic alleges she was discriminated against after returning from maternity leave, with StackAdapt denying the claims entirely
The dispute began weeks before Jai Arrow received his life-changing motor neurone disease diagnosis and retired from rugby league
‘I have seen it before where women are replaced or demoted while on maternity leave.
‘It’s wrong and I don’t want [daughter] Ayla to grow up in a world where this can happen.
‘It would be easy to avoid the stress of fighting what’s happened to me, especially at this time, but to me it is wrong and my fight is about discrimination in the workforce.’
Colakovic began working for StackAdapt in Canada before transferring to Singapore and then Australia in 2019.
Documents filed in the Federal Court by her lawyers at Maurice Blackburn allege a superior ‘threatened’ her in September 2024.
Colakovic claims she was told there would be ‘performance discussions’ unless she could ‘turn the business around’.
That allegedly included dismissing two employees in circumstances she believed might be unlawful. She subsequently raised the matter with the company’s human resources department.
Colakovic informed StackAdapt the following month that she was pregnant. She later took maternity leave and was scheduled to return on May 1, 2026.
Arrow said it was now his turn to support Berina in her fight for what she believes is right
The couple now faces uncertainty about employment while raising their young daughter and managing Arrow’s serious health condition
About a week before her return, she was told an existing investigation would resume and her team would no longer report to her.
Ms Colakovic was instructed not to begin work at her normal time on her first day back. She was instead called into a meeting and suspended.
She was also directed not to contact colleagues, clients or other stakeholders while a disciplinary process was conducted.
‘I had no idea what the complaints were against me,’ Colakovic told News Corp.
‘When I was told, they were vague, lacking detail and I believe no basis for suspension.’
Maurice Blackburn contacted StackAdapt three days later, describing the suspension as an ambush and claiming Ms Colakovic had been denied procedural fairness.
StackAdapt alleges she demonstrated a ‘pattern of disengagement’ in meetings, was unreceptive to feedback and showed an absence of empathy.
The company also claims some employees felt unheard or misunderstood while working with her.
In its response to the court, StackAdapt denied Colakovic was threatened by her superior and claimed she had ‘expressed her satisfaction’ with the outcome of her HR complaint.
It also denied that the investigation and suspension constituted adverse action.
Colakovic’s lawyers allege StackAdapt contravened the Fair Work Act. They have called for the company to withdraw its allegations, end her suspension and return her to her former position as director of sales.
The legal battle was placed on hold while Colakovic and Arrow dealt with his MND diagnosis and prepared for their wedding, which took place in July.
Colakovic said the family now faced the possibility that both parents could be without work while raising their young daughter.
Arrow said he would stand beside his wife during the case after she supported him through his diagnosis.
‘Now it is my turn to support Berina in her fight for what she believes is right,’ he said.
‘She has been, and is, amazing.’
