Former sex industry worker challenges employer over claims she ...

Chelsea Sirolli was two days into a new job when she was fired.

The 33-year-old had been hired to work at a real estate agency in regional Victoria and had felt the first day of work went well.

But the next day, Ms Sirolli claims she was called into a meeting and sacked, after a new colleague complained to human resources after learning she'd worked in the sex industry years earlier.

"I started crying, and trying to explain that … it was 10 years ago, and essentially begging for my job," Ms Sirolli said.

An email from the company to Ms Sirolli, seen by the ABC, states: "The company made its decision to end your employment upon learning that pornographic images of you existed online that it felt were not in keeping with its branding and reputation in the business community."

Ms Sirolli said it was the third time she had been fired after an employer had found out about her past.

But this time, the law was on her side.

In 2022, significant reforms to the Equal Opportunity Act in Victoria saw the introduction of additional protections for sex work and other professions.

It means it's now illegal to discriminate against individuals in Victoria based on their current or prior involvement in the sex industry.

"I knew that it wasn't right and I didn't have to put up with that and to carry all the shame around anymore," Ms Sirolli said.

"I had a right to work, I have a right to have a job to support myself."

Ms Sirolli says she hopes to help others in a similar position to hers to stand up for themselves.(ABC News: Rachel Clayton)

Ms Sirroli has lodged a case in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), and said while she was risking exposing herself further by doing so, she wanted to help others in a similar position stand up for themselves.

"I'm not asking people to agree with it [sex work], but at least offer women the opportunity to be able to leave," she said.

"There are some beautiful, amazing, special, talented, creative women that would offer so much to any business and I think they should be given the opportunity to do that."

Court documents lodged with VCAT state the company directors admitted having a meeting with Ms Sirolli where they told her a staff member had complained about pornographic videos and images of her online.

They also admitted that in that meeting "they informed the complainant that her employment was being terminated".

One company director also admitted they said she was being fired for her "welfare" … "since the community was very conservative".

The company directors declined to comment when approached by the ABC.

Ms Sirolli is seeking financial compensation through VCAT, and has pledged to donate $5,000 to non-profit St Kilda Gatehouse if she is successful.

Since the reforms took effect in May 2022, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission has received 13 complaints about the protected attribute "profession, trade and occupation" connected to sex work.

The issues raised include systemic discrimination when accessing financial services, people being denied access to rental properties and being refused a job due to past history as a sex worker.

Ms Sirolli's case is among the first to use the new safeguards in VCAT to directly sue an employer over loss of employment due to past work in the sex industry.

The protections were also used earlier this year by a brothel owner who successfully challenged the Business Licensing Authority for refusing to refund their licensing fees during the pandemic.

Former MP Fiona Patten, who introduced the bill to decriminalise sex work, said she hoped Ms Sirolli's case would send a message to employers so "nobody else will have to take their discrimination to court".

"This is a person who has worked in a legitimate job and should be treated equally," Ms Patten said.

"I hope that sex workers now will be treated the same way as their clients and that is, that it's personal and it's no-one's business."

Former MP Fiona Patten met with Ms Sirolli to hear her story.(ABC News: Rachel Clayton)

Ms Patten said while most people focused on the decriminalising aspect of her bill, the changes to the Equal Opportunity Act would address the stigma faced by sex workers "probably more profoundly than the decriminalisation itself".

"It's the double lives that sex workers are forced to live because of this discrimination, because of this stigma," she said.

During her time in parliament, former MP Fiona Patten introduced the bill to decriminalise sex work in Victoria.(ABC News: Rachel Clayton)

Mish Pony, chief executive of the national sex worker organisation Scarlet Alliance, said sex workers continued to hide their work from employers outside the industry.

"It's those discriminatory attitudes of sex work and fear of the 'damage' it could cause the brand. It's absolute nonsense and it's an unacceptable attitude to hold," they said.

"It's tied into outdated notions of morality and of sex and sexuality.

"Just like when people used to be fired for being gay, and unwed mothers were fired, it's the person being seen as doing the 'wrong thing' and is penalised for it."

Lena Van Hale, chief executive of Victorian peer-only sex worker organisation Vixen, said when stigma and discrimination against sex workers were not addressed it allowed "a culture of brazenness and entitlement".

"Historically, there were no consequences for treating sex workers unfairly or even illegally," they said.

"We are working with the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission to ensure that sex workers, businesses, services and the general population are aware of their rights and responsibilities under these anti-discrimination protections."