Worker went on stress leave over soy milk debacle

A Canberra public servant demanded longer breaks because it was difficult to find a café that served organic coffee and soy milk, court documents show.

ATO employee Pardeep Sidhu was at first warned about her absences from her desk, prompting her to contact the Commonwealth government's workplace authority, the Canberra Times reports.

But after her appeal was dismissed, the employee went on stress leave and claimed compensation arguing her boss's actions left her with an "adjustment disorder".

Ms Sidhu's subsequent appeal of the workplace authority's decision was later rejected by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

Ms Sidhu has now recovered from her "adjustment disorder" and is currently working in a different department in the ATO.