Lawyers for the deputy prime minister's ousted chief of staff have accused the federal government of working at 'glacial pace' to finalise her workplace complaint, with the staffer remaining locked out of her office.

Jo Tarnawsky, who is still employed as Richard Marles's chief of staff, went public with claims earlier this month that she had been sidelined from her role after she raised a bullying complaint against her colleagues.

Lawyer Michael Bradley, who acts for Ms Tarnawsky, said he wrote to Mr Marles with his client's demands more two weeks ago, and only received a response from Commonwealth lawyers yesterday, approximately 70 minutes after sending an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

"They're moving at glacial pace to deal with this and giving me the impression that all they want to do is kick the can down the road," he said.

"It's mystifying."

Mr Marles told parliament two weeks ago that a legal process was already underway and it was difficult to comment further.

Mr Bradley said his October 16 letter did not threaten legal action, but asked Mr Marles for a resolution and "accountability" from the government for Ms Tarnawsky's work situation.

"She wants the people who mistreated her to stand up and take responsibility for it, and for the government to acknowledge that what's happened here is wrong and inconsistent with its own commitments," he said.

Ms Tarnawksy claimed earlier this month she had been locked out of her office, forced to get permission to enter the ministerial wing and had not heard from Mr Marles in months.

She said she had been ousted after complaining to Mr Marles in April about bullying within their office.

Mr Marles has previously told parliament he felt "deeply sad" about the situation and that his chief of staff was a "wonderful person".

In her letter to the prime minister, which was also sent to media outlets, Ms Tarnawsky claimed two weeks on, her situation has not changed.

"I now have been placed on miscellaneous leave, which the deputy prime minister seems content to extend indefinitely without any resolution to this matter," the letter said.

Ms Tarnawsky also claimed in the letter she had "not been made aware of any investigation into my complaint about bullying behaviour by members of the deputy prime minister's office."

In a statement, a government spokesperson said the matter was now subject to legal proceedings and it was not appropriate to comment further.

"There are established and appropriate processes that must be followed when a claim is made against the Commonwealth, and those steps are being followed," the statement said.

Mr Bradley also raised concerns that the same lawyers who dealt with the matter at the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service, were now dealing with the matter on behalf of the government's insurer, Comcover.

A spokesperson for Mr Marles referred the ABC to the deputy prime minister's initial comments about the matter in parliament, and declined to comment further.