A truck driver fired for allegedly writing offensive messages on recycling bins has been awarded $39,000 in compensation, penalties, and unpaid entitlements by the Employment Relations Authority (ERA). Background Darcy Harrison worked as a recycling truck driver for Keith Burmeister Contracting in Feilding from February 2019 to October 2020. Harrison often encountered recycling bins…read more >
A doggy day care centre in Auckland, DogHQ Albany, has been ordered to pay over $20,000 in compensation and lost wages after mishandling the extension of an employee’s 90-day trial period. The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) found the company had disadvantaged ex-employee and acted unfairly after relying on questionable online legal advice. Background Kara…read more >
An Auckland-based food delivery company, Woop, has recently been fined $43,000 for paying student interns for only 20 of the 40 hours they worked. The company, a major player in New Zealand’s meal kit market, faced scrutiny after hiring French interns under questionable employment terms. Background Between 2016 and 2018, Woop engaged seven…read more >
A former employee of Virtuoso Strings Charitable Trust has just been awarded over $30,000 by The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) for hurt and humiliation. She was yelled at and later found the locks changed at her workplace after returning from sick leave. This case highlights the importance of robust dispute resolution processes and need for mature…read more >
A woman has been awarded nearly $60,000 after discovering the job she was hired for at the Department of Corrections (Corrections) effectively didn’t exist. The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) found that Corrections misled the woman with an outdated job listing, leading to her unjustified dismissal. Background The woman (granted name suppression) is an experienced public…read more >
A Wellington paint and decorating firm has found itself in hot water after dismissing a worker without proper investigation and due process. The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) recently ruled in favour of Enrique Ilano, a painter at Jono Decorators, ordering the business to pay him over $30,000 in remedies. Background Enrique Ilano joined Jono…read more >
The recent Employment Relations Authority (ERA) decision regarding an employee at Traffix, sheds light on the consequences of workplace misconduct. Jason Joyce’s dismissal for drinking onsite during work hours and inviting colleagues to join him for “beers and weed” sparked a dispute that ultimately led to an ERA ruling. This case underscores the importance…read more >
A dispute over abandoned ducklings took a dark turn at the Otira Stagecoach Hotel, resulting in an assault on one of the employees by the hotel’s owner. The incident, which occurred in November 2018, sparked legal proceedings and a ruling by the Employment Relations Authority (ERA), shedding light on the importance of workplace safety and…read more >
A recent Employment Relations Authority (ERA) ruling has shed light on the importance of addressing workplace bullying and harassment. David Green, a long-serving KiwiRail employee, was awarded $13,500 in compensation after KiwiRail failed to address his concerns about being bullied by a colleague. This case underscores the need for organisations to take proactive steps in…read more >
In a recent ruling, the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) has awarded a former Fonterra worker $30,000 in compensation, plus 14 months’ wages, after she was terminated for not wearing a mask despite having a medical exemption. This case highlights the complexities of workplace health policies during the Covid-19 pandemic and underscores the importance of fair…read more >
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