Restrictions OK
Jurisdiction Employment Relations Authority - Auckland
Reference No [2014] NZERA Auckland 177
Determination date 09 May 2014
Member A Fitzgibbon
Representation S Langton ; B Trollope
Parties Woods v United Cleaning Services Ltd
Summary PENALTY - COMPLIANCE ORDER - Authority considered whether to impose penalty on respondent for delaying or obstructing investigation - Authority considered whether to order compliance with Authority direction - Repeated failure to comply with Authority direction - Disclosure of client list to Authority - Whether seeking to protect commercial interests from former employee sufficient cause for refusing to comply with Authority direction
Abstract AUTHORITY FOUND -;PENALTY - COMPLIANCE ORDER: Clear process laid out in Authority direction to accommodate respondent's concerns about disclosure of commercial information. Potential for harm with regard to applicant's right to resolve grievance without obstruction. Respondent obstructed or delayed Authority's investigation without sufficient cause by refusing to comply with Authority direction. Compliance ordered. $8,000 penalty appropriate.
Result Orders made ; Compliance ordered ; Penalty ($4,000)(payable to Crown)($4,000)(payable to applicant) ; No order for costs
Main Category Penalty
Statutes ERA s4(1)(a);ERA s4(1A)(c);ERA s134A;ERA s134A(2);ERA s135(2)(b);ERA s136(2);ERA s160
Cases Cited Brannigan v Davison [1997] 1 NZLR 140;Manoharan v The Chief Executive of Waiariki Institute of Technology [2011] NZERA Auckland 427
Number of Pages 9
PDF File Link: 2014_NZERA_Auckland_177.pdf [pdf 283 KB]