Restrictions OK
Jurisdiction Employment Relations Authority - Auckland
Reference No AA 215/04
Hearing date 14 May 2004
Determination date 24 June 2004
Member V Campbell
Representation M Ryan ; P McBride
Location Auckland
Parties Harding v CS Company Ltd
Summary UNJUSTIFIED DISMISSAL - Company restructured while applicant on parental leave - Applicant's position disestablished - Applicant not selected for remaining positions - Decision on applicant's future with defendant reserved until return from leave - Defendant refused to guarantee future employment but intended to seek alternative positions for applicant within company - Applicant believed employment terminated and did not return - Genuine redundancy of applicant's position - Fair process - Appropriate consultation and invitation for comment - Applicant informed of selection criteria - Criteria fairly applied - Other contenders better qualified and more experienced - Applicant remained employed by defendant after position made redundant - No dismissal - No clear sending away or clear unequivocal expression of intention to dismiss - PARENTAL LEAVE - No breach of Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987 - Redundancy situation specific exclusion from obligation to hold position open until return from leave - Divisional manager
Result Application dismissed ; Costs reserved
Statutes ERA s4;ERA s103;Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987 s41;Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987 s46;Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987 s51;Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987 s56(1)(b);Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987 s56(4);Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987 s58
Cases Cited Aoraki Corporation Ltd v McGavin [1998] 1 ERNZ 601 ; [1998] 3 NZLR 276;Auckland Provincial District Local Authorities Officers' IUOW v Waikato District Council [1990] 3 NZILR 871;Communication & Energy Workers Union Inc v Telecom NZ Ltd [1993] 2 ERNZ 429;Coutts Cars v Baguley [2001] ERNZ 660 ; [2002] 2 NZLR 533;Dunn v Methanex NZ Ltd [1996] 2 ERNZ 222;GN Hale & Sons Ltd v Wellington, Taranaki and Nelson Caretakers etc IUOW [1990] 1 NZLR 151;McKecknie Metals Limited v Schreiber [2002] 2 ERNZ 758;Combined Unions v NZMC Ltd [1983] ACJ 233;Principal of Auckland College of Education v Hagg [1997] ERNZ 116 ; [1997] 2 NZLR 537;Wellington International Airport Ltd v Air New Zealand [1993] 1 NZLR 671
Number of Pages 9
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