Restrictions OK
Jurisdiction Employment Relations Authority - Auckland
Reference No AA 145/05
Hearing date 15 Apr 2005
Determination date 21 April 2005
Member L Robinson
Representation D Organ ; G Pollak
Location Auckland
Parties Mehta v Bremy Ltd
Summary UNJUSTIFIED DISMISSAL - Employment agreement provided for three month probationary period with monthly reviews - No formal review meetings conducted - Dismissed at end of probationary period for failure to complete projects in timely way - Meeting 16 days before dismissal amounted to review meeting - Some performance concerns raised - Meeting alone not sufficient to justify termination - Contractually entitled to more than one meeting - 16 days not reasonable opportunity to correct performance issues raised - Stated reason for dismissal not raised as principle concern in review meeting - No fair warning that dismissal possible if that concern not addressed - No meeting prior to dismissal letter to establish whether performance remained unsatisfactory - Dismissal unjustified - Remedies - No contributory conduct - Not inappropriate to award reimbursement of lost wages to employees subject to probationary periods - Could not take for granted that employment would not continue - Software developer
Result Application granted ; Reimbursement of lost wages ($6,666.67)(2 months) ; Compensation for humiliation etc ($500) ; Costs reserved
Statutes ERA s67;ERA s124
Cases Cited Nelson Air v New Zealand Airline Pilots Association [1994] 2 ERNZ 665
Number of Pages 4
PDF File Link: aa 145_05.pdf [pdf 41 KB]