Restrictions OK
Jurisdiction Employment Relations Authority - Auckland
Reference No AA 183/05
Hearing date 31 Mar 2005
Determination date 18 May 2005
Member K J Anderson
Representation T Oldfield ; JL Fenandos
Location Auckland
Parties Toloke v Logan & Associates NZ Ltd
Summary UNJUSTIFIED DISMISSAL - Respondent took over ownership of rest home where applicant worked - Respondent alleged applicant abandoned employment following receipt of a final written warning - Applicant was dismissed after being accused of taking food from kitchen - Respondent produced letter he alleged was written by previous owner - Previous owner confirmed she had not written letter - Letter fraudulently written in attempt to mislead Authority - Respondent also produced written warning allegedly given to applicant - Suspected warning also constructed by respondent to justify actions - Accepted applicant never received warnings - Respondent also produced written statement allegedly by registered nurse/manager at the time - Doubted the person respondent said was registered nurse/manager ever worked at rest home - Dismissal procedurally and substantively unjustified - Remedies - No evidence of lost wages - PENALTY - Alleged failure to provide wage and time records - Difficult to establish where responsibility lay since change in ownership - ARREARS OF WAGES AND HOLIDAY PAY - Respondent to pay applicant two days wages - No evidence as to holiday pay due and owing and uncertainty as to whether respondent was liable - Applicant could make complaint with Labour Inspector if wished - Caregiver
Result Application granted (Unjustified dismissal) ; Compensation for humiliation etc ($6,000) ; Arrears of wages ($168)(2 days) ; Application dismissed (Penalty) ; Disbursements in favour of applicant ($70)(Filing fee)
Number of Pages 5
PDF File Link: aa 183_05.pdf [pdf 28 KB]