Restrictions OK
Jurisdiction Employment Relations Authority - Auckland
Reference No AA 293/05
Hearing date 2 Aug 2005
Determination date 02 August 2005
Member V Campbell
Representation G Zhang (in person) ; no appearance
Location Auckland
Parties Zhang v Anim8 Production Ltd
Summary UNJUSTIFIED DISMISSAL - No appearance by respondent - Occurred after 1 December 2004 - Respondent alleged no employment relationship - Written employment agreement showed employment relationship existed - Whether dismissal - When applicant arrived on first day of work respondent told him project was not ready and he should go home - For two month period applicant regularly contacted respondent enquiring about start date - No pay - By not providing work, respondent dismissed applicant - Key issue whether in all circumstances actions of respondent were what fair and reasonable employer would have done - Emphasis on employer - Respondent knew contract applicant was employed to complete was not going ahead - Allowed applicant to believe job was available - Fair and reasonable employer would have met with applicant and discussed respondent's situation openly as early as first week of relationship - Dismissal unjustified - Remedies - Applicant new immigrant and suffered downgrading of credit rating - Senior storyboard artist
Result Application granted ; Reimbursement of lost wages ($8,000)(2 months) ; Compensation for humiliation etc ($5,000) ; No order for costs ; Disbursements ($70)(filing fee)
Statutes ERA s103A;ERA Second Schedule
Number of Pages 5
PDF File Link: aa 293_05.pdf [pdf 19 KB]