Restrictions OK
Jurisdiction Employment Relations Authority - Auckland
Reference No AA 400/05
Hearing date 6 Sep 2005
Determination date 10 October 2005
Member Y S Oldfield
Representation M Singh (in person) ; P Wallace
Location Auckland
Parties Singh v Pedetentium Enterprises Ltd t/a Blade and Tool Services
Summary UNJUSTIFIED DISMISSAL - Constructive dismissal - Respondent bought business and took over applicant's employment - Two months after purchase owner increased sales aspect of applicant's role and decreased administrative role - Alleged lack of consultation over changes - Alleged racist comments by owner of respondent on two occasions - Applicant resigned - Racist comments not raised as issue until letter one month later raising grievance - Sales work component of job should not have been increased without consultation - No full consultation - Increase of sales work and failure to consult not such serious breaches that resignation reasonably foreseeable - If proven, racist comments would have amounted to sufficiently serious breach to make resignation reasonably foreseeable - On balance Authority unable to find that racist comments occurred - Applicant probably inferred racist attitude and reconstructed words that fitted his view of spirit of exchanges with owner - No constructive dismissal - No unjustified disadvantage - Sales, administration and customer service
Result Application dismissed ; No order for costs
Number of Pages 4
PDF File Link: aa 400_05.pdf [pdf 24 KB]