Restrictions OK
Jurisdiction Employment Relations Authority - Auckland
Reference No AA 454/05
Hearing date 26 Sep 2005
Determination date 29 November 2005
Member R A Monaghan
Representation M O'Brien ; D Smith
Location Auckland
Parties Carter v Southpark Corporation Ltd
Summary UNJUSTIFIED DISMISSAL - Constructive dismissal - Applicant recruited to position with respondent through recruitment agency K" - Respondent became almost immediately concerned about applicant's performance - Contacted K to express concerns that applicant's skill levels were not as had been represented - Respondent solicited other employees' views of applicants competence - Asked applicant to meeting to discuss how "things were going" - Prior to meeting K told applicant about respondent's complaints - Applicant believed that at meeting respondent told her he wanted her to start looking for another job over next two to three months - Took sick leave for rest of week - Meeting with applicant, respondent and K - Respondent asked applicant to leave room and he discussed concerns in more detail with K - Upon applicant's return to room she saw notes setting out other employees' comments - Felt she was being "performance reviewed" out of her job and did not return to work - Respondent did not raise concerns properly with applicant - Acted unfairly by questioning other employees about applicant's skills and attempting to use results without finding out what applicant thought - Applicant justified in concluding respondent wished her to leave - Respondent failed to adhere to undertaking in parties' employment agreement to be good employer - Circumstances amounted to dismissal which was not justified - Personal assistant"
Result Application granted ; Reimbursement of lost wages (3 months' salary less subsequent earnings) ; Compensation for humiliation ($7,500) ; Costs reserved
Statutes ERA s128
Cases Cited Review Publishing Ltd v Walker [1996] 2 ERNZ 407
Number of Pages 6
PDF File Link: aa 454_05.pdf [pdf 36 KB]