Restrictions OK
Jurisdiction Employment Relations Authority - Auckland
Reference No AA 463/05
Hearing date 30 Sep 2005
Determination date 05 December 2005
Member M Urlich
Representation V Longone (in person) ; P Cullen
Location Auckland
Parties Longone v Auckland East Academy Ltd
Summary UNJUSTIFIED DISMISSAL - Serious misconduct - Respondent investigated complaint by trainee of sexual harassment by applicant - Respondent's investigation established that applicant told trainee (X") "you got a cute arse" - Procedural irregularities in disciplinary investigation - Not reasonable for respondent to rely on earlier examples of alleged instances of sexual harassment when these not put to applicant - Respondent relied on hearsay evidence that applicant had been told about another tutor's earlier complaint - Further allegation that other trainees had raised with applicant that his behaviour upset X - Applicant denied fair opportunity to comment on this further allegation - No thorough investigation into circumstances of complaint - Inappropriate for someone in applicant's position to make such a comment to student but no reasonable basis upon which respondent could conclude decision to dismiss justified in all circumstances - Remedies - Little or no effort to mitigate loss - Contributory conduct - 50 percent reduction for inappropriate comment - Hospitality tutor"
Result Application granted ; Reimbursement of lost wages (Quantum to be determined)(4 weeks) ; Compensation for humiliation etc ($5,000 reduced to $2,500) ; No order for costs ; Filing fee in favour of applicant ($70)
Number of Pages 6
PDF File Link: aa 463_05.pdf [pdf 37 KB]