Restrictions OK
Jurisdiction Employment Relations Authority - Auckland
Reference No AA 10/06
Hearing date 14 Jan 2006
Determination date 18 January 2006
Member J Wilson
Representation A Swan ; C Goris (Respondent in person), T Strathdee
Location Auckland
Parties Turkish House Ltd t/a Techloom Carpet & Rug Creations v Goris and Ors
Other Parties The Interior Design Company Ltd, Stewart-Eder
Summary COMPLIANCE ORDER - DAMAGES - In 2003, applicant had asked Authority to issue injunctions against first respondent, restraining him from continuing his employment with the second respondent - Also sought to enforce a restraint of trade clause - Matter settled by settlement deed - Deed provided that applicant withdrew proceedings and respondents would not undertake certain activities - First respondent was ex-employee - Second respondent was ex-employee's new employer - Third respondent was from second respondent - Private investigator hired by applicant sought suggestions for interior design - Alleged respondents' response was in breach of deed - Sought damages - Even if it could be said that respondents breached deed, such breach did not cause any financial damages to applicant since private investigator did not purchase a rug from anyone - No evidence given that respondents carried out any commercial activity in breach of deed - Also, first respondent had not been employed in this line of business since February 2004 so was extremely unlikely to have breached the deed since then - Little chance of applicant proving claims - Also, while not a consideration that the Authority should give undue weight to, if such loses could be established, it was unlikely that those would be of such a magnitude as to justify the legal and other expense expended by the various parties
Result Application dismissed ; Costs reserved
Number of Pages 6
PDF File Link: aa 10_06.pdf [pdf 30 KB]