Restrictions OK
Jurisdiction Employment Relations Authority - Auckland
Reference No AA 220/06
Hearing date 1 Jun 2006
Determination date 26 June 2006
Member L Robinson
Representation L Campbell ; D Law
Location Auckland
Parties Wilson v Classic Manufacturing Ltd
Summary UNJUSTIFIED DISMISSAL – Poor performance – Respondent alleged applicant offered employment for six months as trainee and if satisfactory would be offered ‘permanent job’ – No written agreement so probationary term ineffective – After three months respondent met with applicant to review employment – Applicant told things not working out, her other employment was interfering with position, and she was not ‘mongrel enough’ – Applicant given one month’s notice – Respondent had not met minimum requirements for managing poor performance or procedural fairness – Decision to dismiss premeditated - Performance issues not put to applicant and she was not given opportunity to improve – Respondent fell into error because of reliance on probationary arrangement – Unjustified dismissal - Remedies – Earnings out of hours not relevant to assessment of lost wages – PENALTY – Applicant sought penalty against respondent under s63A Employment Relations Act 2000 – Authority not persuaded that penalty prescribed therein was properly imposed outside of bargaining context – Appeared that legislation did not prescribe a penalty in respect of a continuing breach of requirement, at bargaining, to provide employee copy of “intended” individual employment agreement, after bargaining has concluded – Declined to award penalty – Length of service 17 weeks – Trainee production assistant
Result Application granted ; Reimbursement of lost wages ($13,299)(31 weeks) ; Compensation for humiliation ($5,000) ; Costs reserved
Statutes ERA s63A;ERA s67;ERA s103A
Number of Pages 6
PDF File Link: aa 220_06.pdf [pdf 104 KB]