Restrictions OK
Jurisdiction Employment Relations Authority - Wellington
Reference No WA 126/06
Hearing date 15 Sep 2006
Determination date 19 September 2006
Member D Asher
Representation S Webster v A Drake
Location Wellington
Parties Worsley v AFFCO New Zealand Ltd
Summary INTERIM REINSTATEMENT - Applicant dismissed for failure to adhere to protocols and policies - Sought urgent interim reinstatement - Respondent opposed application - Argued employee in management position required high degree of trust and confidence - Respondent submitted contributory fault meant applicant unlikely to be permanently reinstated - Accepted applicant had arguable case - Applicant in employment and able to recover lost wages and compensation - Respondent in off season and no date set to re-open - Date for substantive investigation meeting available soon but applicant chose to proceed with interim investigation - Balance of convenience and availability of alternative remedies favoured respondent - Respondent faced serious difficultly justifying dismissal - Except for admission directed another employee to delete a file, no basis to claim could not have trust or confidence in applicant - Unjust for exemplary long service to be set aside by what appeared to be spur of the moment, low level action brought about by stress during disciplinary process - Overall justice favoured interim reinstatement - Parties directed to mediation - Cool store supervisor
Result Application granted ; Interim reinstatement ordered ; Parties directed to mediation ; Costs reserved
Statutes ERA s127;ERA s159
Cases Cited Baker & Ors v Armourguard Security Ltd [1998] 1 ERNZ 424
Number of Pages 9
PDF File Link: wa 126_06.pdf [pdf 40 KB]