Restrictions OK
Jurisdiction Employment Relations Authority - Auckland
Reference No AA 262/07
Hearing date 8 Aug 2007
Determination date 28 August 2007
Member L Robinson
Representation K Single ; M Ward-Johnson
Location Auckland
Parties Buck v Gourmet Foods Ltd
Summary UNJUSTIFIED DISMISSAL - Constructive dismissal - Applicant claimed respondent’s breach of duty of trust and confidence caused resignation - Claimed respondent’s “cavalier attitude” impeded resolving issues with customers - Claimed embarrassed in front of customer because misinformed by management - Claimed management acknowledged new product substandard but launched anyway - Claimed customers lost trust and faith in company and him personally - Claimed once trust and faith lost, own trust and confidence with respondent also lost - Letter of resignation did not state reasons for resignation - Authority found duty of good faith in s4 Employment Relations Act 2000 wider in scope than implied mutual obligation of trust and confidence - No evidence of continuous customer complaints or specific instances of customers losing confidence - Clients were respondent’s clients, not applicant’s - Evidence respondent took applicant’s views into account - Resignation not caused by breach of any duty - Regardless, none of alleged breaches reasonably foreseeable as posing substantial risk of resignation - No constructive dismissal - Area sales manager
Result Application dismissed ; Costs reserved
Main Category Personal Grievance
Statutes ERA s4
Number of Pages 5
PDF File Link: aa 262_07.pdf [pdf 23 KB]