Restrictions OK
Jurisdiction Employment Relations Authority - Auckland
Reference No AA 234/08
Hearing date 19 May 2008
Determination date 07 July 2008
Member M Urlich
Representation B Quarrie ; N Dines
Location Auckland
Parties Schollum v Orange Wood Ltd
Summary ARREARS OF WAGES – BREACH OF CONTRACT – Applicant sought reimbursement for time worked in excess of contracted hours over three year period - Applicant claimed respondent agreed hours worked in excess of 2250 per annum would be fully reimbursed on resignation as paid time in lieu – Respondent argued employment agreement (“EA”) clear that as salaried employee, applicant required to work necessary hours to complete duties and excess hours to be worked by mutual agreement – Respondent argued no agreement for reimbursement – Applicant accepted term not recorded in EA but claimed parties agreed in meeting – Authority found no record of any such agreement - Found subsequent conduct did not support existence of term, such as not reported to respondent’s board, not budget item and not raised until applicant resigned three years later – Found no term in EA that applicant receive paid time in lieu for excess hours – Applicant claimed worked excess hours under reasonably held belief would be remunerated – Authority found parties agreed upon salary for all hours worked – Found parties agreed maximum hours worked not to exceed 2250 per annum without mutual agreement – Found no discussion to vary salary or maximum hours – Found applicant did not seek to enforce maximum by negotiating payment or refusing to work - Found EA fixed remuneration for all hours worked and that those hours were worked by mutual agreement
Result Application dismissed ; Costs reserved
Main Category Breach of Contract
Cases Cited Lamont v Power Beat International Limited [1998] 2 ERNZ 20
Number of Pages 7
PDF File Link: aa 234_08.pdf [pdf 30 KB]