Restrictions OK
Jurisdiction Employment Relations Authority - Auckland
Reference No AA 101/02
Determination date 12 April 2002
Member WRC Gardiner
Representation D Simpkin ; P Kumar
Location Auckland
Parties Blincow v Seafood & Eat It Ltd
Summary UNJUSTIFIED DISMISSAL - Whether dismissal or abandonment of employment - Absenteeism - Failed to attend work on several occasions - Alleged issued with final warning - Failed to attend after warning given - Impromptu meeting at start of shift - Alleged told no longer needed - Respondent argued had admonished applicant for absence - Claimed applicant had driven off after meeting - Nature of meeting suggested intention to dismiss - Meeting occurred whilst applicant still in car - Clearly suggested did not want attendance in store - Failure to contact after incident to determine whether wanted to continue work - Final warning had been issued - Dismissal without any procedural fairness - Dismissal unjustified - Could not claim dismissal justified if argue abandonment - Remedies - Contributory conduct - Failure to attend work or provide explanation significantly contributed to situation - Acquired new position 2 days after dismissal - Inappropriate to award lost remuneration
Result Application granted ; Compensation for humiliation etc ($500) ; Costs reserved
Statutes Holidays Act 1981 s30A(1);ECA s40(2);ECA s41(3);ERA s124
Cases Cited Belcher v Ayejay Enterprises Ltd unreported, Finnigan J, 29 July 1997, AEC 81/97;Coca-Cola Amatil (NZ) Ltd v Kaczorowski [1998] 1 ERNZ 264;Country Fare (Christchurch) Ltd v Dixey [1995] 2 ERNZ 372;Gibson v GFW Agri-Products Ltd [1994] 2 ERNZ 525;Northern Clerical etc Union v Emery Customs Brokers NZ Ltd [1990] 1 NZILR 634;Trotter v Telecom Corporation of NZ Ltd [1993] 2 ERNZ 659
Number of Pages 10
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