Restrictions OK
Jurisdiction Employment Relations Authority - Christchurch
Reference No CA 84/10
Determination date 09 April 2010
Member H Doyle
Representation J Beck ; M Nidd
Location Christchurch
Parties Taylor v Milburn Lime Ltd
Summary COSTS - Unsuccessful personal grievance - Less than one day investigation meeting - Applicant claimed issue of costs should be deferred until challenge in Employment Court heard - Respondent claimed appropriate to deal with costs now - Authority found appropriate to deal with costs - Respondent claimed incurred costs and disbursements of over $8,500 - Claimed Authority made credibility finding in favour of respondent - Claimed were significant matters of law requiring detailed submissions - Claimed had to compensate considerable witness expenses - Claimed put applicant on notice at very early stage would be seeking indemnity costs - Applicant claimed any costs award should be modest or costs should lie where they fall - Claimed nothing other than standard about conduct of investigation meeting - Claimed not reasonable for respondent to provide no breakdown of costs - Found no good reason to depart from principle that costs follow the event - Found indemnity costs not appropriate - Found fact party put on notice of possibility of indemnity costs would be sought did not mean was certain would be ordered - Found matter not factually complex but were some legal issues requiring careful consideration - Found no reason to depart from daily tariff approach - Applicant to pay $2,700 contribution to respondent’s costs
Result Costs in favour of respondent ($2,700)
Main Category Costs
Cases Cited PBO Ltd (formerly Rush Security Ltd) v Da Cruz [2005] 1 ERNZ 808
Number of Pages 4
PDF File Link: ca 84_10.pdf [pdf 18 KB]