Restrictions OK
Jurisdiction Employment Relations Authority - Christchurch
Reference No CA 6C/10
Determination date 26 October 2010
Member J Crichton
Representation J Goldstein ; P Zwart
Location Christchurch
Parties Service v Young Men's Christian Association of Christchurch Inc
Summary COSTS - Successful interim reinstatement application - Successful personal grievance - Length of investigation meetings not specified - Applicant sought $16,000 contribution to total costs of $22,500 - Applicant claimed costs as wholly successful in both applications - Applicant claimed Calderbank offer made to respondent should be considered - Respondent sought costs on basis of two Calderbank offers made to applicant - Respondent claimed first offer should be considered as proposed far greater benefits than those awarded in Authority - Claimed should also be considered because applicant did not enforce grant of interim reinstatement - Found respondent unsuccessful party and not proper exercise of discretion to consider Calderbank offer - Found also offer did not address applicant’s fundamental concern at time offer made, namely reinstatement - Found not appropriate to take first Calderbank offer into account in fixing costs - Respondent claimed second Calderbank offer should be considered - Found applicant better off as consequence of Authority’s determination than would have been if accepted second offer - Found second Calderbank offer not to be taken into consideration - Found while compensation proposed in applicant’s Calderbank offer greatly in excess of amount awarded, offer did not discuss reimbursement of lost wages - Found effect of reimbursement of lost wages and compensation awarded in Authority close to amount sought in offer - Found applicant’s Calderbank offer to be considered - Authority found applicant’s costs reasonable and reasonable incurred - Found matter not straight forward - Found matter complex and challenging - Found in all circumstances award of $15,000 costs appropriate - Respondent to pay applicant $15,000 contribution to costs
Result Costs in favour of applicant ($15,000)
Main Category Costs
Cases Cited Allan v Ogilvy Wellington Ltd unreported, J Crichton, 24 Apr 2009, WA 50/09;Begley v Cropmark Seeds Ltd unreported, J Crichton, 7 Dec 2009, CA 168A/09;Graham v Airways Corporation of New Zealand Ltd unreported, A Dumbleton, 28 Jan 2004, AA 39/04;PBO Ltd (formerly Rush Security Ltd) v Da Cruz [2005] 1 ERNZ 808;Watson v New Zealand Electrical Traders Ltd t/a Bray Switchgear unreported, Colgan CJ, 24 Nov 2006, AC 64/06
Number of Pages 6
PDF File Link: ca 6c_10.pdf [pdf 26 KB]