Restrictions OK
Jurisdiction Employment Relations Authority - Auckland
Reference No [2011] NZERA Auckland 151
Hearing date 16 Mar 2011
Determination date 13 April 2011
Member R A Monaghan
Representation K McLean (in person) ; V Pilbrow
Location Tauranga
Parties McLean v Overdimensional Haulage Ltd.
Summary ARREARS OF WAGES – Applicant sought to recover outstanding wages – Respondent denied wages outstanding – Employment of seven months – Respondent unsuccessfully attempted to employ applicant through beneficiary training programme - Parties made own arrangement that applicant would be trained by respondent – Applicant received sickness benefit and cash payments for expenses until became permanent employee - Discrepancies between diary notes and route worksheets of hours worked - Authority relied on route worksheets as no other records available – Applicant sought payment at $16 hourly rate – Applicant submitted first six weeks were unpaid training period but also acknowledged parties agreed would be on three-month training course – Submitted understood payment would commence after successful training completed – Respondent submitted applicant’s skills inadequate and could not leave applicant to drive truck on his own – Submitted applicant’s performance was never at acceptable level and could not pay applicant as permanent employee – Authority found parties never agreed about applicant’s hourly rate – Found respondent could not continue training arrangement indefinitely – Found applicant entitled to be paid minimum wage for period worked – Authority calculated applicant owed $7,060 wages in total - Found applicant effectively paid wages of $5,867 after taking into account petrol and food personal expenses paid for by respondent – Respondent to pay applicant remaining balance, if any, after $5,867 and tax payable deducted from total owed - ARREARS OF HOLIDAY PAY – Applicant did not seek holiday pay – Authority found applicant entitled to holiday pay for period of employment - Driver
Result Application granted ; Arrears of wages (Quantum to be determined) ; Arrears of holiday pay (Quantum to be determined) ; Disbursements in favour of applicant ($71.56)(filing fee)
Main Category Arrears
Number of Pages 5
PDF File Link: 2011_NZERA_Auckland_151.pdf [pdf 15 KB]