Newsletter Articles 2015
1 December 2015
An Auckland man has been ordered to pay his former employer $7 million in damages - $1 million annually for a 7 year period. What could justify such a severe penalty being imposed on a single person? Can anyone really be liable for such a large sum of money? More...
4 November 2015
Daniel Craig has raised eyebrows and made headlines with his comments about his latest film, ‘Spectre’, and his time with the ‘James Bond’ franchise.
During an interview promoting the film, Craig responded to questions around the possibility of continuing to act as Bond by saying, “I’d rather break this glass and slash my wrists.” More...
2 October 2015
A recent determination by the Employment Relations Authority has widened the avenues for which an employee may challenge a redundancy.
The authority has scrutinised how an employee was selected for redundancy, after a contestable process, and held that the selection of that employee was not reasonable. More...
7 August 2015
We all have those mornings. The rain is bucketing down outside, it’s warm and cosy inside, and the motivation to go to work is utterly absent. More...
9 July 2015
Having just passed the middle of the year, there is opportunity for workplaces to organise “mid-winter Christmases” or similar events to celebrate workers surviving the trials and tribulations of six months at the coalface.
The responsibilities of employers around alcohol consumption at work parties have come into focus since the Australian Fair Work Commission ruled that an employee who drunkenly abused his bosses and co-workers was unfairly dismissed. More...
15 June 2015
In a world where social media has an ever-increasing influence on business, employers need to thoroughly consider their stance on the intersection of the two. Employers and employees alike grapple with the changing world of technology. There are some key areas that everyone should have some understanding of. More...
13 May 2015
Two recent health and safety cases highlight important lessons for employers to learn from.
Nathan Brooker suffered from profound intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy and spastic quadriplegia. He also suffered from epilepsy and was paralysed down the left side of his body.
On 10 January 2013 he was in the care of Idea Services. Idea Services is the service arm of the IHC. They provide individualised care to disabled people. IHC is a not for profit organisation, provides a wide range of services to over 750 group homes, and supports approximately over 7000 people. More...
16 April 2015
The Employment Relations Authority has upheld a decision to dismiss an employee for failure to attend alcohol rehabilitation counselling. However, in a similar scenario where an employee tested positive for cannabis, the Authority ordered interim reinstatement. This apparent contradiction can strike readers as perverse... More...
9 March 2015
Failing employment relationships may not always go out with a big bang. In some cases, a dysfunctional employment relationship may present itself simply by a host of small events which overall undermine the employment relationship. More...
4 February 2015
It is human nature to keep secrets, but in the context of employment, to do so can prove harmful to both employer and employee. William Hart learnt this truth after being dismissed seven weeks into his employment with Printlounge Ltd for neglecting to disclose a string of past criminal convictions including the murder of a woman. More...
