July 2024 Update: Case Law summary for the month from across New Zealand
An employee's personal grievance raised five years after resignation resulted in a claim for unjustified dismissal. Various employment issues were highlighted, including an employer's failure to pay an employee on time, incorrect abandonment procedures, and justified termination. Employers were found to have conducted a fair redundancy process and adhered to disciplinary procedures, yet some decisions, such as instant dismissal by text for sudden leave, were deemed unjust. The Authority also sent a clear message about the importance of non-solicitation clauses and determined that employees are bound by their employment terms, even if unread.
In other cases, the Authority declined an interim injunction on restraint of trade, found no evidence of verbal compensation offers for ideas, and ruled that family carers are not government employees. Legislation updates were noted with current bills open for submissions. The Authority's decisions underscored the complexity of employment disputes, including justified and unjustified dismissals, the legitimacy of ending casual engagements by text, and the implications of settlement agreement breaches without penalties.
You can view ALL the latest updates on our Case Law page.
