At the coalface: the irate Karen Ken caller video
A short video about a caller wanting to speak to the manager. Is it Karen or Ken? Watch and see the argument play out.
The kind of calls we get to 0800 WIN KIWI
When an employment problem is live, people are stressed, angry, and looking for certainty. The problem is that employment law is fact-driven, and you cannot get a reliable answer without a basic set of facts. This video shows a common dynamic we see on calls to our helpline where callers get angry and swear at us.
What is going on here?
The dynamic is simple and common: a caller is frustrated, wants an immediate diagnosis, and treats the first point of contact like an obstacle rather than a professional. Sometimes it only takes one comment, one misunderstanding, or one "light joke" for the call to derail into insults and accusations.
What happened in this call (anonymized)
A caller rang wanting to speak to a manager. I had already sent him a link to our case form so we could collect the basic facts and triage the issue properly. He completed the form, but called again before I had a chance to review it and call him back.
- He raised a complaint about a comment I had made involving the letter "U" (as in "union" and "useless"). He believed I had said something more aggressive than what I intended.
- He said he was a union delegate and took offence, and the conversation moved away from his employment issue and into a demand to complain to a manager.
- I asked why he had completed the case form if his only purpose for calling was to complain, rather than to get help with the employment problem.
- The call escalated into swearing and personal abuse. At that point, the call was terminated.
Why it matters
- Your problem does not improve by escalating the call. It improves when the facts are clear and the next step is controlled.
- Deadlines matter. The fastest way to lose leverage is to miss a response date or walk into a meeting unprepared.
- What you say can become evidence. Texts, emails, recordings, and call notes can all turn up later.
If your employment issue is active right now
Call 0800 WIN KIWI (0800 946 549) or use the contact page. andersonlaw.nz/Contact. If you have a meeting invite, dismissal letter, restructure proposal, or "please respond by" email, have it open in front of you.
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