New Zealand unfair dismissal (unjustified dismissal) case summaries from the Employment Relations Authority (ERA), explaining key facts, outcomes, and lessons for employees and employers.
These unfair dismissal (unjustified dismissal) case summaries cover Employment Relations Authority (ERA) decisions from across New Zealand. Each case highlights the facts, the Authority's reasoning, and the outcome, so you can see what tends to help or hurt a dismissal justification.
If you are dealing with a dismissal dispute, these examples can help you understand common errors in process, the standard of reasonableness applied, and typical remedies where a dismissal is found to be unjustified.
![MURRAY v OWAKA MOTORS (2008) LIMITED [2025] NZERA 207 - The Authority ordered remedies and addressed unjustified dismissal issues (partly successful).](/Images/site/EmploymentAdvocatesAucklandCard.jpg)
The Authority ordered remedies and addressed unjustified dismissal issues (partly successful). Mr Murray alleges Owaka Motors (2008) Limited (the employer) unjustifiably dismissed him for losing his licence, unlawfully discriminated against him on the grounds of mental...
The Authority ordered remedies and addressed unjustified dismissal issues (partly successful). She further says Winton failed to address the distress and harm she experienced as a result of that behaviour; told her the behaviour would likely continue; told her that the...
The Authority ordered remedies and addressed unjustified dismissal issues (partly successful). After just over two years, Lincoln University disestablished the RFT role based at MGS and as a result Ms Cheng's employment came to an end on 1 May 2024 by reason of redundancy.
The Authority ordered remedies and addressed unjustified dismissal issues (partly successful). Mr Callen then identified an unjustified dismissal claim in an application to the Authority of 25 October 2023.
The Authority found the employee was unjustifiably dismissed (abandonment was not made out) and awarded remedies. The Authority ordered lost earnings, reimbursement of deductions, annual leave and compensation.
The Authority ordered remedies and addressed unjustified dismissal issues (partly successful). During the day on 23 July 2020, WeChat messages show Ms Liu also tasked Ms Zheng with taking minutes of a meeting and distributing them to everyone in a staff work group.
The Authority ordered remedies and addressed unjustified dismissal issues (partly successful). Ms Thing (quoted wording omitted) and returns to work [18] On 30 April 2022, Ms Thing informed Ms Liu via WeChat message that she was resigning as she did not think the job was...
A penalty determination was made. He says he had no choice but to resign due to an unfair and unjustified investigation the employer undertook into alleged conduct of his and that his resignation was in law an unjustifiable constructive dismissal.
