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Lita Beattie worked as Head Chef/Kitchen Manager in a relationship the respondent treated inconsistently and left with significant wage arrears. The ERA had to determine employee status, unpaid entitlements and whether employer conduct forced her resignation.

Sidney Yu and Jing Tham were engaged by Queenstown Nursery for temporary plant work and were later selected to stop working, with the employer relying on weather and alleged comparative inefficiency. The case concerned whether the casual or short-assignment characterisation justified ending their work without a fair process.

Tasman Rugby Union dismissed chief executive Steven Mitchell after an organisational review became intertwined with later misconduct allegations. He sought interim reinstatement, arguing the process appeared predetermined and that his substantive dismissal grievance had real strength.

Amanda Bradley challenged FENZ's handling of her eligibility for FireSuper and the way information about that benefit was communicated after she took a newly created regional training-management role. The case focused on whether misleading or inadequate communication caused an employment disadvantage.

Friendly Loans dismissed Filisi Beswick for medical incapacity less than four weeks after hospitalisation, despite updated information that her condition had improved and requests to discuss returning or working from home. The employer also deducted $2,439.09 from her final pay for a loan.

Emma Baldwin returned to RJ Hospitality after parental leave to a dispute over rostered hours that had previously operated on a stable and regular basis. She challenged unilateral changes to that pattern and later claimed the breakdown of the relationship also amounted to dismissal.

Ilalio Solomona was dismissed by Auckland Council after conflict-of-interest concerns about his outside personal-training business. Although his employment obligations could legitimately restrict outside activity, the disciplinary process did not put the contractual obligations actually relied on to him for response.

Neil Hall was made redundant from Consultex's Northland asbestos and mould work after a downturn that gave the employer a genuine reason to reduce headcount. The dispute centred on whether Consultex complied with its good-faith information and consultation obligations before choosing and implementing the redundancy.