Retail assistant Gemma Pedersen was dismissed by WhatsApp/email during a six-month probation period for allegedly missing sales KPIs. She said she had not received the promised practical training and had never been put through a genuine performance process before termination.
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Results for 90 day trial
Personal Grievance (PG)
TopicA Personal Grievance (PG) is the main process employees use to challenge unjustified dismissal, unjustified disadvantage and other unlawful treatment at work. Time limits are strict and how the grievance is first raised can matter.
No Win No Fee
TopicNo Win No Fee employment advocacy means you usually do not pay professional fees upfront. Suitable employee cases are assessed on merit, evidence, likely recovery and whether the matter can be run commercially under the engagement terms.
People searching for an employment lawyer often need practical representation for a dismissal, Personal Grievance, mediation or Employment Relations Authority claim. In New Zealand, both lawyers and employment advocates can perform important representation roles, but they are not the same.
Duane April, a migrant worker, alleged Coatrite Fire underpaid his agreed hourly rate, made unlawful deductions, subjected him to racialised comments and later dismissed him after a defective disciplinary process. The decision maker did not attend the disciplinary meeting and important allegations were not fairly tested.
A Port of Tauranga stevedore was dismissed for medical incapacity after an asthma flare during dusty palm-kernel work. He sought interim reinstatement, arguing there was a serious dispute about the actual exposure risk, his capacity for modified duties and the employer's consideration of alternatives.
Aiga Faamanu Roache's Accounts Payable Team Leader role at Pamu was disestablished after automation reduced manual finance processing. The ERA examined whether Pamu had actually explained why her leadership role was surplus, allowed meaningful consultation and handled redeployment properly.
Ms Zheng worked for Eastpac and later disputed both the way her employment ended and substantial unpaid wages. A preliminary issue was whether her WeChat communications had raised an unjustified-dismissal grievance clearly enough and within the 90-day period.
