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Oranga Tamariki summarily dismissed social worker Bigson Gumbeze after an external investigation into complaints about his supervision, dealings with managers and aspects of his practice. The ERA upheld the dismissal, but he challenged that result afresh in the Employment Court.

Urgent employer guidance for situations where dismissal or suspension is being considered and an immediate decision could create a personal grievance or destroy useful evidence.

After 21 years as a marketing manager, Glenice Cooper was dismissed for redundancy by Success Realty. By the investigation meeting the employer conceded the dismissal was unjustified, leaving the ERA to determine the proper level of lost remuneration, bonus and compensation.

Electrical Importing Co agreed Valerie Leech's core job terms and told her when to start before presenting a written employment agreement containing a 90-day trial clause. It later relied on that clause to dismiss her.

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.

Devon Whitham entered a tattoo and piercing apprenticeship that Brutalitees described as unpaid and contractor-like despite exercising close control over her work. The case concerned her true employment status, unpaid work and the heated meeting at which the relationship ended.

Brandt Tractor removed sales manager Nicholas Pilcher from the workplace on 'special leave', took his phone and laptop and then dismissed him five days later over four bullying and harassment complaints. He was not given the underlying complaints, even in redacted form, or a genuine chance to answer them.

Courier driver Xiaoshuai Huang was bitten by a dog, went on ACC and was pressured to withdraw his ACC claim on the basis that Fast Horse said he was a contractor. After he refused, he was removed from the work messaging system and stopped receiving jobs.