An Oamaru irrigation engineer was unjustifiably dismissed and should be paid compensation for being dismissed two weeks after he handed in a notice of resignation, an Employment Relations Authority (ERA) ruling says.
An ERA hearing earlier this month heard that the Corner Store 2009 Ltd (formerly Think Water Oamaru) was unjustified in issuing a letter to Andrew Hobson terminating his contract just two weeks after he had handed in a resignation letter that stated he would work a four-week period of notice.
The letter required Mr Hobson to remove his personal belongings from the company vehicle and hand over the keys immediately.
He was then driven home from work by a colleague.
ERA member Helen Doyle ruled Mr Hobson should be paid $2692.30 for two weeks' lost wages and $3500 compensation for hurt and humiliation.
She said although Mr Hobson was paid two weeks' wages in lieu of notice, he was entitled to give a longer period of notice than the two weeks stipulated in his employment agreement.
''The Corner Store did not accept the longer period of notice and required Mr Hobson to leave immediately on March 1, a date he did not agree to. I find that constituted both a disadvantage and a dismissal.''
A counterclaim from the company that claimed Mr Hobson had not maintained the company vehicle was dismissed.
