Nosh-linked firm to pay former worker $11,000

Defunct grocery store Nosh has been ordered to pay a former employee $11,000. Photo / file

A company linked to failed grocery chain Nosh has been ordered it to pay a former employee nearly $11,700.

Nosh Group, which ran the grocery chain, was placed into receivership in July and receiver Damien Grant previously said he was "not optimistic" about staff receiving wages or holiday pay they were owed.

The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) today released a decision ordering the company to pay a former produce manager, Ka Fai Jarvis Kwan, $11,700 within a week of the determination, which was delivered on September 12, for unpaid wages, holiday pay and costs.

Kwan left his job on June 8 but did not receive his final pay cheque.

No one appeared on Nosh's behalf at the ERA's meeting and "no good reason has been given for its failure to attend or be represented", the decision said.

"The Authority has a copy of a letter from Waterstone Insolvency notifying Mr Kwan that Nosh Group Limited has been placed in receivership," the ERA decision said. "That letter overlooks the fact that Nosh Food Market Ltd is the name of the employer set out in the written employment agreement and is still registered on the Companies Register."

Nosh Food Market is a subsidiary of Nosh Group, the company in receivership.

The ERA ordered Nosh Food Market to pay Kwan $11,700.

Nosh closed its Auckland stores in June ahead of a planned relaunch later that month.

When the time came, notices posted on store windows said the relaunch had been delayed until July 8.

That relaunch didn't happen on that day either.

Three staff members, who did not want to be named, previously told the Herald they were waiting to be paid wages and holiday pay.