Boss says sacked truckie so big the gear lever got stuck

A truck company boss who recommended stomach stapling to an obese driver when he sacked him after just six days is standing by his comments.

Godfrey Haulage managing director John Dynes was ordered to pay $14,500 to Bryan Douglas after the Employment Relations Authority found he had unjustifiably dismissed him. The case focused on a dispute over whether his trial period was a week, as claimed by the employer, or three months.

On the day of his sacking Mr Dynes told Mr Douglas he had a problem with his work and would have to finish up. In a statement, he claimed Mr Douglas couldn't climb the truck ladder properly, wasn't agile enough loading and unloading the vehicle and that the "gear lever got stuck because his obese leg got in the way".

"In the end I had to let him go because he was in danger of hurting himself and just couldn't do the job safely.

"I was honest when I let him go, and talked to him man to man."

He said his comments "were meant to be helpful to Mr Douglas, not to insult him".

"It's a sad day when you try to give someone an opportunity and despite your good intentions you end up by having to pay them thousands of dollars."