'Humiliated' casino worker wins $12,000 payout

Christchurch Casino. File photo / NZPA

A casino worker made redundant while on parental leave to have a baby has been awarded $12,000 in compensation for "humiliation and distress".

Tanya Cooper was granted 13 months of parental leave for the birth of her son in 2009 by bosses at the Christchurch Casino.

Shortly after the shift manager's son came into the world, she was told her food and beverage department had undergone an internal review, and she was forced to reapply for one of the new jobs.

But she was unsuccessful and offered a lower level position which would require her to take a pay cut after six months.

Cooper, of Christchurch, refused the "demotion" and never returned to work, despite having been a long-time employee, who joined the company in 2003 and had enjoyed several promotions while also completing a bachelor of commerce degree.

Now, she has won an legal dispute with Christchurch Casinos Limited after the Employment Relations Authority ruled that her redundancy was not "genuine".

ERA member Helen Doyle said the review process and redundancy procedures adopted by the casino were "inadequate and unfair for a vulnerable employee such as Ms Cooper on parental leave."

Doyle concluded: "I am not satisfied that the redundancy was genuine and I was not satisfied that there was no prospect of Ms Cooper being appointed to a position that was substantially similar to the position held by her at the beginning of her parental leave. The process adopted by the casino was also unfair."

The ERA also ordered the casino to pay Cooper lost wages she was due.

Ms Cooper's mother Barbara provided a statement - that was not challenged by the casino - which said her daughter became "stressed and saddened" about the changes at the casino and had "cried a number of times with the worry".

The ERA determination says: "She (her mother) said that Ms Cooper was excited about her job with the casino and had every intention of resuming her career after parental leave.

"She felt that being offered a demotion was a black mark on her name and that she had put so much effort into her position before the parental leave.

"Ms Cooper is I find entitled to compensation for the humiliation and distress suffered and caused by a redundancy that was not genuine.

" In all the circumstance I am of the view that an appropriate amount for compensation is $12,000 without deduction and I so order."

The casino did not return a request for comment.