KEY POINTS:
Wellington, Oct 26 NZPA - A man who acted in an "arrogant, abrasive and dismissive manner" towards one of his employers has been awarded nearly $4000 for unfair dismissal.
John Corcoran took a case to the Employment Relations Authority against Graeme Rogerson and Denise Howell, alleging he was unfairly dismissed from Dormello Stud, a horse breeding operation.
Mr Corcoran's employment was arranged by Mr Rogerson, who was largely absent from the stud as he ran a number of stables in New Zealand and Australia.
Mr Rogerson relied on business partner Ms Howell and racing manager Murray Gregory to keep him up-to-date with issues concerning the stud.
However, "difficulties" arose between Mr Corcoran and Ms Howell in the early days of his employment.
"Mr Corcoran assumed he had been employed to provide his expertise in the setting up and management of a successful stud operation," authority member Janet Scott said in her finding.
However, he found he was questioned and/or countermanded by Ms Howell, who had business rather than stud breeding experience.
"Mr Corcoran found Ms Howell extremely difficult to deal with and argumentative," Ms Scott said.
"For her part, Ms Howell found Mr Corcoran's manner towards her to be rude and disrespectful. She said it was clear he did not like her and had no respect for her."
Matters came to a head during a meeting between Mr Corcoran and Mr Rogerson only about a week after formal employment started; he had lived on the property for about two months while familiarising himself with the operation.
Mr Corcoran said his recollection of the meeting included him saying he had no problems with Mr Rogerson.
"The only problems I have are with Denise," he told the authority.
Witnesses for Mr Rogerson say he made personal attacks on Ms Howell, including that she was "bullshitting" about an illness.
"I can't work with her and I won't work with her...", he allegedly said.
Mr Rogerson took that to be a resignation, while Mr Corcoran believed he had been dismissed.
Ms Scott found there was no genuine resignation and that Mr Rogerson rejected Mr Corcoran's attempt to have a further meeting several days later.
"Mr Rogerson did not act as a fair and reasonable employer would have acted in all the circumstances at the time," she said.
"I find, therefore, that Mr Corcoran was unjustifiably dismissed from his employment and he has a personal grievance against his former employer."
However, Mr Corcoran's contribution to the situation resulted in his compensation being halved.
"I find that Mr Corcoran, through his association with and employment by Dormello Stud acted in an arrogant, abrasive and dismissive manner toward Ms Howell," Ms Scott said.
She awarded Mr Corcoran $1442.31 for lost pay and $2500 for hurt, humiliation and injured feelings.
- NZPA
