KEY POINTS:
A woman has won an unfair dismissal case against her ex-boss, who sacked her for events leading up to a brawl that wrecked his wedding celebrations.
The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) found that Doreen Lelieveld's sacking was unjustified.
It ordered her employers, suit hire business Tir Na Nog Enterprise in Tauranga, to pay her more than $11,000 for loss of wages and compensation.
Ms Lelieveld had been employed on October 2006 by company owners Dessie and Rosie Cox, part-time at first, then full-time.
She was dismissed on the wedding night, after a brawl broke out and Mr Cox was assaulted by the bride's son.
Mr Cox was told that evening the brawl occurred because of "information relayed by Ms Lelieveld" to some guests regarding her concerns about the relationship between the Coxes.
Mr Cox immediately called Ms Lelieveld on her cellphone and dismissed her. He accused her in foul and insulting language of causing the trouble that night, the ERA found.
Numerous discussions were held subsequently but the issue could not be resolved.
The ERA said the hearing was characterised by "amnesia" of the witnesses in the case but it found that Ms Lelieveld was unjustifiably dismissed.
The company was directed to pay Ms Lelieveld $6808 for loss of pay and $5000 for arbitrary and unfair dismissal.
Costs were reserved.
- NZPA
