A Whakatane bar has been ordered to pay its former duty manager more than $4000 after she was found to have been unjustifiably dismissed.
The Employment Relations Authority has released its determination on a claim by Maria Te Ariki against the Commercial Hotel. Ms Te Ariki was a duty bar manager at the hotel from October 2010 until she was fired in February last year.
The authority found the relationship between Ms Te Ariki and hotel proprietor Selena Te Amo had been satisfactory until February 2012 when Ms Te Ariki began going through "serious personal stuff". During Christmas 2012 a dispute arose around leave arrangements and in January Ms Te Ariki took alcohol without payment, however neither incident was raised as a disciplinary matter.
On January 30, 2013 Ms Te Amo was assaulted at another Whakatane bar. At a staff meeting days later Ms Te Ariki said "what goes around comes around" and told her boss "everyone hates you, Selena", the determination stated. At a meeting on February 8 Ms Te Amo informed Ms Te Ariki her employment was terminated.
The authority ruled that was unjustified as Ms Te Amo had not informed Ms Te Ariki her employment was in jeopardy or that she could be dismissed as an outcome of the meeting.