Health bosses in the Waikato have paid out more than a quarter of a million dollars in personal grievances in the past year, including a payout to a nurse who fell asleep on the job.
Ian Sigglekow won an unfair dismissal case against the DHB in September last year, defending his behaviour by saying he was resting with his eyes shut.
But he did not get his job back with the DHB's forensic psychiatric service and received only a tenth of the $20,000 in compensation he was after.
His was one of 13 personal grievance cases taken by staff against the DHB between July 1, 2011 and June 30 this year, according to figures released to the Herald under the Official Information Act. A 14th case was claimed a year earlier but took until last year to be resolved.
The personal grievances were lodged by a doctor, a manager, eight nurses or midwives, two clerical and two allied-technical staff, and one non-qualified health care worker.