ERA awards $10k after employer separates couple's shifts
16 May 2025
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The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) recently dealt with a case involving a critical care paramedic who claimed he was disadvantaged by his employer's decision to change his roster to prevent him working with his romantic partner.
The worker had been employed by a rescue helicopter service providing emergency medical transport in Auckland and Northland.
The worker argued that he had been unfairly treated when his employer decided he should not work alongside his partner on the same aircraft. He claimed this constituted discrimination based on his family status and that the employer failed to properly consult with him before making significant changes to his working arrangements.
The dispute highlighted the tension between workplace safety concerns and personal relationships, raising questions about how employers should balance operational requirements with employees' personal lives.
The worker was employed as a critical care paramedic and paramedic air crew officer with winch operating duties at a rescue helicopter service. He began seeing a fellow paramedic, referred to as Ms T, in April 2023.
At that time, they worked on the same watch or shift line, meaning all their shifts were the same, with four days on duty followed by four days off.
When the relationship began, the worker had an informal discussion with a manager in the carpark. He was told...
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