The redundancy was real, but withheld financials and a silent bullying process sank it
A Christchurch employer was ordered to pay $15,000 after a genuine redundancy was undermined by a botched consultation process and an unresolved bullying complaint.
Thomas Kenna worked as a senior assembly technician at Anztec Limited, a small manufacturer of change machines, carwash entry payment terminals and site management systems. He started in August 2021 and was earning $38.80 per hour when his employment ended. The company had seven staff, including owners Shane and Tracey Grose.
Trouble started in June 2024. Tensions between Kenna and co-workers, particularly Tracey Grose, led the company to bring in an employment consultant. On 11 June 2024, Kenna was handed a letter headed "Formal Notification of Concerns Regarding Workplace Bullying." It accused him of being "hostile and insubordinate" but named no specific incidents. A meeting followed two days later. Kenna said he asked for details and got none. The consultant later confirmed she destroyed her meeting notes.
Shane Grose said the matter was resolved and that Kenna's attitude "changed for the better." Tracey Grose agreed in an email a fortnight later. But no one told Kenna. No outcome letter was sent. The whole thing just went silent.
Five months on, Kenna returned from five weeks of overseas leave on 26 November 2024. Days later, on 29 November 2024, he was handed a proposal to disestablish his role. Anztec said demand for...
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