He moved cities, turned down another offer, and went to church with the boss
A law firm hired a newly graduated lawyer, failed to give him an employment agreement for four days, then paid him $1,200 to leave.
It cost the firm more than $20,000.
The Employment Relations Authority found the worker's dismissal from Shabani Law Limited was unjustified, ordering the Auckland firm to pay $5,509.74 gross in lost wages and $15,000 in compensation for humiliation, loss of dignity and injury to feelings, in a determination issued October 5, 2026.
The worker had completed a BA/LLB and was finishing his professional legal studies when he applied for a role the firm advertised on Student Job Search. The listing offered $24 an hour for 30 to 40 hours a week, covering criminal law, refugee law and immigration law.
After a phone call, a video call, and an in-person interview at the firm's East Tamaki office in March 2025, the worker felt the interview had gone well. The firm's sole director verbally offered to provide a contract that day, but the worker asked for time - he had another interview lined up.
Over the following days, the two spoke again. The worker's evidence was that he called to accept the offer on March 12, 2025, but the director pulled back, saying he needed to sort some things out. A second in-person meeting followed on March 17. The director asked about the worker's long-term intentions. The worker said he wanted to stay long-term and asked for an employment agreement.
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