ERA finds Auckland pizza chain directors personally liable for employment premium and wage breaches
Two directors of an Auckland pizza restaurant chain have been ordered to repay nearly $40,000 after the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) found they received an illegal employment premium from a migrant worker's family and underpaid two employees in breach of minimum wage laws.
The company and its two directors were found to have breached multiple employment standards following a Labour Inspectorate investigation.
The case began when two Indian migrants were recruited to work at an Auckland pizza restaurant's Northcote store ahead of its opening in early 2023.
Both employees were interviewed in February 2023 and verbally offered roles, subject to obtaining valid Accredited Employer Work visas.
Shortly after, the father of one of the employees transferred $20,000 into each director's personal bank account, totalling $40,000. The directors claimed the funds were passed on to an immigration agent to cover visa costs.
The Labour Inspectorate received a formal complaint from one of the employees in October 2023 and launched a wider investigation the following month.
A draft investigation report was sent to the respondents in October 2024, with the final report issued in February 2025. The investigation meeting was deferred three times before proceedings took place across January, March, and April 2026.
The Authority rejected the directors' immigration agent...
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