Dismissal by text costs $15k

Warriors bidder Paul Davys has been ordered to pay $15,000 to a nanny he fired by text message.

Kelly Randall worked as Davys’ personal nanny and housekeeper after she saw an advertisement on Trade Me for a position working for ‘‘a busy businessman’’.

Randall took two days off to care for her son, who had undergone surgery, and when she returned she was told by text she was no longer needed.

‘‘Kelly, time to move on. I’m giving you two weeks’ notice to find another job,’’ Davys’ text said.

Davys, who was this year in discussions to buy the Warriors league club, is a director of franchise operation ChoiceKids and asked Randall to give her bank account details to the co-director and HR manager for ChoiceKids, Peter Brown.

Her duties included a list of maintenance tasks on Davys’ house as well as shopping and normal housekeeping duties, and looking after his dogs.

In March, Randall asked Brown for a payslip to confirm her income to the bank in relation to a loan application. Brown told her that she was being paid in cash and she did not receive payslips.

Randall said Brown’s response shocked her and she was going to speak to Davys about this. But before she could, her son had been taken into hospital. She notified Davys about having to take two days off.

When she returned to work and asked Davys for her pay, he replied by dismissing her.

The Employment Relations Authority found Randall was an employee, not a contractor as Davys claimed.

The authority ordered him to pay her 11 weeks’ worth of wages ($6875), $300 in holiday pay, and $8000 for humiliation, loss of dignity and injury to feelings.