Victim of bullying at St John ‘vindicated’

Staffer gets payout and lost wages after 11-year saga. Damian George and Kendall Hutt report.

A former St John Ambulance employee who complained of bullying at the charity organisation has been awarded almost $68,000 after being wrongly fired.

James Hilford, who worked as a relief ambulance officer in Auckland, was sacked by the organisation in 2015 after raising complaints of bullying and subsequently taking time off for health reasons.

But the Employment Relations Authority has ruled the organisation was unjustified in the sacking, and failed to provide Hilford with adequate support or properly investigate the claims.

Hilford was awarded $35,000 in emotional harm and $32,918 in lost wages. St John had failed to provide a safe workplace, the decision, released this week, said.

Hilford said the outcome was ‘‘excellent’’ but ‘‘it’s taken too long, too much money and has had too much of a negative impact in my life and those around me to get to this point’’.

‘‘It’s never been about money, but it’s taken a huge amount to get this far and even though the win is vindication for the soul, it will not come close to paying the monetary loss.’’

According to the decision, Hilford claimed senior staff began bullying himin 2007 when he was accused of having an ‘‘attitude problem’’.

He previously worked as a St John volunteer for three years.

His claim of bullying continued through to 2014 when management stopped sending him the staff roster then struck his name off.

According to the decision, Hilford raised a personal grievance after complaining of being ‘‘covertly bullied and stressed’’ by two communications staff members.

The organisation also took issue with Hilford taking four weeks of sick leave saying it was a ‘‘considerable amount of time to be ill’’.

It asked Hilford to meet and discuss the ‘‘alleged ill-health’’ and, via his representative, advised his sick leave would now be logged as annual leave.

Hilford got a day’s notice of the meeting and could not attend.

The organisation said it was ‘‘incredulous’’ that Hilford had again refused to attend a meeting to discuss the issue, but the ERA said no other meetings had been arranged or spoken of.

At the time Hilford told management he was tired of being treated with disrespect and his complaints not being listened to.

St John later ordered an investigation but the complaints were dismissed.

This week St John director of people and capability Sue Steen said the organisation was considering the authority’s findings.

‘‘Our culture and our people matter to us and we are focused on delivering a safe and positive work environment for everyone.’’