Tech boss awarded $120k

The former chief of Kiwi tech firm Motim Technologies has been awarded more than $120,000 by the Employment Relations Authority.

Andrew Plimmer spent more than a decade as chief executive of Motim, which developed augmented reality products for smartphones.

Majority-owned by start-up investor Powerhouse Ventures, the New Zealand company was sold to an American business last year.

Plimmer, who was also a shareholder in Motim, was against the deal and resigned shortly afterward.

The tech boss, who earned $195,000 a year, was owed $52,587 in salary arrears when he left Motim. He had foregone a salary for some time to help Motim’s cash-flow situation.

After issuing High Court action he was paid $15,000 and began proceedings with the ERA to recover the rest as well as $128,000 worth of outstanding annual leave.

ERA member Eleanor Robinson awarded Plimmer $35,083 in salary arrears and $85,725 of holiday pay.

She also believed it was appropriate for Motim to shoulder an $8000 penalty over the holiday pay issue.

However, she reduced it to $4000 to take into account the company’s “precarious financial situation”.

Plimmer will get 15 per cent of that amount and the Crown the rest.

Robinson also awarded Plimmer $3000 in costs.