Sacked shop worker awarded $19k payout

A woman fired after an argument about convenience store credit has led to her being awarded almost $20,000.

The Employment Relations Authority found Kelly Anne Sullivan had been unjustifiably dismissed after she raised a personal grievance against her Edendale employer, Erman Private Ltd.

In a decision released by the authority, Sullivan says she was left unsure if she could afford suitable Christmas presents for her daughter after being fired from her convenience store job in November 2018.

Sullivan also claimed she suffered humiliation and loss of dignity.

Sullivan was employed by Erman Private from February to November 2018 and was given a line of credit to buy groceries, the authority’s decision said.

On November 1, 2018, the company’s sole director, Gurpreet Singh, phoned Sullivan. She claimed he aggressively demanded she pay her $225.40 debt. Singh denied using profane language.

After a text conversation about paying the bill, Sullivan indicated she would be taking the ensuing Friday, Saturday and Sunday off as she had worked 10 days in a row and intended to limit her future hours to about 40 to 50 per week.

‘‘I am getting stressed being at work all the time to help you . . . I love my job and I work hard,’’ Sullivan told Singh.

Singh emailed Sullivan with the subject line ‘‘first written warning’’, writing that her excuses for being away from work on busy days were affecting the business.

She was honest and hard working but needed to take responsibility, Singh said.

‘‘Singh appeared to be driven by his anger around the exchange about the payment of the debt owing,’’ the decision said.

The next day Singh sent a second email, with the subject line ‘‘notice served’’.

Sullivan was told she was fired and her debt would be deducted from the pay cheques she was owed.

Authority member David Beck found Singh’s actions to be ‘‘procedurally deficient’’ and that the dismissal was unjustified. ‘‘Mr Singh sadly overreacted and behaved in an unnecessarily overbearing manner,’’ he said.

Singh dispensed of Sullivan’s services in a ‘‘callous fashion’’, Beck said.

Erman Private was ordered to pay Sullivan $15,000 compensation, $4872.45 in lost wages, $3000 for court costs and $77.96 in holiday pay.

The Edendale store closed last year.