In brief Sacked worker wins $22k

A man who allegedly twisted the ear of a workmate like a “naughty child” has been awarded more than $20,000 in compensation after being unfairly sacked from his construction job. In addition to the ear-pulling accusation, “covert video” footage of Prince Dion Collier joking about relaxed work hours had surfaced and was also used against him in his dismissal. But the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) found both the alleged ear assault and the video were “insufficiently investigated” and as a result, Collier had been unfairly dismissed from his maintenance role with MD Construction Limited in 2020. He was awarded three months of lost wages and $22,000 in emotional compensation.