Wife’s PG results in $93,000 award against her husband…

A falling out in the marriage had its sequel in the Employment Relations Authority when the wife’s claim for unpaid wages and holiday pay was upheld by the ERA.

The husband returned from overseas and accused his wife of embezzling money from the business which he owned and she was employed by.  The wife excluded the husband from the matrimonial home and he retaliated by cutting off her pay (as well as the power and phone utilities).

The husband then began harassing his wife at work and issued a trespass notice to keep her away from the workplace.

The wife made a claim for her unpaid wages, holiday pay and compensation and the ERA held that her dismissal was unjustified as no proper process was followed and no grounds for dismissal existed.  The ERA awarded $66,600 for wage arrears, $4,800 holiday pay, $11,700 lost wages and $10,000 compensation.

Alan Knowsley.