Former Nosh worker gets payout for wage arrears

A Nosh store located in Mt Eden. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Nosh has been ordered to pay just under $3500 to a former employee after it didn't pay wages to a worker.

The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) ordered the upmarket supermarket chain to pay $3402, plus interest of 5 per cent per annum from June this year, and $71.56 in filing costs.

Merchandiser Jonathan Kubiak began working for Nosh in August 2015.

Kubiak claims in June this year Nosh did not pay all of his owed wages including his annual leave and holiday pay entitlements.

Nosh did not dispute the claim, and no one from the supermarket chain was present at the ERA's investigation meeting. No "good reason" was given as to why no one represented the company, the decision said.

The authority found Nosh to have defaulted in payment to Kubiak as outlined in his independent employment agreement.

It found that Kubiak was owed 9.5 alternative holidays, the equivalent of $2011.82 and annual leave entitlements of $1389.75.

The total amount of wage arrears was found to be $3402.13, to be paid 14 days within the decision. Kubiak also received $71.56 in reimbursement of the authority's filing fee.

Nosh was tipped into receivership in July. Before the receivership, staff were waiting to be paid wages and numerous creditors had ceased supplying the stores.

Nosh was bought by NZX-listed food investor Veritas in September 2014. Veritas took on $5 million of funding with ANZ to facilitate the acquisition from then-owner Paul Lucas who had taken over the business from founders Clinton Beuvink and Chris Moore.

Veritas struggled to make the grocery chain profitable and was forced to sell or close the business by ANZ late last year.

Sydney-based investor Andrew Guy Phillips bought the unprofitable chain through Gosh Holding for $4m saying he had the backing of a number of wealthy Kiwis. The stores closed in June for a reopening which never occurred.