Police ordered to reinstate manager

File photo / NZ Herald

Reinstating a former Police Tasman district business services manager to an Otahuhu role is unacceptable, police have been told.

Derek Coffey had worked for police for 23 years before losing his job in February 2013 in a nationwide police restructure.

The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) ordered police to reinstate Mr Coffey after finding his redundancy invalid.

Police were ordered to reinstate Mr Coffey in a role that was "no less advantageous" than his previous role in Nelson.

He was offered the role of business services advisor in Otahuhu.

Police told the ERA Mr Coffey would be earning the same as his former role, and the conditions of the former role would apply. Therefore, police say the new role in Otahuhu would be no less advantageous.

The ERA found that the shift from Nelson to Otahuhu did make the job less advantageous.

It also found that the job had not been confirmed to use Mr Coffey's skills, abilities and qualifications because it hadn't been assessed to confirm the role would be in the same bracket as his former role.

The ERA ordered police and Mr Coffey to work out a new role at a more reasonable location.

Mr Coffey had agreed to working outside Nelson in the Wellington and Porirua area.

"Mr Coffey works for a national organisation so it is reasonable that choice and relocation are involved in the development of a position as it was in the reassignment process."

"Any such position must include value for the salary he is earning (as he has argued about in regard to the functionality of the Otahuhu position)," the ERA found.