Whanganui workers awarded $60,000 after being unjustifiably dismissed from jobs

Vault Bar & Eatery opened in the former Bank of New Zealand building in 2018, closing just six months later. Photo / Bevan Conley

Staff at a former Whanganui restaurant have been awarded a collective amount of $60,000 after the Employment Relations Authority found they were unjustifiably dismissed from their jobs.

Kiley Miller, Katisha Miller and Ben Dingle worked for Dalana Enterprises (DAL), trading as Vault Bar & Eatery on Victoria Ave until it closed in May 2019.

On May 15 the three attended a staff meeting where they were told the business had been sold but their jobs were safe.

However, the business never reopened and the three were left with unpaid wages and holiday pay.

None of the three employees received their final wages or accrued holiday payments.

Employment Relations Authority member Geoff O'Sullivan determined Dalana Enterprises' sole director Luton Gleeson was in charge of day-to-day management of the restaurant.

O'Sullivan said neither the company nor Gleeson's position was known because they had not responded to correspondence.

"DAL and their representative took part in an initial telephone conference with the Authority many months ago. There has been no further contact since. Luton Gleeson, DAL's sole director, has not responded to any attempts by the Authority to contact him and there has been no response to further correspondence."

The Employment Relations Authority ordered Dalana Enterprises to pay each employee $15,000 as compensation for humiliation and a collective $14,787 in outstanding wages and $1000 in costs to the Whanganui Community Law Centre.

It gave Dalana Enterprises until December 11 to make the payments, after which Gleeson would become personally liable.