A Turangi holiday park owner has been ordered to pay his former managers more than $40,000 after he stopped talking to them, bills went unpaid and the power was cut off.
Tony Wallace and Kathleen Hudson went to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) saying they were unjustifiably dismissed, and seeking unpaid wages and compensation after they were employed last June by owner Peter Yee to manage the Turangi Cabins and Holiday Park.
They were to be paid $1000 a week after tax and look after the bills while making improvements to the park.
However, not long after they started Ms Hudson found her access to the park's banking was denied. The pair decided to put money through Mr Wallace's own account rather than paying bills individually in cash - including staff wages.
There were then problems speaking to Dr Yee and getting reimbursed.
They said Dr Yee then changed their duties in October - asking them to simply meet and greet people.
The next month a friend of Dr Yee demanded the keys to the office and said he was the new manager.
However, the pair were worried enough about the man's actions and behaviour to call police, who escorted the man off the property.
The camp's power was then cut off because the electricity bill was not paid. Mr Wallace organised a generator but it had to be turned off at night because it was too loud.
The situation deteriorated and the pair decided to close the campground, which infuriated Dr Yee. They say he "fired" them on December 7.
In his decision, ERA member Paul Stapp said Dr Yee did not attend the hearing and he had to accept the pair's claims for unpaid wages.
Dr Yee had not justified the dismissal with any reason and did not follow any procedure, Mr Stapp said.
He ordered Dr Yee to pay Mr Wallace $23,102 for unpaid wages, humiliation and lost wages while looking for other work.
Ms Hudson was to receive $18,500 for unpaid wages, humiliation and lost wages while looking for other work.
