Latest news with #EmploymentCourt
1News
a day ago
- 1News
Auckland University ordered to pay Siouxsie Wiles more than $200,000
The University of Auckland has been ordered to pay scientist Siouxsie Wiles $205,059.94. The payout – revealed in an Employment Court decision today – is towards Wiles' legal costs, after a three-week hearing in the Employment Court last year. In that case, the court found the university breached its contractual obligations to protect Wiles as harassment against her intensified during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, it did not find the university had breached Wiles' academic freedom, or claims related to Te Tiriti. In her decision today, Judge Joanna Holden said the parties were encouraged to agree to costs, but due to the university's response Wiles found it necessary to return to court. ADVERTISEMENT Wiles had said she spent $349,450.67 to fight her case last year but would accept $175,000 from the university towards costs. "The University's response was that it considered it was entitled to claim significant costs from Associate Professor Wiles … which would likely be in excess of $500,000 plus GST. It initially offered, on a without prejudice save as to costs basis, to settle costs on the basis that they lay where they fell, but later offered $65,000 (plus GST) as a contribution to Associate Professor Wiles's costs." The key issue appeared to be whether Wiles won her case last year or not. She claimed she had been the successful party. The university said there had been 'no winning party' last year, and that Wiles conduct of her case had increased costs. Judge Holden agree that there was significant time and effort spent on the issues of academic freedom and Te Tiriti at the hearing last year, which would have contributed to the $349,450.67 Wiles spent. However, on balance, the judge was satisfied that the starting costs figure of $176,182.30 was a fair one for costs in the circumstances of the case. In the end, Judge Holden awarded $180,582.30 for costs and $24,477.64 for disbursements.
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
Siouxsie Wiles 'absolutely delighted' by Employment Court ruling
Photo: RNZ Associate professor Siouxsie Wiles says she's "absolutely delighted" by a ruling which will see Auckland University pay her $205,059.94. towards her legal fees. It comes after the Employment Court ruled last year that the university breached its obligations to protect Wiles as harassment intensified during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, it did not find the university had breached Wiles' academic freedom, or claims related to Te Tiriti. Wiles told Morning Report the costs were meant to be a negotiation with the university "and it's really frustrating that they didn't do that negotiation in a way that's really fair, instead they threatened to come after me for something like $575,000 of their cost". She had offered to accept less a year ago than what the university now has to pay, she said. "It's very disappointing that we had to actually go back to the judge to deal with this." Wiles said she has spent about $600,000 on legal fees in total, including GST and the interest she will pay on bank loans. She spent $349,450.67 to fight her case last year, she earlier said. "This has been going on a long time and access to justice is very very expensive." She said it was "astonishing" that the university chose to fight the case and said it spent well over $1 million on doing so. Wiles said she was still subject to harassment but "it's not as bad as it used to be". "There are people who just won't let this go, they've really almost build a whole identity around the abuse and harassment that they are making out on other people." Wiles said she did not have any regrets. "We saved thousands of lives, people need to remember that, that our early experience of the pandemic was really really different than other countries. You know, New York was... digging mass graves... we saved lots and lots of lives and I don't think you can regret that." In a statement, Auckland University said the ruling about costs concluded the legal action and followed the Court of Appeal's recent decision to decline Wiles' application to appeal aspects of the Employment Court decision.
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Auckland University ordered to pay Siouxsie Wiles more than $200k
Siouxsie Wiles. File photo The University of Auckland has been ordered to pay scientist Siouxsie Wiles more than $200,000. The payout - revealed an Employment Court decision on Wednesday - is towards Wiles' legal costs, after a three week hearing in the Employment Court last year. In that case, the court found the university breached its contractual obligations to protect Wiles as harassment against her intensified during the Covid-19 pandemic. The microbiologist was a prominent public advocate and commentator as New Zealand officials responded to the outbreak. In her decision Judge Joanna Holden says the parties were encouraged to agree to costs, but due to the university's response Wiles found it necessary to return to court.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Auckland University ordered to pay Siouxsie Wiles more than $200,000
Photo: The University of Auckland has been ordered to pay scientist Siouxsie Wiles more than $200,000. The payout - revealed an Employment Court decision on Wednesday - is towards Wiles' legal costs, after a three week hearing in the Employment Court last year. In that case, the court found the university breached its contractual obligations to protect Wiles as harassment against her intensified during the Covid-19 pandemic. In her decision Judge Joanna Holden says the parties were encouraged to agree to costs, but due to the university's response Wiles found it necessary to return to court.
National Business Review
3 days ago
- National Business Review
Self-defence in the workplace: how much force is reasonable?
The Employment Court has upheld the dismissal of an Oranga Tamariki youth worker for using unnecessary force during an altercation with a rangatahi (young person). The worker, Ioana Hill, told the Employment Court she was entitled to defend herself under Section 48 of the Crimes Act, which is the
