Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Plain Language Law homepage
112: Choice of procedures
or “ You can choose to complain about unfair treatment at work or to the Human Rights Commission, but not both. ”

You could also call this:

“If you're fired and want to complain about it, you can only do it through a special process called a personal grievance.”

If you’ve been dismissed from your job and want to challenge it, you can only do this through a personal grievance with the Authority. This is the only way to challenge your dismissal or any part of it, for any reason, in any court.

However, this doesn’t stop you from taking action to get money that you’re owed. You can still try to recover wages for your notice period, wages or other money related to your work before you were dismissed, or any other money that should be paid to you when you’re dismissed.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.


Next up: 114: Raising personal grievance

or “ How to tell your boss about a problem at work and when you need to do it ”

Part 9 Personal grievances, disputes, and enforcement
Personal grievances

113Personal grievance provisions only way to challenge dismissal

  1. If an employee who has been dismissed wishes to challenge that dismissal or any aspect of it, for any reason, in any court, that challenge may be brought only in the Authority under this Part as a personal grievance.

  2. Nothing in subsection (1) prevents an action under this Part to recover—

  3. wages relating to a period of notice or alleged period of notice; or
    1. wages or other money relating to the employment prior to the dismissal; or
      1. other money payable on dismissal.