A nationwide logistics company must pay thousands of dollars to a long-serving truck driver who was wrongfully fired after refusing a drug test sparked by an unverified tip-off.
Philip Moller was awarded compensation and 13 weeks of lost wages after the Employment Relations Authority found his dismissal from Cardinal Logistics Limited was unjustifiable.
The dispute began on May 29, 2025, when the logistics firm received a text message from a former employee claiming they saw Moller driving a company truck erratically in the Sylvia Park area of Auckland under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Operations and transport manager Giyanesh Nand called Moller back to the depot, claiming there was a "query" to discuss. When Moller arrived, having finished his deliveries on Auckland's North Shore, management took him to an interview room and demanded he undergo an immediate drug test.
Moller refused, stating that he had already finished his shift, was about to start approved annual and birthday leave, and had not been given specific details about the accusation. He also felt management had lied to him about the nature of the meeting. The Head of People and Culture warned him he would face immediate suspension, but Moller stood by his decision and left the premises.
