A bus driver who did not make the final stops on her urban route, to instead use her own toilet at home, has been awarded more than $22,000 following an employment dispute.
Shifts suddenly stopped being allocated to the driver after a disciplinary investigation into the detour was launched by bus company Ritchies Transport Holdings Limited.
Ritchies had believed she was a casual employee and so could stop offering shifts, but in a decision out Friday, the Employment Relations Authority ruled the driver was a permanent employee.
The Authority ruled she had been unjustifiably dismissed because her extensive, consistent hours over a 15-month period meant her employment had evolved from a casual contract into a permanent role.
Ritchies failed to follow any formal dismissal process when it ceased offering her work, the ERA found.
