The context for this story …
WBI supports bullied workers primarily through education. The WBI director also serves as expert witness in American court cases. But this work pales in comparison to what our dear friend, Allan Halse, does for bullied workers in New Zealand. There, he is able to represent worker-clients in cases where employers use high-priced lawyers to pummel the workers. It’s a David-Goliath fight in every case: the citizen-advocate (and expert in the bullying phenomenon and graduate of WBI Workplace Bullying University) vs. legal teams representing bullying employers. Halse’s brave campaign runs on no money. Clients have nothing to pay unless they win, and unlike U.S. lawyers who do prevail in court on behalf of plaintiffs, he does not take 40% of any financial awards the stingy government agency (the ERA, see below) may rarely grant. For years, Allan has been subjected to an unprecedented and ostensibly illegal effort by the NZ government to bankrupt him.
Having visited NZ and met several CultureSafe clients, it is clear to us that the ERA understands/cares about neither bullying nor the implementation of the 2016 Health and Safety at Work Act that pertains most directly to bullying cases. Because Halse makes the ERA aware of its inappropriateness with each case he brings, the ERA is officially retaliating against the altruistic advocate.
The higher ranking Employment Court could set aside the ERA false claims or it could agree with them. Read the details.
Allan Halse
NZ’s leading anti-workplace bullying organisation at risk of being shut down
Friday 20th May is Pink Shirt Day, led by the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand. It aims to reduce bullying in Aotearoa by celebrating diversity and supporting schools, workplaces and communities to be safe. For Allan Halse, director of CultureSafe NZ, it’s Pink Shirt day every day.
Allan has been a nominee for the New Zealander of the Year awards in 2019, 2020 and 2022 for his work saving the lives of victims of workplace bullying. He works in excess of 80 hours per week, 52 weeks a year as an anti bullying crusader for very little monetary reward.
CultureSafe NZ Ltd is New Zealand’s only specialist anti workplace bullying organisation and has supported more than a thousand bullied workers since 2014. Surveys reveal that 89% of their clients have depression, anxiety or PTSD at time of engagement.
Ironically, CultureSafe NZ Ltd is at risk of being bullied out of existence on 7 June 2022. Since July 2018, the Rangiura Trust Board are believed to have spent more than $250,000 of tax payer health benefit funds, paying law firm Norris Ward McKinnon in an attempt to liquidate CultureSafe NZ Ltd and bankrupt it’s sole director.
“The alleged debt was established by the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) without a legal reason ever being divulged,” says Allan. He claims the litigation to have been politically motivated.
In 2018, The Rangiura Rest Home in Putaruru had 13 employees who were clients of CultureSafe NZ Ltd. Four of the employees were suicidal due to workplace bullying. Allan used his right to free speech and went public when the Rangiura Trust Board hadn’t addressed the bullying
As a consequence, the two bullies resigned, and all 13 clients returned to a safe work environnment. The chairman of the Rangiura Trust Board and two lawyers at Hamilton law firm Norris Ward McKinnnon, whose egos had been dented, started a personal vendetta against CultureSafe NZ Ltd and Allan.
An ERA member issued a non-publication order when they had no jurisdiction to do so. The member levied fines, penalties and costs of $67,000 without any legal merit. There are legal challenges to the ERA Determinations being heard by the Employment Court starting 23 May 2022.
CultureSafe NZ Ltd and Allan Halse are the only Employment Relations Authority (ERA) advocates to have had fines, penalties and costs levied against them in this manner in the 22 years since the ERA was established in 2000.
CultureSafe NZ Ltd
allan@culturesafenz.co.nz
phone: 021 900 508
website: http://culturesafenz.co.nz
