Bay of Plenty District Health Board pays out half a million in grievances

Thursday, 8 November 2018

Information released shows 32 personal grievances were filed against the Bay of Plenty DHB since 2016 with 78 per cent of these resulting in settlements.

Almost $500,000 in personal grievances have been paid out by the Bay of Plenty District Health Board in the last three years.

Information released under the Official Information Act show 32 personal grievances were filed against the the employer since 2016 with 78 per cent of these resulting in settlements.

In total $496,160 was paid to employees, equating to $19,846 on average per complaint.

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The information comes after a damning report into the Bay of Plenty Mental Health and Addictions Services suggested a punitive work culture.

The head of the department resigned shortly after the report summary was released.

It has been revealed 107 employees have also resigned from the mental health and addictions services in the last five years.

The summary revealed an immense workload with staff saying 'It feels like we're drowning'.

Staff and board members refused to be interviewed about the report.

Bay of Plenty District Health Board corporate services general manager Owen Wallace provided a written statement about the payouts to employees.

'As a large employer with over 3500 staff and annual staff costs that exceed $250 million there will be occasions where the DHB faces being in an employment dispute with a staff member – for whatever reason, real or perceived,' he said.

'The payment data supplied reflects those events where the DHB has been in an employment dispute and has chosen to make a payment in the interests of resolving the situation as proactively as possible.

'In the vast majority of these cases no formal Personal Grievance was lodged with the Employment Relations Authority – rather the DHB has generally utilised mediation services in the interests of achieving a timely settlement without protracted processes and legal costs.'

Employment Lawyer's Danny Jacobson said there are many reasons an employee might raise a personal grievance against an employer.

'For example, they can be raised for dismissals or for disputes over redundancy,' he said.

'Most personal grievances do not go to hearing as mediation is the primary problem resolution method under the Employment Relations Act.

'MBIE estimates about 80 to 85 per cent of matters that go to mediation are resolved. From our own practice's perspective that number is much higher.'

Jacobson did say it is difficult to draw correlations between the amount of money settled on and the number, and types of complaints, but said there is generally a connection between the number of grievances raised and the culture of the employer.

'It all depends on an employer's approach to to dealing with its employment issues,' he said.