After Veolia re-secured the contract for the Queenstown Shotover sewage plant in 2023, it is alleged that several senior managers had their employment unjustly terminated.

It would seem the wastewater processing plant might not be the only thing that stinks. 

Amongst various claims the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) heard in early March 2025, it was suggested there was a “toxic culture” prevalent in the workplace at Veolia when a senior manager was dismissed from his position because his work outputs did not align with the company’s core values.

A complaint of this nature is called a “personal grievance” (PG) which can be raised by an employee if they feel they have been treated unjustifiably during their employment.

It’s important to understand that a PG can take 12-18 months to reach the point where you’re standing in front of someone with authority (an ERA member) who can finally tell you who is right, wrong, or otherwise. 

Raising PG

If your employee raises a PG claim, you as the employer must be given the opportunity to understand what the grievance is, and to address it. If you or the employee are unsatisfied with the outcome of the discussions, you are typically required to attend mediation via the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE). 

Try to resolve out of court

If the PG can’t be resolved via discussion and/or mediation, you can file for an investigation hearing with the ERA. 

If this is all starting to sound expensive, that’s because it is! As an employer, you might have insurance or a pre-paid support service to fall back on, but that isn’t likely to cover the settlement costs to resolve the grievance, nor the time, lost opportunity, and stress that are involved in resolving the PG.

What went wrong at Veolia

At the heart of the claim is whether the employee aligned with the core values of his employer due to his use of “robust” language in the workplace. The employee alleges he was frustrated, under-resourced and suffering from stress. Additionally, there are claims that Senior Managers at Veolia were making unreasonable requests that triggered emotional responses, and that correct processes hadn’t been correctly followed regarding the employee’s termination.

For Veolia, defending the claim of wrongful termination means an interruption to daily work plans, with senior managers and engineers out of the business. This comes at a critical time for Veolia who are already under extreme scrutiny with the Shotover Wastewater treatment plant, and more PGs alleged to be coming. 

Who Wins?

Regardless of the outcome for this case, it’s easy to see that there are no winners, although the employee could possibly walk away with a hefty payout if the company is found to be at fault. 

The best way to resolve a personal grievance, is to head it off before it becomes one!

How not to have a personal grievance raised against you.

• Know your company values – and demonstrate them on a daily basis.
• Have a robust suite of paperwork to detail job roles, company rules, communications, and internal processes.
• Communicate with your employees and listen to what they are telling you about the working conditions.
• Resolve or address the small issues, before they become big ones.
• Check with the experts

Call the team at EASI NZ for all your employment, and health and safety queries. www.easinz.co.nz