A restaurant manager who lasted only three weeks in a job where he was continually harassed with anti-gay comments by his boss has been awarded almost $15,000.
The man, who worked at the El Centro restaurant in Auckland's Mission Bay, said his employer Graeme Edwards continually made inappropriate comments, referring to him as a "fucking faggot" and telling customers and staff "not to bend over around him," reports the NZ Herald.
The Employment Relations Authority says the man was unfairly dismissed, and awarded him $7,000 damages along with $7,600 in lost wages.
The employee, who was not named, said his boss's comments were "humiliating, sexually discriminatory and abusive," making him feel "insignificant, worthless and isolated."
Bullying bosses pay
It's not the first time a Kiwi employer has been forced to pay out after a gay worker lodged a complaint with the Employment Relations Authority.
In 2005 the Authority ordered Maori Television to pay a lesbian newsreader $16,000 after their news and current affairs manager made homophobic remarks.
In 2008 an Auckland publishing company employee who was repeatedly teased about his sexuality was awarded more than $7,000 for hurt feelings and unjustifiable dismissal.
The same year, an HIV+ man got a $6,000 settlement following his 'humiliation and loss of dignity' at being constructively dismissed by his employer.
