Employment Court Releases Decision on Who Employed Gloriavale Men

The Employment Court has released its decision on who was the employer of Gloriavale members who filed a case in September 2021 (HOSEA COURAGE, DANIEL PILGRIM AND LEVI COURAGE v THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL SUED ON BEHALF OF THE MINISTRY OF BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND EMPLOYMENT, LABOUR INSPECTORATE [2024] NZEmpC 222).

Chief Judge Christina Inglis has said in today’s decision, “I am satisfied, based on the evidence before the Court, that the Overseeing Shepherd (regardless of the identity of the individual holding the role at any particular point in time) was the employer during the periods that each of the plaintiffs worked in the Gloriavale Community.”.

This decision follows the Employment Courts finding in May 2022 that the three young men were employees from 6 years of age, and not volunteers as Gloriavale argued. Chief Judge Christina Inglis did not at that stage make a decision on who was the employer however the decision today paves the way for compensation to be sought from the now identified employer.

The judgement was not available on line at the time this story was posted.

A timeline of the case (and other related cases) can be found on the Gloraivale leavers website:

https://www.gloriavaleleavers.org.nz/lets-talk-gloriavale/legal/

The young men’s case details, including a timeline, can be found here: https://www.gloriavaleleavers.org.nz/lets-talk-gloriavale/legal/employment-court-boys/

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