Lankan engineer in NZ sacked after Rs 2.1mn phone bill

30 September 2015 06:28 am - 8 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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A Sri Lankan-born, Australian engineer has been sacked from a NZ power company after running up $NZ23,500 (Rs. 2,110,728) in roaming charges on his work phone on a trip back to Sri Lanka and then turning up for work a day late.

The Employment Relations Authority has ruled the Mighty River Power company was justified in sacking the man but says it must pay him $NZ6000 because of the stress he suffered during the disciplinary process, which had defects.

The Sri Lankan-born man has name suppression until next month.

According to the ERA ruling, he was sacked by Hamilton-based MRP in January after being recruited from Australia six months earlier.

It said racking up a $NZ23,500 phone bill, poor driving after just two to three hours sleep and being absent without authorised leave were serious enough offences to warrant dismissal.

In December, the man returned to Sri Lanka for three weeks with his family to attend a wedding and took his work phone with him.

He only sent a couple of work emails and used data on some apps. His international mobile calls cost nothing, seven international roaming calls cost $NZ5.60 and seven international texts cost 34 cents.

The remainder of the charges, of around $NZ23,350, were listed as being for international roaming.

The phone used 1GB of data.

ERA member Robin Arthur initially didn't believe such a small amount could have cost so much, but was reassured it was the result of high international roaming charges.

Things were made worse because the man's wife had booked his flight to return to New Zealand the day after he was due back at work. When he got back to Hamilton he drove a work car to the Ohakuri dam, about 120km south, on little sleep.

The ERA said he didn't have to pay back the $NZ23,500. (AAP)

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Comments - 8

Suits Wednesday, 30 September 2015 01:55 PM

Not defending the srilankan but the company has wrong doings in its operations and the the srilankan knows it, if not the company would never say he does not need to pay the money. One would understand the scenario by watching the TV series Suits.

Suits me fine Wednesday, 30 September 2015 02:16 PM

Which planet are you living on?

laankikiya Wednesday, 30 September 2015 03:50 PM

I am sure he is involved with a another women.

kumar Wednesday, 30 September 2015 05:31 PM

This shows the attitude of Sri Lankans when at work . They are by nature wasteful. It is this same outlook that our politicians have. It is NOT our money so "eat, drink and be merry". Whatever any mitigating circumstances maybe, he had no right to run-up such a bill. Must have been showing off to his Sri Lankans friends!!

Pol mala Wednesday, 30 September 2015 05:55 PM

...And had PHONE SEX...

Pinchu The Ponchu Wednesday, 30 September 2015 06:02 PM

you must think life is one big teledrama huh? XD

Leda Wednesday, 30 September 2015 06:21 PM

I live in Europe country too. Based on the given facts this seems to be an wrongful dismissal . However remember this is not Srilanka to use state /company property for the personal use and no punctuality to work. this is a good lesson to us too.I wish him good luck to find another opportunity.

MINIMORA Wednesday, 30 September 2015 08:02 PM

one of my co-worker went on a trip to mexico, he only sent 1 txt message from his office phone. when he came back from his trip he got $1000 phone billThis is the reality so make sure either change the package on the trip or switch off the phone,

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Lankan engineer in NZ sacked after Rs 2.1mn phone bill

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