Charlie's pours out $20000 in employment dispute

A woman who said her boss regarded her pregnancy as an obstacle to her advancement has missed out on her personal grievance claim for discrimination and distress.

But the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) has awarded Nicky McFarlane $20,000 in wage arrears and compensation for losing the use of her company car.

Mrs McFarlane, national sales manager for Charlie's juices, took a personal grievance case for unjustifiable disadvantage to the authority after she and the company were unable to resolve problems between her and Stefan Lepionka at mediation.

She was appointed to her position in July 2004. She said that in January 2006 Mr Lepionka told her her position might no longer exist and she might have a regional sales manager role.

"She says that when she protested about not being consulted, Mr Lepionka said if she did not like it she should not have got pregnant," ERA member Leon Robinson said in his adjudication.