ISSUE
Friday, August 15, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 72
The veteran community leader responds to ERA's recent decision ordering him to pay $43,000 to a migrant worker from India
Last month, the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) issued an order awarding Kapilaben Patel, a migrant worker from Gujarat, India, $31,413.19 for unpaid wages, working on public holidays, and holiday pay, and a further $11,400 as reimbursement of the money paid in contravention of 12(A) of the Wages Protection Act.
The order was passed against Lincoln's Indian restaurant Curry Pot, where she worked between August 2011 and July 2014. In her order dated August 23, 2016, Helen Doyle, a member of ERA, also noted that Natu Rama, the current owner of the restaurant, has agreed to reimburse a further $750 to Kapilaben Patel, though no formal order was made in this regard.
Talking to Indian Weekender on the judgement, Rama, who is also the current President of the Christchurch-based Indian Social and Cultural Club (ISCC) said, ”Kapilaben has falsified the documents she showed in front of the ERA, which detailed her work hours. In fact, she had also falsified the documents when she applied for work at Curry Pot. All the qualifications mentioned in her resume are incorrect. And this can be verified by a third party.”
“While it's true that co-ethnic exploitation of migrants do take place, this case is certainly not one of those. In my opinion, the government bodies such as ERA are not doing justice to small businesses by passing judgements without substantial proofs. That's why we have decided to approach the Employment Court against the ERA ruling, soon,” Rama noted announcing his next course of action.
The veteran community leader responds to ERA's recent decision ordering him to pay $43,000 to a migrant worker from India
Last month, the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) issued an order awarding Kapilaben Patel, a migrant worker from Gujarat, India, $31,413.19 for unpaid wages, working on...
The veteran community leader responds to ERA's recent decision ordering him to pay $43,000 to a migrant worker from India
Last month, the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) issued an order awarding Kapilaben Patel, a migrant worker from Gujarat, India, $31,413.19 for unpaid wages, working on public holidays, and holiday pay, and a further $11,400 as reimbursement of the money paid in contravention of 12(A) of the Wages Protection Act.
The order was passed against Lincoln's Indian restaurant Curry Pot, where she worked between August 2011 and July 2014. In her order dated August 23, 2016, Helen Doyle, a member of ERA, also noted that Natu Rama, the current owner of the restaurant, has agreed to reimburse a further $750 to Kapilaben Patel, though no formal order was made in this regard.
Talking to Indian Weekender on the judgement, Rama, who is also the current President of the Christchurch-based Indian Social and Cultural Club (ISCC) said, ”Kapilaben has falsified the documents she showed in front of the ERA, which detailed her work hours. In fact, she had also falsified the documents when she applied for work at Curry Pot. All the qualifications mentioned in her resume are incorrect. And this can be verified by a third party.”
“While it's true that co-ethnic exploitation of migrants do take place, this case is certainly not one of those. In my opinion, the government bodies such as ERA are not doing justice to small businesses by passing judgements without substantial proofs. That's why we have decided to approach the Employment Court against the ERA ruling, soon,” Rama noted announcing his next course of action.
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