Dismissed, disciplined, or pushed out?

For suitable employment matters the fee is fixed at $3,500 + GST, so you know the cost before any work starts and you are not billed by the hour.

Not every matter fits a fixed fee. If yours is more complex, or if you need to discuss a payment plan, say so in your enquiry and we will set out the options first.

Three things: preparing and raising your personal grievance with your employer, preparing and lodging the Statement of Problem in the Employment Relations Authority if that step is needed, and representing you at the first mediation for up to 7 hours.

It also covers the advice along the way, so you are not paying extra every time you need to ask a question.

Anything past the first mediation: a second mediation, an ERA investigation meeting, Employment Court proceedings, or a separate claim run on its own. Third-party costs such as filing fees and expert reports are also extra.

If your matter needs any of those steps, we scope and quote them before starting, so nothing lands as a surprise.

Then timing is the priority. A personal grievance generally has to be raised with your employer within 90 days of the dismissal, or of the date you became aware of it, and that window closes fast.

Send your enquiry with the dismissal letter and your employment agreement, and do not sign any further agreement or release until it has been reviewed.

Mark it urgent in the enquiry form and attach the meeting invitation plus any allegations you have been given. Short-notice matters are common and can often be dealt with quickly.

You are entitled to reasonable time to get advice and to bring a representative or support person. Asking for that alone often changes how the meeting runs.

After onboarding and payment, send through what you have: your employment agreement, dismissal letter, disciplinary or investigation letters, any redundancy proposal, performance plan documents, payslips, relevant texts and emails, medical certificates, meeting notes, and a short timeline of events.

A partial set is fine. Send what you can find now and we will tell you what else to request from your employer.

Often, yes. Where an employee is pushed into resigning, that can amount to a constructive dismissal, which is a personal grievance in its own right.

What matters is what was said, who said it, and what real choice you were left with. Keep the messages, emails, and any notes you made at the time.

Yes. Unpaid wages, holiday pay, final pay, bonuses, and commission can be pursued on their own or alongside a grievance, and wage arrears can usually be claimed for a period going back years rather than months.

Payslips, timesheets, rosters, and your employment agreement do most of the work here, so gather those first.

Mediation is a confidential meeting run by an MBIE mediator. The mediator does not decide who is right; their job is to help both sides reach an agreement, and the service itself is free.

You will not have to front it alone. We prepare your position, do the talking, and pressure-test any offer before you respond. If a deal is reached, the terms are recorded and signed off so they are final and enforceable.

Most matters settle at or before mediation. If yours does not, the usual next step is the Employment Relations Authority, which investigates the claim and issues a binding determination.

That is beyond the fixed fee, so you get a straight assessment of whether it is worth pursuing and what the further work will cost before you commit to anything.