News Article: Microbiologist wins case against university over harassment during COVID

In her judgment, Judge Joanna Holden of the Employment Court of New Zealand ruled that the university had breached its contractual obligations to protect Wiles’ health and safety. She found that it failed to act in good faith in its response to the sustained abuse, and that some of its responses to Wiles exacerbated her distress. The judge also acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic was a challenging time and that the university made efforts to comply with its health and safety obligations, although they were ultimately insufficient. She ordered the university to pay Wiles damages of NZ$20,000 (US$12,000), the maximum allowed under the New Zealand Employment Relations Act, but did not order a penalty against the university.

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