Indian clothing retailers ordered to pay $60,000 for intimidating ex-employees

The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) has ordered three owner-operators of Auckland Indian clothing retailers Khoobsurat Collections/Naari Collections Ltd to pay $60,000 for intimidating two of their previous employees. Both ex-employees were serving as witnesses in a Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Labour Inspectorate investigation.

Directors Neelam Ahuja, Chirag Ahuja, and officer Rhythm Ahuja have been ordered to personally pay penalties of $20,000 each, totalling $60,000. This decision was made separate to a previous ERA determination that the directors be personally liable for $68,783 in unpaid wages and holiday pay owed by their companies Khoobsurat Collections Ltd/Naari Collection Ltd.

Both decisions were ordered prior to the end of 2016 after the Indian retail clothing stores went into liquidation.