A Thames-based Four Square retailer and its owner have been ordered to pay NZD 44,000 in penalties by the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) for coercing two migrant workers into paying NZD 120,000 to obtain employment.
The ruling targets the company, identified in reports as A Dharni, and its proprietor for violating employment standards through the extraction of illegal recruitment fees.
The ERA’s decision underscores the regulatory crackdown on exploitative hiring practices within New Zealand’s retail and hospitality sectors.
By mandating that workers pay substantial sums to secure jobs, the employer effectively shifted the cost of recruitment onto vulnerable individuals, a practice that breaches core labor protections.
The penalty serves as a punitive measure against the specific violations while signaling the authority’s stance on such misconduct.
This case aligns with broader scrutiny of labor exploitation involving migrant workers globally.