Buchanan wins but no job back

The popular former Auckland University lecturer Paul Buchanan has won $66,000 in damages for his unjustified sacking, but the Employment Relations Authority has not ordered his reinstatement.

As many people said at the time, the university over-reacted to his intemperate e-mail, and have now been found to have acted illegally. They seem to still be in denial over this claiming the decision to sack him was upheld.  Could someone explain to the VC that they would not be paying $66,000 damages if their decisision had been upheld. Not ordering reinstatement is a different issue to whether the sacking was upheld.  It was not.

It would be a good outcome if Dr Buchanan found employment again in a NZ university. He was an expert in his area, and his departure remains our loss.