A migrant workers' network says an Employment Court decision this week sends a message to employers mistreating foreign workers
Town and Country Food was fined $11,000 for not complying with an Employment Relations Authority order after not correctly paying a migrant worker.
UNEMIG, a FirstUnion network for migrant workers, said the $11,000 fine is one of the biggest in employment court history.
Spokesperson Morgan Godfery said that reflected how severe this case and the problem of migrant worker mistreatment was in New Zealand.
"Maybe it is a message that the courts are taking migrant worker exploitation very seriously and it almost serves as a warning to other employers."
Mr Godfery said the plaintiff was for the first time given part of the non-compliance fine - $6600 of it.