An Auckland accountant sacked over her email style has been awarded $14,000 for unfair dismissal.
ProCare Health fired Vicki Walker in December 2007 after complaints from colleagues about email messages in which text was in bold type, red type or capitalised. Writing a message in capital letters is widely held to be the equivalent of shouting.
The Employment Relations Authority found ProCare did not follow a fair process in dismissing Ms Walker, awarded her more than $14,000 in compensation and criticised the company for not developing guidelines for acceptable email styles.
Business New Zealand chief executive Phil O'Reilly says the "same old rules" apply to businesses, which must make sure staff have clear standards and guidelines on behaviour and are given an opportunity to improve.
There have been cases of people dismissed for using email inappropriately, such as sending offensive jokes, he says, but he has not heard of any other case involving email etiquette.
Auckland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Michael Barnett says most businesses have adequate general guidelines covering the treatment of employees and the use of email.
However employers should be concerned about email etiquette because capitalised messages can amount to bullying, he says.
