Eleven years wasn't enough to save her job when she broke the discount card rules
A New Zealand retailer conducts up to 40 staff discount investigations each year, with most ending in dismissal. One long-serving employee just found out where she stood.
The Farmers Trading Company dismissed a worker with 11 years of service after she let her daughter's partner and a friend pay for discounted goods using her staff card. On January 21, 2026, the Employment Relations Authority ruled the termination was justified.
The trouble started on April 21, 2024, during a weekend staff discount event. A loss prevention officer watching CCTV cameras spotted someone handing cash to DLH, a sales assistant at the Botany store. What followed was a textbook case in how discount policy violations can end careers.
DLH made three purchases that day totaling $612.29. The first two seemed innocent enough. Her daughter and the daughter's partner showed up at the store and gave her cash to buy socks, underwear and a crop top. DLH said it was a thank-you gift. The video footage told a different story.
It showed the partner handing money directly to the cashier and getting change back, making clear who was actually paying.
The third transaction sealed her fate. After her shift ended, DLH bought a child's car seat with a retail price around $900 for just under $450. She paid with three gift cards that she said she and a friend had purchased together. DLH admitted some of the money loaded on the cards came from her, but the rest came from her friend, who wanted the seat for her own family.
The company's policy left no wiggle room. It stated that "a Team Member must pay for the purchased goods themselves; it is considered serious misconduct if a friend or family member pays for the goods on the Team Members behalf." DLH had signed an acknowledgment in 2018 and completed refresher training just three months before the incident.
During the investigation, national loss prevention manager Philip Morley dropped a revealing detail. The company handles 30 to 40 staff discount investigations every year. Most end in dismissal. The rare exceptions involve new hires who genuinely misunderstood the rules or workers who never signed the policy acknowledgment.
At her disciplinary meeting on May 20, 2024, DLH conceded she had "got it wrong." She later emailed the store manager saying she "did abuse" her discount privileges. It wasn't enough. Store manager Filipo Maea terminated her employment on May 23, 2024, writing that her actions had "led to a breach of trust between [her] and [FTC] to the extent that the relationship could no longer continue."
The Authority found the employer had investigated thoroughly, given DLH a fair chance to respond, and genuinely considered her explanations. Member Robin Arthur noted the employer could have chosen a warning instead but dismissal fell within the range of reasonable responses available to a fair employer.
What made the difference? The company had clear policies, documented training, hard evidence from CCTV and transaction records, and a track record of consistent enforcement. The purchases weren't one-off mistakes but showed planning, particularly the arranged car seat transaction.
For anyone managing staff benefits programs, the message is stark. Ambiguity is the enemy. Document everything. Train regularly. And when it comes to enforcement, consistency matters as much as the policy itself.
