22 Feb 2014

Employment judge reserves decision

7:00 pm on 22 February 2014

What's believed to be New Zealand's longest-running employment dispute drew to an end on Friday, with the judge reserving his decision.

Radio New Zealand's former news chief, Lynne Snowdon, has been in the Employment Court in Wellington since October last year, challenging her dismissal from the public broadcaster.

She took sick leave in 2003 and her employment was terminated in 2005 when she failed to return to work.

In his closing address on Friday, Ms Snowdon's lawyer said Radio New Zealand had breached its obligations as a good employer.

However ,the company's lawyer said 13 of Ms Snowdon's claims were not filed within the appropriate legal time frame and there was no basis to her claim that the company had committed fraud.

A decision could be months away as the hearing has been running for more than four months and the transcript contains more than 3000 pages.