Overseeing shepherd found to be men’s employer in Gloriavale court case
Former Gloriavale leavers can now seek compensation after the Employment Court found Gloriavale’s overseeing shepherd was their employer when they worked in the community.
Hosea Courage, Daniel Pilgrim and Levi Courage successfully proved in the Employment Court in May 2022 that they were employees when they worked in Gloriavale-owned businesses, including farms, and pet food and honey companies, from the age of 6. The court has just released Chief Judge Christina Inglis’ decision that the overseeing shepherd was their employer.
“I am satisfied, based on the evidence before the court, that the overseeing shepherd (regardless of the identity of the individual holding the role at any particular point in time) was the employer during the periods that each of the plaintiffs worked in the Gloriavale Community,” the judge said.
In a separate case, the Employment Court found in July last year that former Gloriavale women Serenity Pilgrim, Anna Pilgrim, Rose Standtrue, Crystal Loyal, Pearl Valor and Virginia Courage were also employees of Overseeing Shepherd Howard Temple when they worked in the community’s kitchens, laundries and childcare centres.