Key Takeaways
- Three migrant workers were exploited by their employer, Sneha Patel, and left permanently traumatized and facing financial hardship.
- Patel was sentenced to 11 months’ home detention and ordered to pay nearly $50,000 in reparations for exploiting the workers and failing to pay them thousands of dollars in wages.
- The victims suffered long-lasting consequences, including emotional trauma, financial hardship, and in one case, having to live in a car.
- The Migrant Workers Association of Aotearoa supported the victims for seven years as they sought justice and expressed disappointment that Patel did not receive a harsher sentence.
- The case highlights the issue of worker exploitation in New Zealand and the need for deterrence and denouncement to prevent similar cases in the future.
Introduction to the Case
The case of Sneha Patel, who exploited three migrant workers and failed to pay them thousands of dollars in wages, has resulted in long-lasting consequences for the victims. According to the Migrant Workers Association of Aotearoa, the exploitation has left the workers permanently traumatized and facing financial hardship. President Anu Kaloti supported the victims for seven years as they sought justice and was present in court when Patel was sentenced to 11 months’ home detention and ordered to pay nearly $50,000 in reparations.
The Exploitation
Patel owned and operated several businesses in Hamilton and Auckland, including a beauty salon, dairy, superette, fruit and vege shop, cleaning business, and lawn-mowing business. She exploited three migrant workers, one of whom was paid nothing at all for two months’ work. This victim, who was in New Zealand illegally, had to live in a car and was promised by Patel that she was saving up his wages to help him get a lawyer, which was a lie. Another victim was not paid her contracted wages and holiday pay, and was then demanded to pay Patel back for weeks of missed work after suffering a miscarriage. The third victim was not paid anything at all for two months, despite Patel providing Immigration New Zealand with proof that she had agreed to pay the victim above minimum wage.
The Sentencing
Judge Stephen Clark told Patel that the victims had trusted her, and she had lied and exploited them. Patel, who is now pregnant, began her home detention immediately after the sentencing. Kaloti expressed disappointment that Patel did not receive a harsher sentence, stating that the offending warranted jail time. However, she was pleased that the judge noted Patel did not seem to show true remorse and often tried to shift the blame. The judge also called some of Patel’s reasoning for her offending "nonsense", which Kaloti saw as a clear indication that the judge did not believe Patel’s excuses.
The Impact of Worker Exploitation
The case highlights the issue of worker exploitation in New Zealand and the need for deterrence and denouncement to prevent similar cases in the future. Prosecutor Tim Gray told the court that worker exploitation has an effect not just on the victims, but on the broader labour market. He stated that if employers can get away with paying migrant workers less than the minimum wage or nothing at all, it takes away jobs that legitimate workers would be entitled to do, suppressing wages and having effects beyond the human drama. Kaloti also noted that migrants exploiting other migrants is a concerning issue, as trust is formed immediately between employees and employers from the same culture and country.
Conclusion
The case of Sneha Patel is a disturbing example of worker exploitation in New Zealand, and the long-lasting consequences it can have on victims. The Migrant Workers Association of Aotearoa has supported the victims for seven years, and while the sentence may not have been as harsh as hoped, it is a step towards justice. The case highlights the need for continued efforts to prevent worker exploitation and to support victims in seeking justice. As Kaloti stated, "it feels like there has been some justice delivered", but more needs to be done to prevent similar cases in the future.
