The Employment Court has ruled that three men who worked at Gloriavale from a young age were employees rather than volunteers. Hosea Courage, Daniel Pilgrim, and Levi Courage worked long hours from the ages of six to 14 on farms and factories at the West Coast Christian community.
Chief Judge Christina Inglis found that the tasks they performed were not just “chores” but were strenuous, difficult, and sometimes dangerous due to the commercial nature of the work. The court determined that access to child labor played a significant role in the success of Gloriavale’s business model.
In a landmark decision, the court ruled that Gloriavale’s Overseeing Shepherd was the men’s employer, regardless of the individual holding the role at the time. The Overseeing Shepherd had ultimate control over the community’s business activities.
The men began working at Gloriavale at a very young age, with tasks ranging from working in gardens to factories and farms. They were later required to participate in a transitional education/work experience program before moving into full-time work at Gloriavale businesses.
After leaving Gloriavale, the men, along with six former Gloriavale women, filed a claim against the Christian community for lost wages and compensation totaling $5.2 million. The women had previously won a case against Gloriavale, where they were also deemed employees of the Overseeing Shepherd.
Gloriavale has denied that its members were employees and stated that they always aimed to comply with New Zealand law. The community has been granted leave to appeal in the women’s case on specific legal grounds.
