PLAN MISFIRES: The ERA has upheld his dismissal, but David Dumolo plans to appeal.

The dismissal of a Lakes District Health Board IT technician for taking a blank DVD was justified, the Employment Relations Authority has found.

David Dumolo was dismissed for serious misconduct from his role at the LDHB in April last year after it was discovered he had taken a blank DVD belonging to the board to make a self defence training film.

Mr Dumolo, who instructs a martial arts training course as a secondary employment, said he believed he did not need permission to take the DVD, on which he had intended to copy martial arts material to show students.

He had not been asked to make the DVD by the board.

Taking the DVD was akin to taking a pen or paper from his desk because it was a low value item he used everyday at work, he said.

When he was dismissed for serious misconduct and took his case to the ERA.

LDHB Chief Information Officer Alex Wheatley said taking the DVD was not a trivial matter.

The board had 1300 staff and if everyone took home a DVD it would be costly for the board, he said.

It was a matter of principle, not cost, he said.

Mr Wheatley said he did not believe the DVD had been taken for the board's benefit to train staff.

No decision had been made by the board for Mr Dumolo to train staff in self defence, he said.

ERA member Rachel Larmer found the board had not unjustifiably dismissed Mr Dumolo, and had acted fairly and properly in their investigation.

The board had reasonable grounds not to trust Mr Dumolo to act appropriately in the future.

The board's actions were what a fair and reasonable employer would do in all the circumstances at the time, she said.

Mr Dumolo has 14 days to appeal the ERA decision.