THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Our collaborative team works hard to keep up to date with all the latest employment issues of the day. Please have a read of the insightful articles below.
Just the right amount of notice
The Employment Relations Authority has considered an unusual personal grievance case in which an employee claimed that their employer [...]
Freedom to discuss remuneration
A private Member’s Bill aimed at protecting employees that discuss or disclose their own remuneration has been drawn from [...]
Sexual harassment in the workplace: claiming against the individual
In a recent decision by the Human Rights Review Tribunal, BGH v Kumar, the plaintiff took legal action against [...]
Pre-commencement discovery
When parties are engaged in civil litigation, generally they may seek documents and evidence held by other parties after the [...]
When a conditional offer of employment is withdrawn, is there a right to raise a personal grievance?
Under the Employment Relations Act (“ERA”), the right to raise a personal grievance is limited to an ‘employee’. Over [...]
Legislative amendments on health and safety representatives and committees
The Health and Safety at Work (Health and Safety Representatives and Committees) Amendment Act 2023 (“Amendment”) was passed and [...]
Comments on Act Party’s proposed employment relations changes
As we head towards the general election in October 2023, the ACT party has proposed a number of changes to [...]
Wage theft – should this be a criminal offence?
The Crimes (Theft by Employer) Amendment Bill has been introduced into Parliament and raises some important issues for discussion. [...]
Requiring employees to take annual leave under the Holidays Act
E Tū Inc and others v Carter Holt Harvey LVL Limited [2022] NZEmpC 141 Introduction The Holidays Act provides [...]
Fair Pay Agreements Act 2022 Update: Industry collective bargaining for the “hospitality” industry is on the way
The Fair Pay Agreement Act 2022 (“FPAA”) was enacted and came into force in December 2022. It represents a significant [...]
Freedom to contract: Whose interests does it serve?
In this article, we examine ACT’s recent policy for worker choice and freedom to contract and the practical implications [...]
Sexual harassment in the workplace: Extending the timeframe for raising a personal grievance
Employees who wish to raise a personal grievance generally have to do so within a period of 90 days under [...]
Compensating redundant “new-hires”
The environment in which businesses operate can change quickly and dramatically. Employees may be hired one minute when the [...]
Legislative Developments in New Zealand Employment Relations
In this article we will outline two legislative developments in employment relations in New Zealand – the Protected Disclosures [...]
Quiet quitting: are New Zealanders joining this trend?
The question of whether New Zealanders are joining the global ‘quiet quitting’ trend is answered by Jennifer Mills and [...]
Employment specialist on responsibilities of employers around sick leave
Jennifer Mills' interview with Mike Hosking on The Mike Hosking Breakfast (11 July 2022). Our Covid numbers are [...]
Covid-19 on the job: Warning to bosses over sick staff
This article was written by Grant Bradley and published on NZ Herald (10 July 2022). An employment lawyer has [...]
Kiwis can now use texts from the Ministry of Health as proof of COVID-19, causing headaches for employers
This article was published on Newshub (6 July 2022). To relieve pressure on general practitioners, on Tuesday the Ministry [...]
Combating modern slavery – let’s start here in New Zealand
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has issued a discussion document in which the Government is proposing [...]
“Fair Pay Agreements” are not “agreements” at all
The Government has introduced new legislation to provide a framework for the negotiation of sector-based and occupation-based “agreements” – which [...]
An ACC-style compulsory income insurance scheme is proposed by the Government
The New Zealand Government is currently proposing a compulsory income insurance scheme for all workers in New Zealand. If this [...]
Explained: New Zealand’s transition to phase two
Omicron case numbers have increased significantly over the weekend and, as a result, New Zealand will move to phase [...]
Working From Home in the Post-Pandemic World: Tips for Employers
As employers consider what their organisation’s post-pandemic return to work might be, one thing is certain: working from home arrangements [...]
Omicron: Explaining the Government’s new three phase approach
Summer is over, and once again, workers are returning to their makeshift home offices, with employers facing a further uncertain [...]
The COVID-19 Vaccination Assessment Tool
The COVID-19 Public Health Response (Vaccination Assessment Tool) Regulations 2021 (Regulations) have been released and come into force today, 15 [...]