Category: blog

The minimum sick leave entitlement is increasing from 5 to 10 days per year from 24 July 2021. Employees will get the extra five days at their next entitlement date. Employers and employees, it is important you are prepared for the change so you don’t get caught out. Here are six key things you need […]

The Employment Court has issued Declarations of Breach against three Christchurch hospitality companies, and a banning order against the companies’ director. In a judgement dated 9 June 2021, Jeet Holdings Ltd, Jeet Holdings No.2 (in liquidation) and Jeet Holdings No.6 (in liquidation), previously trading as Coriander’s Ethnic Indian Restaurant, were found to have seriously breached […]

Generally, an employer may only ask employees and other workers to agree to alcohol or drugs tests if this is a condition of their appointment and in the employment agreement or workplace policies. Using drugs or alcohol can lead to employee impairment while at work. Poor concentration, carelessness, risk-taking behaviour and errors in judgement can […]

Parliament has passed the Holidays (Increasing Sick Leave) Amendment Bill to increase the minimum employee sick leave entitlement from 5 days to 10 days per year. Most employees who have worked for an employer for six months or over are entitled to sick leave if they, or a dependent, are sick or injured. Currently, employees […]

Everyone in New Zealand aged 16 and over will be in 1 of 4 groups for their COVID-19 vaccinations. Answer these questions to find out which group you’re in. https://covid19.govt.nz/health-and-wellbeing/covid-19-vaccines/how-to-get-a-covid-19-vaccination/find-out-when-you-can-get-a-vaccine/

What Kiwi employers and employees need to know about their employment rights and responsibilities when travelling in the bubble. The Trans-Tasman and NZ-Cook Islands bubbles allow people to travel quarantine-free between New Zealand and Australia, or New Zealand and the Cook Islands. This could change with short notice, depending on how Covid-19 spread in the […]

Covid-19 has created huge challenges for business owners. See the latest information on the vaccine, its rollout, and what you can do to help make it effective.https://ub.comms.business.govt.nz/mail/link/YpGykSJq77wS0IMGyiKN2gAs a business owner you know that a community resurgence of COVID-19 risks more lockdowns, disruption and economic uncertainty.As the COVID-19 vaccine rolls out, and more people are vaccinated, […]

When a public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, an employee’s public holiday might be moved to the following Monday (or in some cases Tuesday). This year, ANZAC Day (25 April) falls on a Sunday. This means that if you don’t normally work on Sundays the public holiday is ‘mondayised’ for you. Mondayisation means […]

Employees will soon have the right to take paid time off work in the unfortunate event of a miscarriage or stillbirth, under law changes passed by Parliament yesterday. The law change allows an employee to take up to three days’ paid bereavement leave if they or their partner experiences a miscarriage or stillbirth. People planning […]

The minimum wage is going up from $18.90 to $20.00 an hour on 1 April 2021. Here’s what you need to do. When:  1 April 2021 What: The new minimum wage rates, before tax, are: Adult – $20.00 an hour (up from $18.90) Starting-out – $16.00 per hour (up from $15.12) Training – $16.00 per hour […]