Posts by Shima Grice

Changes coming to the Employment Relations Act – The Employment Relations Bill was recently reported back from select committee and looks likely to pass into law later this year. The Bill is intended to make a number of changes to the 2000 Act, including: Clarifying what an employer must disclose as part of its duty of…

Changes Coming To The Employment Relations Act

Earthquake-Prone Buildings And The Health And Safety Act

How does this affect you? Under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 (HSEA), employers and owners of buildings which are places of work must identify and manage hazards in the place of work. This includes building-related hazards. Building owners must also meet the requirements of the Building Act 2004. This includes standards for…

Recent Changes To Employment Law

There have been significant changes to employment law over the last couple of years with more change still to come. Three key changes to be aware of: Trial periods Employers using 90-day trial periods must comply with certain specific requirements. These include: A trial period may only be used for a new employee. An employee…

Kiwisaver Employer Contributions- Can This Be Deducted From Minimum Wage?

In an earlier blog we discussed the increase in minimum contributions from 2% to 3%. The Court of Appeal has now had to consider the interplay between the Minimum Wage Act and the KiwiSaver Act. The Court of Appeal has decided that compulsory employer KiwiSaver contributions cannot be deducted from wages paid to employees when those…

Employment Relationship Problems?

When it all turns sour, we can help.

Employment Policies

What policies do you have? How will you deal with staff if something goes wrong?

Lisa Kristensen - Commercial Property Legal Executive

Health And Safety

Everyone is entitled to a safe place of work. What do you do to ensure your workplace is safe?

Seasonal Employment

Many industries rely heavily on seasonal workers over the busy summer months. Employers hiring seasonal workers need to take care that their contractual arrangements with those employees are consistent with fixed term, rather than permanent employment to avoid employees challenging their dismissal at the end of the season. Challenging dismissal A recent Employment Court case,Turner…

Changes To Tax Treatment Of Employee And Accommodation Allowances

The Government is to include changes to the tax treatment of employee allowances, reimbursements and employer-provided accommodation in a bill to be introduced to Parliament later this month. The intention is to provide clarity to employers and to minimise compliance and administration costs. Revenue Minister Todd McClay stated that currently, when an employer meets an…

Company Directors And Governance Of Health And Safety In The Workplace

A Royal Commission of Inquiry established in relation to the Pike River Coal Mine tragedy found that there were significant shortcomings in the company’s corporate governance and management. The failure of the company’s board of directors to provide effective health and safety leadership contributed to the operational causes of the explosions that killed twenty-nine men….