Buying property together? Understanding ownership options
Joint Tenants vs Tenants in Common So, you’ve found the dream home, or at least one you can afford, and you’re buying it with someone else. Whether it’s your partner,…
Weaponizing personal grievances – is it time to rethink employment claims in New Zealand?
For a long time, employers in New Zealand have complained of ‘shake-down’ type claims, where a disgruntled former employee raises a personal grievance which has very little prospect of success,…
Free legal advice not always the best advice
Perhaps you have a lawyer for a friend. Or, maybe your gym buddy’s friend’s cousin’s boyfriend’s aunt is a lawyer. It may be tempting to ask for free legal advice.…
Ghosting – the weird dating phenomenon hits the business world
As a 45 year old male, happily married with two children, I was unfamiliar with the concept of ghosting until recently. My middle-aged mind had logically assumed it was some…
Income insurance scheme proposed to protect workers and benefit business
The government is consulting on the proposed New Zealand Income Insurance Scheme. The scheme would see workers who are made redundant or who have to stop working because of a…
Employee isolation – Employer obligations updated
With New Zealand now in the Covid-19 traffic light system, employers want certainty in relation to leave entitlements and payments for employees that must isolate. To understand what entitlements employees…
Employee isolation – Employer obligations explained
With New Zealand now in the Covid-19 traffic light system, employers want certainty in relation to leave entitlements and payments for employees that must isolate. To understand what entitlements employees…
Directors personally liable for breach of the Employment Relations Act 2000
A recent Court of Appeal decision found that the Directors of Southern Taxis Ltd were personally liable for the unpaid minimum entitlements of Southern Taxi’s employees. The judgment confirmed that…
Christmas cheer from the Chair
After another year in the midst of a pandemic it can sometimes be a struggle to remain cheerful, but if we look around, we have many things to be cheerful…
New laws for employers dismissing unvaccinated employees
Employers have been grappling with the issue of vaccination in the workplace and what they should do when dismissing an unvaccinated employee. The COVID-19 Response (Vaccinations) Legislation Bill is intended…