Employment Law

Employers will appreciate that there are risks when hiring new employees. Whilst background checks and interview processes have their place, an employer does not really know the suitability of an employee until they commence employment. This is where trial periods and probationary periods have their place. Now all employers can use trial periods, it is […]

As all employers should know, there is a 90-day timeframe for employees to raise a personal grievance, unless the grievance relates to alleged sexual harassment in which case there is a 12-month timeframe (see our previous article on this, here). There can be debate on when the 90-day timeframe begins, especially when the employee has

From 1 April 2024, the adult minimum wage rate is set to increase from $22.70 per hour to $23.15 per hour – an increase of 2%. The starting out and training minimum wage rates are also set to increase by 2%, from $18.16 per hour to $18.52 per hour.  As always, employers must ensure that

All employers are now able to use trial periods, regardless of how many employees they employ.  Previously, only small-to-medium sized employers (those with 19 or fewer employees) could use a trial period.  What is a Trial Period?A trial period is a provision in an employment agreement that allows the employer to dismiss an employee, without

The final results of the New Zealand 2023 General Election are in, and a Coalition Agreement has been reached between the New Zealand National Party (“National”), ACT New Zealand (“ACT”) and New Zealand First (“NZ First”).   This article will explore how the new government may approach employment law issues in its first 100 days,

Saving for retirement can be daunting, but KiwiSaver is a practical solution that can help employees set themselves up for the future…

Tips for managing closedowns, public holidays, and employee leave this summer. With the Christmas holidays fast approaching, we thought it would be helpful to answer some key questions that are often asked by employers at this festive (and somewhat hectic) time of year. Auckland Employment Lawyer, Madeleine Lister, offers up essential insights and answers to

What you need to know about the latest developments in employment law New Zealand’s employment law is constantly changing whether as a result of new legislation or case law developments. Employment lawyers, Edwards Law, provide a brief update on some of the recent changes. 1. Fair Pay Agreements are now law Despite significant criticism from

The Fair Pay Agreements Act passed into law on 27 October 2022, and the bargaining framework for Fair Pay Agreements (“FPAs”) will come into effect from 1 December 2022. FPAs are likely to have a massive impact for both employers and employees, as they will set new minimum terms of employment across entire industries and