Posted on: Feb 18, 2016
The Employment Standards Legislation Bill proposes to amend the New Zealand employment law to ensure it responds to the modern, dynamic business environment and encourages fair and productive workplaces.
The key changes include:
- Extending paid parental leave to more workers and increase the flexibility of the scheme
- Strengthen enforcement of minimum employment standards
- Address issues such as “zero-hour contracts” and other unfair employment practices
The Bill makes changes to the following legislation:
- Employment Relations Act 2000
- The Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987
- Minimum Wage Act 1983
- Holidays Act 2003
- Wages Protection Act 1983
Most of the provisions included in this Bill are proposed to come into force on 1 April 2016, however, Bills are required to go through several stages before becoming an Act of Parliament: Introduction; First reading; Referral to select committee; Select committee report, Consideration of report; Committee stage; Second reading; Third reading; and Royal assent.
This Bill has received a report from the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee on 12 February 2016 so still has a many stages to go through before coming legislation. We will keep you updated with any progress made to this Bill.
Disclaimer
This article, and any information contained on our website is necessarily brief and general in nature, and should not be substituted for professional advice. You should always seek professional advice before taking any action in relation to the matters addressed.
