The EMA has released its annual analysis of personal grievance cases heard at the Employment Relations Authority, and again it was a sorry story for employers with employees’ winning 72% of cases.

When an employment dispute or personal grievance arises it can be very stressful for everyone involved. With work being a big part of most people’s lives, it’s understandable that when there’s an employment relationship problem in the workplace, it is important that they are dealt with efficiently, respectfully, and in a way that creates the best possible chance that parties will be able to move on. It’s unlikely that both parties are going to be ecstatic about the outcomes of a mediation, however the aim is to achieve a settlement that both parties can live with.

Section 162 of the Electoral Act 1993 provides that employers are required to allow all their employees who are electors and who have not had a reasonable opportunity to vote on Election Day before starting work, to leave their work for the purpose of voting, no later than 3pm for the remainder of the day. An Employer cannot make deductions from the Employee’s remuneration for the time taken off.

This case highlights the heavy consequences and financial implications of knowingly breaching minimum employment standards.

We’re in expansion mode and are looking for Senior Associate – Collective Bargaining Expert to join our team.  The role involves collective bargaining, employment relations conflict resolution (including facilitating mediations), undertaking employment investigations, and representing our clients at Employment Institutions.

A vineyard labour contractor has been penalised $25,000 by the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) after a labour inspector found they failed to meet their obligation to keep employment records for a second time.

There are two main changes to parental leave payments that have taken effect as of 1 June 2017:

The bill to implement a historic pay equity settlement for 55,000 of the health sector’s lowest paid workers passed into law on the 8th June, with unanimous support from across the House.

The new Health and Safety at Work (HSAW) Act 2015 makes it clear that employers’ are obligated to prevent bullying and harrasment in the workplace. WorkSafe NZ has also made new guidelines available online which highlights employers’ duty of care under the HSWA, and as such there is now a better understanding of bullying in the workplace and the costs associated with it.

Sarah Sherwin leaves Paul Diver Associates this week to have her second child.