With a National Party, ACT and NZ First government on the way, we thought it would be good to be reminded of how some of their election campaign promises might impact employment relations. Each of these parties’ had 2023 election campaigns that touched on employment relations, and while the new Government may or may not bring some of these policies into law – here are the potential adjustments that have been floated. Restoration of 90-Day Trial Periods for Larger Employers:

Starting from October 1, 2023, workers in the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) program will receive higher pay and sick leave benefits. Also, their sick leave will begin from the first day of employment.   As of October 1, 2023, employers in the RSE program must pay workers at least the minimum wage plus an additional 10% for the hours they work. This amounts to $24.97 per hour currently. The RSE program allows the the horticulture and viticulture industries to hire

We continue to be faced with a range of factors that are putting pressure on workplaces to reassess their size and shape. These can require us to review and change how we operate. The way we approach and prepare for change in the workplace can make all the difference, especially in the current economic environment. Join our upcoming webinar on getting you change ready. Our Senior Associates Sarah Sherwin and Katharine Collins will provide their insights for working through change,

Fair Pay Agreement for Commercial Cleaners Approved A new application to initiate a Fair Pay Agreement (FPA) for Commercial Cleaners was approved on 19 June 2023. While for most people this went unnoticed, look again as it may be of real importance for employers. If you have any employees whose work involves 25% or more of any of the included job classifications below, this FPA will end up setting minimum terms and conditions for your employees. You cannot opt out

The Worker Protection (Migrant and Other Employees) Bill has been passed, marking a significant milestone in protecting vulnerable workers in Aotearoa New Zealand. This will take effect on January 6, 2024. The legislation introduces amendments to the Immigration Act 2009, the Employment Relations Act 2000, and the Companies Act 1993. The Worker Protection Act constitutes the final component of the comprehensive Migrant Worker Exploitation programme package. This package includes a dedicated 0800 reporting line and webform, joint compliance efforts by

From Change-Fatigue to Change-Ready We’ve been thinking a bit about change, which can often feel like something that’s done to us, not something we plan for, manage or control. This can feel particularly so in the workplace, where it can present a variety of challenges and be difficult to do well. These days, many people are change-fatigued. This is understandable given the pace, size and complexity of what we’ve been dealing with in recent times, in all aspects of our

Ever had an employee repeatedly refuse to follow management instructions by either responding combatively or ignoring the instruction, even for what may seem like simple yet repeated instructions? Two cases from the Authority* recently considered these very scenarios and found that a reasonable employer could consider that persistent breaches of a lawful and reasonable instructions amounts to serious misconduct, resulting in the loss of trust and confidence in the employment relationship and warranting dismissal. In these recent cases the instructions

There’s been a lot of talk recently about AI and the impact AI will have or is currently having on the future of employment relations. Chat GPT has already proven remarkably adept at recruiting, researching, writing, analysing and designing. Scarily so. However, something that I think AI will never be able to do and is something I’ve noticed, particularly post-Covid 19, is the art of holding difficult conversations. During the outbreak, and especially while we were all in isolation, employers

AI in the workplace – the genie is out of the bottle! (Disclaimer 1 – this article was NOT generated or enhanced by any AI intervention) (Disclaimer 2 – Such disclaimers may very well become the norm – watch this space!) Just like every other occupation or profession, HR and ER professionals are faced with a plethora of new challenges following OpenAi’s decision to release ChatGPT and to make this ‘new toy’ available to one and all. This is certainly