New Zealand: Employee Rights/ Labour Relations

New Zealand's Modern Slavery Bill marks a significant development in global anti-slavery legislation, joining jurisdictions like the UK, Australia, and California in requiring large companies to report on slavery and human trafficking risks. How does this new framework compare to existing international standards, and what implications will it have for businesses operating across multiple jurisdictions?

In New Zealand, the right for an employee to have a support person in a range of different settings is well established and important to be aware of. Formal meetings, like a disciplinary meeting or similar process, can be intimidating for employees. Having a support person, whether that be a family member, friend or lawyer, can help employees through that process. Having a support person in a disciplinary meeting is often advantageous for an employer as well.

New Zealand’s Employment Relations Act reforms are now in force and change how you hire, manage contractors and handle personal grievances. You can offer individual agreements from day one, and a new gateway test provides clearer rules for contractor status

In the these three episodes, Senior Associate Marianne Parkinson and Associate Olivia Rhys-Evans from our Employment team are joined by Senior Associate Joshua Kimpton...

Potential changes to Aotearoa New Zealand's employment law framework.

Progressively throughout 2025, the New Zealand government will remove the median wage threshold, reduce experience requirements, introduce new seasonal visa pathways...

Providing commission or piece rates is one method of ensuring that your employees are rewarded and motivated.

Explains uniforms in the workplace and when NZ employers may need to provide uniforms and PPE.

Restraint of trade clauses, implications for employers and how to incorporate them into employment agreements.