Collective Agreements
A recent landmark Employment Court decision confirmed the Employment Relations Authority (“ERA”) can exercise its discretion to fix the provisions of a collective agreement. The fixing of a collective agreement by the ERA is unprecedented and a first for New Zealand. The Court’s decision released this week was “one of the rare sort” which required a “game-breaker”. The effect of such a determination to fix a collective agreement means that ratification, and signing by the parties, is not required.
The Importance of Employment Agreements
In our everyday work it is still a common occurrence for us to see employees who do not have written employment agreements and employers who have not provided written employment agreements to their staff. We also from time to time see of employment agreements that are outdated or contain illegal provisions .
Kiwisaver withdrawals for previous home-owners
Want to use your kiwisaver to purchase a house, and have owned a property previously? If you meet the criteria then you may be able to withdraw your kiwisaver.
To do this you must make an application to Housing New Zealand (HNZ) to determine whether you meet the criteria. The criteria is to assess whether you are in the same financial position as a first home buyer.
Proposed Changes to Temporary Work Visas
On 18 December 2018, the Government announced a set of proposed changes to the employer-assisted temporary work visa settings for consultation. The consultation process will close on 18 March 2019.
Domestic Violence Leave
The Domestic Violence – Victims’ Protection Bill will come into force on 1 April 2019. The Act creates important obligations upon employers as it allows employees affected by domestic violence to request variations to their employment, and amends the Holidays Act 2003 to create a new type of leave – domestic violence leave.
