No, your boss can’t ‘make’ you take annual leave over the lockdown

If you live in Auckland and your work is closed due to level three restrictions, and you can’t work from home, here’s what you need to know. Three days is a long time to go without trade for most businesses. For a few of them with low margins, it could spell a knockout blow. Because … Read more

Why it’s such an ordeal for retail and hospo staff to call in sick

Speculation surrounding the new Covid-19 community case in Auckland last week has cast a light on the pressure retail and hospitality workers face every day. For New Zealand, a new case of Covid-19 in the community is an alarming event in and of itself. The fact that the source of the transmission was initially a … Read more

What does the cannabis referendum mean for your workplace?

If the yes votes prevail and it’s legalised, employers will need to figure out where to draw the line for worker cannabis use, write employment law specialists Susan Rowe and Shaun Brookes. With the referendum on the legalisation of cannabis looming, employers are asking what legalisation might mean for their workforce. Will an employee be … Read more

Are NZ Uber drivers employees? The court is about to decide once and for all

The blurred lines between employees and independent contractors have once again been examined in the employment court. This time it involves the world’s largest ride-hailing company. For the very first time, Uber has been drawn into the New Zealand Employment Court to contest whether a former driver was an employee or an independent contractor. This … Read more

What’s up with the holiday pay windfall, and could you be in for a payout?

Why are so many companies having to pay out extra holiday pay? Here’s all you need to know. A long list of companies are being forced to pay out extra holiday pay to their employees after failing to interpret the Holidays Act correctly. The latest is Restaurant Brands, which joins the likes of NZ Police, … Read more

The Bulletin: Gun clubs, gun laws change after Christchurch attack

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Gun clubs, gun laws change after Christchurch attack, protests promised against new oil drilling, and widespread construction employment law breaches revealed. In less than a month since the Christchurch mosque shooting, sweeping changes have come to both gun laws, and the gun community generally. The new law … Read more