The Government recently announced that the Minimum Wage will increase to $15.75 from 1 April this year. That’s a 50-cent increase from where it was, which is in line with the level of increase over the past several years. People’s opinions differ over whether the Minimum Wage is effective, or at
Do you know someone affected by bullying in the workplace? Chances are that you do, as allegations of bullying appear to be on the rise. And there are probably plenty more cases that are never raised for fear of reprisal attacks. Yet, bullying is a tricky thing to define. You can’t
As a generous employer, you may delight in rewarding your staff with a bonus for going the extra mile. Of course, if your staff are doing well, then your business should also reap the rewards. Viewed that way, the over-performing staff member is sharing in the extra profit that you
If you had the option between being a contractor or an employee, what would you choose? There are benefits and disadvantages either way. This list will give you a sense of what is attractive about either option. You may find yourself naturally drawn to one or the other. Benefits Of
You may not always appreciate your employees’ generosity. Yes, you are happy for them to work longer hours, exceed your expectations, and do more than you ask of them. But if they resign, you may not like the idea of too much advance notice. On first blush, excess notice from your
The entitlements under the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987 are not easily summarised. The best summary I have seen is this table issued by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Yet, you almost need a degree to interpret it. However, that’s not the fault of the Ministry
Did you know that you can win your personal grievance claim but still lose? This happens when you convince the Employment Relations Authority that you were unfairly dismissed, but for one reason or another, you come out worse off financially than when you began. Imagine spending $230k in legal fees
No, you don’t need one. But there are good reasons why you would want one. As I have explained elsewhere, if you employ staff, you are legally obliged to be a good communicator. You must talk to them. And your work policies, company manuals, and codes of conduct are ways
Sometimes your job can curtail your freedom when you decide to leave. This can happen when you agreed to a restraint of trade clause in your employment agreement. Restraint of trade clauses can take various forms. One common restriction prohibits you from soliciting your former employer’s clients or customers for
It’s a sad day when any company fails. And if you were employed by the company and are left unpaid for work you performed, it feels even worse. Often, when we say a company has failed, we mean it has been put into liquidation. That can happen when the company
