Change on the Horizon: What the Coalition Agreements and 100-day plan means for Employment in Aotearoa New Zealand

The new three-party Coalition Government was formally sworn in on Monday, and has now released its Coalition Agreements, setting out the priority policies that National, ACT and New Zealand First (NZF) have agreed to “support” and “progress” over the next three years. It has also released its 100- day plan.

Time to start looking at employment in 2024

In the wake of the election and in the build up to the holidays, it’s time for employers to start thinking ahead to the next 12 months and what that looks like from a resourcing perspective.

Employees’ Social Media Usage – When can Employers ‘unfriend’ an Employee for their behaviour online?

Whether an employer can take disciplinary action against an employee for misconduct outside of the workplace has long been a fraught topic. Generally speaking, an employee may be dismissed for misconduct that occurs outside of the workplace, and outside of working hours, if there is a link between the employee's conduct and their employment. However, in recent years we have seen employers grappling with how to apply this rule to employees' behaviour on social media.

The Employer’s Christmas Box

As we approach the festive season, employers should take note of several key situations that could impact on their employment relationships with staff.

Updating employment agreements

It goes without saying that most companies are committed to providing a safe and productive working environment free from all forms of physical, emotional and verbal abuse. Harassment including sexual harassment in the workplace is unacceptable. Employees have a responsibility to respect the rights of their fellow employees, including the right to work in an environment free of sexual harassment. Employers and their managers also have a responsibility not to tolerate any form of harassment.

Employment Relations (Extended Time for Personal Grievance for Sexual Harassment) Amendment Act – A Reminder that Employers need to take Sexual Harassment Seriously

Previously, if an employee wished to raise a personal grievance against their employer, they had to do so within a period of 90 days from the date on which the action(s) complained of occurred or came to the employee’s attention - whichever is the most recent. However, the Employment Relations (Extended Time for Personal Grievance for Sexual Harassment) Amendment Act (Amendment Act) carves out an exception to this long-standing rule.

The timeframe in which to raise a personal grievance involving allegations of sexual harassment is now 12 months. The Amendment Act seeks to address the commonly accepted position that it often takes a prolonged period of time for victims of sexual misconduct to process this type of behaviour and feel comfortable enough to raise it, given its inherently aggravated nature and the mental impact it has on victims.