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Employment Law Articles
Expert articles and practical legal guides on employment law for new zealand businesses.
Contractors vs Employees In New Zealand: What Businesses Should Know
Hiring the right people is one of the fastest ways to grow a small business. But in New Zealand, there’s a legal difference between bringing someone on as a contractor and hiring...
15 January 2026
KiwiSaver Employer Contributions: Minimum Rates & Payroll Mistakes
If you employ staff in New Zealand, chances are you’ve already had to deal with KiwiSaver employer contributions - and if you haven’t, it may only be a matter of time. From...
15 January 2026
Sabbatical Leave In New Zealand: Employer Guide
Offering sabbatical leave can be a smart move for a growing business. Done well, a sabbatical can help you retain great people, reduce burnout, and build a culture where employees can picture...
15 January 2026
Employment Relations Act 2000 In NZ: Employer Compliance Guide
If you employ staff in New Zealand (or you’re about to hire your first team member), the Employment Relations Act 2000 is one of the key laws you’ll be dealing with. It...
15 January 2026
Payslips In New Zealand: What Employers Must Include And Why It Matters
If you’re running a small business in New Zealand, paying your team correctly (and being able to prove it) is one of those “non-negotiables” that protects your business from day one. Even...
15 January 2026
What Remuneration Means In New Zealand Employment Agreements
If you’re hiring (or already employing) staff in New Zealand, you’ll see the word remuneration everywhere - in job ads, offer letters, employment agreements, and even board papers. But remuneration can mean...
15 January 2026
Changing Staff From Casual To Permanent: The Casual Conversion Clause (2026 Updated)
Casual work can be a great way to keep your staffing flexible, especially when you’re growing, dealing with seasonal demand, or testing a new role. But as time goes on, many “casual”...
6 January 2025
Understanding Employment Agreements and Good Faith Bargaining in New Zealand (2026 Updated)
Hiring your first employee (or growing your team) is a big milestone. It’s also one of those moments where the “business side” and the “legal side” meet very quickly. An employment relationship...
6 January 2025
An Employer’s Guide To Voluntary & Forced Redundancies (2026 Updated)
Redundancy is one of those business decisions no employer wants to make - but sometimes, it’s the only realistic option to keep the business viable. If you’re considering a restructure, downsizing, or...
6 January 2025
Wrongful Dismissal Vs Unfair Dismissal: What’s The Difference? (2026 Updated)
If you’ve ever had to let someone go (or you’re worried you might need to), the terms “wrongful dismissal” and “unfair dismissal” can start flying around pretty quickly. They sound similar, but...
6 January 2025
Hiring Remote Workers: What You Need To Know (2026 Updated)
Remote work isn’t a “nice-to-have” anymore for many New Zealand businesses - it’s a practical way to hire great people, move faster, and stay competitive. But as soon as you hire someone...
6 January 2025
Are Employees Allowed To Take A Mental Health Day Off Work? (2026 Updated)
Sometimes your team (or you) isn’t physically unwell, but you’re not okay either. Stress, anxiety, burnout and other mental health challenges can make it genuinely hard to work safely and effectively -...
6 January 2025
What Is An Invitation To Treat? (2026 Updated)
If you run a business, you’re probably putting offers in front of customers every day - on your website, in quotes, on menus, on social media, or even just in casual email...
6 January 2025
Do Your Employees Work From Home? Legal Issues To Consider (2026 Updated)
Working from home is now “normal” for a lot of New Zealand businesses - whether you’ve got a fully remote team, a hybrid roster, or just the occasional work-from-home day when life...
6 January 2025
What Legal Documents Do You Need When Running A Recruitment Business? (2026 Updated)
Running a recruitment business can feel like the best of both worlds: you get to build relationships, solve hiring problems, and create real value for employers and candidates. But recruitment is also...
6 January 2025
How To Hire Foreign Workers In New Zealand (2026 Updated)
Hiring overseas talent can be a game-changer for a growing New Zealand business. Maybe you can’t find the right skills locally, you need multilingual customer support, or you’re scaling quickly and need...
6 January 2025
Employee Setting Up A Competing Business? (2026 Updated)
Finding out an employee is setting up a competing business can feel like a punch to the gut. You might be thinking: Can they do that? Are they stealing my clients? What...
6 January 2025
Why Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) Are An Important Tool For Your Business (2026 Updated)
If you’re building a business, you’re going to share information. With employees, contractors, suppliers, potential investors, collaborators, and sometimes even customers. The tricky part is that the more you share, the more...
6 January 2025
Why It’s Important To Maintain Confidentiality In The Workplace (2026 Updated)
Confidentiality can feel like one of those “obvious” workplace ideas - until something goes wrong. Maybe a team member shares a customer list with a friend. Maybe a contractor leaves with your...
6 January 2025
Can I Pay My Employees Commission Only? (2026 Updated)
If you run a sales-driven business, paying your team “commission only” can sound like a win-win: you control costs, and your employees are rewarded for performance. But in New Zealand, “commission only”...
6 January 2025
What Is Time In Lieu? (2026 Updated)
If you run a business (or you’re managing your first team), overtime can creep up fast. A late client call, a weekend event, an urgent job that has to go out today...
6 January 2025
Why Should I Use E-signatures? (2026 Updated)
If you’re running a business in New Zealand, chances are you’ve signed (and chased) more documents than you ever expected. Client agreements. Supplier contracts. Employment paperwork. NDAs. Approvals. Variations. The list keeps...
6 January 2025
What Is A Drug Test Consent Form? (2026 Updated)
Drug and alcohol testing in the workplace can be a sensitive topic. You want to keep your team safe, protect your customers, and meet your health and safety obligations - but you...
6 January 2025
Do I Need A Parental Leave Policy? (2026 Updated)
When you’re running a business, it can feel like there’s always another policy you “should” have. But parental leave is one area where having clear, written guidance isn’t just nice to have...
6 January 2025
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