Employment Law Articles
Expert articles and practical legal guides on employment law for new zealand businesses.
Do Salaries Include KiwiSaver? Employer Guide In New Zealand
If you’re hiring your first employee (or reviewing your pay practices), one question comes up all the time: do salaries include KiwiSaver , or is KiwiSaver paid on top? It’s a fair...
1 April 2026
Do Part-Time Employees Have Minimum Hours In New Zealand?
If you’re hiring in a small business, part-time staff can be a great way to keep your roster flexible while still building a reliable team. But it also raises a very common...
31 March 2026
Do Part-Time Employees Get Holiday Pay In New Zealand?
If you employ part-time staff, you’ve probably asked yourself: do part-time employees get holiday pay in New Zealand, and if so, how do we calculate it properly? The good news is that...
31 March 2026
Do Employees Have To Disclose Medical Information To Their Employer In NZ?
As a small business owner, you want to do the right thing by your people - and you also need to keep your workplace safe, productive, and compliant. That’s where things can...
31 March 2026
Do Contractors Need Insurance In New Zealand? Key Covers To Consider
If you run a small business in New Zealand, contractors can be a huge help. They let you scale up quickly, bring in specialist skills, and keep costs predictable. But there’s a...
31 March 2026
Do Casual Employees Get Saturday Rates In New Zealand?
Disclaimer: This article provides general information about New Zealand employment law and isn’t legal advice. Because entitlements can depend on the exact working pattern and what’s in the employment agreement, get professional...
31 March 2026
Discretionary vs Non-Discretionary Payments In New Zealand
If you run a small business, “pay” usually isn’t just wages. It’s also bonuses, commissions, allowances, incentives, and sometimes one-off thank you payments when someone’s gone above and beyond. But here’s the...
30 March 2026Deed Of Release For Redundancy In New Zealand: Employer Guide
Redundancies are never fun, especially when you’ve built a small team and you know the changes will land personally. But if your business genuinely needs to restructure (for example, due to financial...
28 March 2026
Demoting Employees In New Zealand: Process, Risks And Alternatives
Sometimes, as a small business owner, you need to make tough calls about your team structure. Maybe someone has stepped into a role that’s turned out to be bigger than expected. Maybe...
28 March 2026
Defining Business Days And Working Days In New Zealand Contracts
If you’ve ever signed a contract that says something like “payment is due within 5 business days” or “the notice period is 10 working days”, you’re not alone if you’ve paused and...
28 March 2026Defamatory Statements in NZ Workplaces: Employer Guide
Workplaces are full of opinions. Most of the time, that’s healthy - feedback, performance conversations, and a bit of day-to-day venting can be part of running a team. But when comments cross...
27 March 2026Contract Termination Notice Periods In New Zealand
Ending a contract is a normal part of running a business. Suppliers change, projects wrap up, priorities shift, and sometimes a relationship just isn’t working anymore. But if you terminate the wrong...
24 March 2026
Converting Fixed-Term Agreements To Permanent Employment In NZ
Fixed-term arrangements can be a great way to cover a project, manage parental leave cover, or test whether a new role is genuinely needed long-term. But if your business is growing (or...
24 March 2026
Contractor Notice Periods In New Zealand: Key Rules For Businesses
If you rely on contractors to deliver work (whether it’s marketing, software development, trades, consulting, or admin support), the way you end that relationship matters. One of the biggest practical and legal...
23 March 2026
Continuous Employment In New Zealand: Calculating Continuous Service After Breaks
If you’re running a small business, “continuous employment” can sound like one of those HR phrases you only hear when something goes wrong - a resignation, a restructure, a leave dispute, or...
23 March 2026
Consulting Employees And Unions In New Zealand: When It’s Required
If you employ people in New Zealand, “consultation” isn’t just a nice-to-have. In many common situations (like changing hours, restructuring roles, or introducing new policies), consulting properly is often an important practical...
23 March 2026
Constructive Dismissal In NZ: Handling A Resignation Letter Safely
If an employee resigns but suggests they “had no choice”, it can quickly turn into a dispute about constructive dismissal. For small businesses, this situation is stressful because it often feels like...
23 March 2026
Constructive Dismissal In New Zealand: Employer Legal Obligations
If you employ staff (even just one person), constructive dismissal is one of those employment law risks that can sneak up on you. You might never say “you’re fired”, but if an...
22 March 2026
Conflict of Interest Policy for NZ Businesses
If you run a small business, you’ll probably deal with situations where someone’s personal interests overlap with their work responsibilities. Most of the time, it’s not malicious - it’s just real life....
22 March 2026
Conflict Of Interest At Work: Examples And Legal Implications In NZ
If you run a small business, you’ll probably deal with a conflict of interest at work at some point - even if your team is great and everyone’s acting in good faith....
22 March 2026
Confidentiality Breaches At Work In New Zealand: Employer Duties & Solutions
If you run a small business, you probably rely on trust every day. Your team sees customer details, pricing, supplier arrangements, product ideas, internal emails, and (sometimes) sensitive HR information. That’s why...
22 March 2026
Conduct vs Capability: Managing Employee Performance Issues In New Zealand Lawfully
Employee performance issues are a normal part of running a small business - especially when you’re growing, hiring new people, or managing a busy team with changing demands. But when performance problems...
22 March 2026Computer Workstations And Ergonomics Obligations Under NZ HSWA
Note: This article provides general information about New Zealand law and is not legal advice. If you need advice for your specific situation, speak with a lawyer or health and safety professional....
21 March 2026
Compassionate (Bereavement) Leave In New Zealand: Employer Duties
When you’re running a small business, every rostered shift matters. So when an employee calls you to say there’s been a death in the family, it can be hard to balance two...
20 March 2026
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