Employment Law Articles
Expert articles and practical legal guides on employment law for new zealand businesses.
What Is Employee Stand Down? (2026 Updated)
If you run a business, there may come a time when work simply can’t be performed - not because your team doesn’t want to work, but because something outside your control has...
5 January 2025
What Is An Employee Commission Agreement? (2026 Updated)
If you’re hiring (or managing) staff who earn commission, it’s normal to feel a bit unsure about what you can “just agree verbally” versus what really needs to be written down. Commission...
5 January 2025
Changing Staff From Full Time To Casual (2026 Updated)
Sometimes your business changes pace. Maybe you’re heading into a quieter season, you’ve lost a key client, or you’re restructuring how you roster your team. In those situations, it can feel tempting...
5 January 2025
How To Reduce Staff Hours (2026 Updated)
When business is busy, rostering feels easy. But when sales dip, costs rise, or demand shifts, one of the first questions many New Zealand employers ask is: can we reduce staff hours?...
5 January 2025
Setting Up A Virtual Internship? Here’s What You Need To Know (2026 Updated)
Virtual internships can be a win-win: you get extra hands on deck and fresh ideas, and interns get real-world experience without needing to be in your office. But “remote” doesn’t mean “risk-free”....
5 January 2025
What's The Purpose Of An Employment Contract? (2026 Updated)
Hiring your first employee (or even your fifth) is a big moment. It usually means your business is growing, you’ve got more work coming in, and you’re ready to build a team....
5 January 2025
What Is Wage Theft? (2026 Updated)
If you’re running a business in New Zealand, you’ve probably heard the term “wage theft” more and more often. And if you’re an employee, you might be wondering whether what’s happening at...
5 January 2025
Should I Give My Employees Paid Leave To Get A COVID-19 Vaccination? (2026 Updated)
When you’re running a business, you’re constantly balancing people, productivity, and compliance. So it makes sense that a question like “Should I give my employees paid leave to get a COVID-19 vaccination?”...
5 January 2025
Need To Make An Employee Redundant? What Small Business Owners Must Know (2026 Updated)
Making an employee redundant is one of the toughest calls you’ll make as a small business owner. Even when the business decision is genuinely necessary, redundancy in New Zealand isn’t something you...
5 January 2025
A Guide To Workplace Bullying, Harassment And Discrimination (2026 Updated)
Workplace issues like bullying, harassment and discrimination can creep in quietly - a “joke” that goes too far, a manager who constantly singles someone out, or a hiring decision that’s influenced by...
5 January 2025
Does Your Business Engage Sub-Contractors? Here’s What You Need to Know (2026 Updated)
Bringing sub-contractors into your business can be a game-changer. It lets you scale up for busy periods, access specialised skills, and keep your overheads lean. But it can also get messy fast...
5 January 2025
Pay Secrecy: Can You Tell Employees To Keep Their Salary Secret? (2026 Updated)
Talking about pay at work can feel awkward. As an employer, you might worry that salary conversations will cause resentment, complaints, or a wave of “can I have a raise?” meetings. So...
5 January 2025
Working Overtime: What You Need To Know (2026 Updated)
Overtime can be a great way to hit deadlines, keep customers happy, and grow your business. But it can also become a fast track to payroll disputes, burnout, and employment law headaches...
5 January 2025
When An Employee Resigns Without Notice, Is It Legal? (2026 Updated)
If you employ staff (or you’re an employee yourself), a resignation without notice can feel like it comes out of nowhere. One day you’re planning the roster, the next day you’re short-staffed...
5 January 2025
A Guide To Employee Onboarding (2026 Updated)
Hiring someone new is a big moment for any business. Whether it’s your very first employee or the tenth person joining a growing team, a good onboarding process can set the tone...
5 January 2025
The Importance Of Knowing The Difference Between An Employee And A Contractor (2026 Updated)
When you’re growing a business, it’s normal to want flexibility. Maybe you need someone for a short project, extra hands during a busy season, or specialist skills you don’t have in-house. That’s...
5 January 2025
Everything You Need To Know About Redundancy (2026 Updated)
Redundancy is one of the toughest parts of running a business - even when it’s genuinely necessary and you’re trying to do the right thing. If you’re considering restructuring, cutting roles, or...
5 January 2025
Set Off Clauses In Employment Contracts
As a business owner, taking care of your employees is part of the job. The employment contract you share with your employees is one of the key ways you’ll be able to...
28 January 2024
Paying Family Members In A Small Business
When running or starting a small business , it’s not unheard of for business owners to employ their family members to work for them. After all, these are employees you have likely...
23 January 2024
What Are Successive Fixed Term Contracts?
Contracts are an important part of any business engagement. If your contracts aren’t clear and your conduct doesn’t reflect the terms that you agreed to, then as an employer, you may find...
23 January 2024
Can You Make An Employee Work On A Public Holiday?
Understanding the Legal Framework In New Zealand, the laws governing employment and public holidays are clear and are designed to balance the rights and responsibilities of both employers and employees. The Holidays...
23 January 2024
How To Terminate An Employee
An employee’s employment with you can come to an end for many reasons. For instance, they can resign on their own, or you might decide to terminate their employment due to underperformance...
23 January 2024
Understanding Constructive Dismissal
We’ve heard of employers letting their employees go for unfair reasons. At this point, most business owners know this conduct is against employment laws and they could face legal consequences for dismissing...
22 January 2024
Writing An Anti-Harassment And Discrimination Policy For Your Business
Business owners need to be on top of a lot of things, such as managing business profits, maintaining the quality of their products, ensuring the business is legally compliant and providing their...
22 January 2024
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