Big Shakeup for the Holidays Act
The government has recently announced the introduction of a new Employment Leave Act which will eventually overhaul the Holidays Act 2003, resulting in wide-ranging effects on both employers and employees. The decision follows the mass of criticism the Holidays Act has received over the years for its complexity and ambiguity.
No More Pay Secrecy
Following the recent passing of the Employment Relations (Employee Remuneration Disclosure) Amendment Bill into law, employers are no longer able to enforce pay secrecy clauses in employment contracts.
Four Uber Drivers Take a Victory Lap
Uber has lost its bid for the Supreme Court to overturn a 2024 Court of Appeal decision that found four Uber drivers were employees.
Shoplifting, the 'Wall of Shame' and the Privacy Act
Retail crime costs New Zealand businesses $2.6 billon every year. With Police resources stretched to their limits and reports of shoplifting becoming increasingly common, retailers and other businesses are posed with a difficult question. What can we do about it?
Proposed Law Changes Weighted in Favour of Employers
The Government introduced the Employment Relations Amendment Bill to Parliament on 17 June 2025 and it is currently awaiting its first reading in the House.
The Bill is intended to amend the Employment Relations Act 2000 to provide a clearer distinction between employees and contractors, exclude employees earning $180,000 per annum or more from raising a personal grievance for unjustified dismissal, and remove the requirement that new employees, for their first 30 days of employment, are placed on an employment agreement with the same terms as any relevant collective agreement.
The Bill also proposes to significantly change how an employee’s conduct is assessed during a personal grievance claim.
