Restructuring a business - consultation trumps confidentiality
A recent case Birthing Centre Ltd v Matsas serves as a reminder that consultation plays an important part of an employer undertaking a restructure, even when there are concerns around confidentiality.
The Business Cost of Bullying
In May, the Human Rights Commission and KPMG released a report on the cost to businesses of workplace bullying and harassment. The report considered how businesses can be affected by way of:
- Affected workers taking extra leave
- Affected workers being less productive
- The cost of losing workers and retraining or hiring replacements
- The cost of time taken to address bullying internally.
Trustees Liability under the Health & Safety at Work Act
In September 2020, a child was fatally injured on a dairy farm after his jacket was caught on a rotating shaft of a backing gate. The farm was held in a trust.
Worksafe filed charges in the District Court against both the trust and the three trustees of the trust under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.
The Human Rights Tribunal - an alternative path for resolving employment issues
The recent decision of BGH v Kumar [2024] NZHRRT 2 serves as a useful reminder that the Human Rights Review Tribunal (‘the Tribunal’) is a potential avenue for resolution of certain employment issues.
Changes to 90 Day Trial Periods
On 23 December 2023, the Government changed the use of trial periods in employment agreements so they can now be used by all employers, not just employers with 19 or fewer employees as had formerly been the case. It is important that employers and employees understand the basics rules around trial periods.
