If you have any legal dispute to settle with your employer, it’s in your best interest to find reliable Maori lawyers to act as your counsel or represent you in court.
Before you hire one, it’s just as important to acquaint yourself with the basics of New Zealand’s employment laws. This way, you’ll know your current legal standing and not run the risk of pursuing a case that you are destined to lose from the get-go.
Minimum versus Negotiated Rights
All employees should be provided with a copy of their employment agreement. This document must clearly state all the terms and conditions of said employment. Ideally, it should also include all the rights and privileges the employee is privy to.
Minimum rights, whether stated in the employment agreement or not, should be given to all employees. These rights include four weeks annual holiday per annum, eleven public holidays per annum, up to 52 weeks of parental leave, paid rest/meal breaks, and unpaid leave for jury duty. As for negotiated rights, these could include — but are not limited to — extra annual holidays above the minimum required of four weeks, paid bereavement leave, and higher rates for rendering services on holidays.
Latest Updates
In 2018, updates were once again made on employment laws, such as minimum wage increase (which is now $16.50/hour), improved Equal Pay Act, extended paid parental leave, increased rights for contractors, and strengthened laws in support of collective bargaining. All of these updates seek to provide even better employee protection.
All employees must know the core of the country’s employment laws to protect them from opportunistic employees. When a case of employment-related disagreement escalates, hiring a lawyer who is well-versed in this matter should be of utmost priority.
