Employment

Managing employment relationships can often be complex. We appreciate this and work alongside our clients to ensure they manage their employment relations in an efficient and strategic way. We draw on our employment law and HR backgrounds to give employers commercially savvy, strategic and relevant employment relations support and advice.

Starting your employment relationships with a strong agreement in place is key. We prepare all types of employment agreements from permanent, fixed term to casual. We also review existing agreements to ensure they are up-to-date with the latest employment law requirements.

Whether it is raising or defending a personal grievance claim, we have a team of highly skilled advocates who can act on your behalf. There is significant risk for employers who do not act quickly and with sound legal advice when facing a personal grievance. We have acted for numerous employers facing complex claims and know how to successfully and efficiently deal with them. We work with you to collect all of the facts, advise on your legal position, prepare responses, attend mediations and advise on full and final settlement options if necessary.

We are skilled litigators and represent clients in all jurisdictions including the Employment Relations Authority and Employment Court.

There are a range of employment laws in New Zealand. These employment laws are regularly updated which can make it challenging for employers to maintain compliance. We provide expert advice on your legal obligations and what the latest employment laws are. We provide expert advice on your obligations under all New Zealand employment laws, including (but not limited to) the Holidays Act, Wages Protection Act, Minimum Wages Act and the Employment Relations Act.

Due to internal or external factors sometimes workplace change is necessary. We are skilled in advising clients on every aspect of workplace change, from creating robust change proposals to advising on consultation processes. There are specific requirements which employers must follow when undertaking workplace changes, this includes having a genuine business reason and following a fair process. It is important to seek advice, before undertaking any workplace change process as getting these processes wrong can result in litigation and negative impacts on employee satisfaction.

Whether it is performance issues, misconduct or serious misconduct or situations that require investigation – we are experienced in advising on best practice and managing these situations fairly and efficiently.

We provide expert advice on an employer’s legal obligation to provide safe and healthy workplaces under the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. We advise on duty holder obligations and assist in implementing health and safety policies and practices. Most recently this has involved ensuring clients are equipped and prepared to manage the risks of COVID-19 in the workplace.

We regularly provide workshops on the most recent employment law developments, to make sure our clients are always one step ahead and clearly understand what their employment law obligations are.