OCTOBER 2011 NEWSLETTER

Employees on a casual employment agreement are paid 8% annual holiday pay, however if they are incorrectly classified as casuals and should in fact be permanents, then they would also be entitled to accrued annual holidays as well - and this would be back dated - so in effect, they employer would pay twice. Employers are advised to carefully check the status (casual employees or permanent part time employees) when recruiting new staff and to continue to monitor existing employees because casual employees can become "permanent" where work becomes regular. Please phone EAL on 0800 15 8000 if you are unsure...full story

If employers are faced with restructuring, leading to potential redundancies and there are also vacant positions available in the organisation, affected employees could be suitable candidates. However there are dangers in Employers asking affected Employees to apply. Here is further information and a recommended approach...full story

Company Fined $24,750 And Ordered to Pay $10,000 Reparation After Contractor's Employee Was Injured In Fall.
This recent case highlights Employers' Safety and Health responsibilities go beyond their employees and include contractors and their employees as well. For further information on this case...full story

The EAL Employment Law hotline has been fielding questions from clients regarding the observance of Public Holidays over the Christmas break and also asking for clarification on Closedowns...full story

The "Annual Holidays and Leave" eBook has been fully revised and incorporates the latest changes to Employment Law. It is now available for purchasing (for $112 plus GST) and downloading from www.employers.co.nz/products. It is free for Employer Support Package subscribers who can download it from www.employerstoolbox.co.nz.