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What does our legal document suite and automation software mean for our clients? Agreements to You is able to produce high-quality legal documentation in a shorter time – and with greater accuracy and less cost.
The highly anticipated Fair Pay Agreements Bill (“the Bill”) was introduced to Parliament this week and is expected to shake up the employment law scene.
The Bill provides a framework within which fair pay agreements (“FPAs”) can be bargained The Bill’s objective is to “improve labour market outcomes in New Zealand by enabling employers and employees to collectively bargain industry-wide or occupation-wide minimum employment terms.”
With modelling showing an expected decline in the current Omicron outbreak in early April, the Government has confirmed that long-awaited changes to New Zealand’s COVID-19 Protection Framework will shortly come into effect.
The Employment Relations Authority (“the Authority”) decision O’Brien v Discovery New Zealand Ltd issued a firm reminder that properly drafted restraint of trade provisions can and will be enforced against employees seeking to jump ship.
Does providing public commentary constitute work? A recent Employment Relations Authority (“the Authority”) case suggests it can and highlighted the expectation on employers to take extra health and safety steps for staff if such commentary is resulting in employee harassment.
Company directors have been put on notice: they may be held to be personally liable for their company’s employment law breaches; even if they genuinely believed the company was complying with its legal obligations.
Recently, the government announced a new traffic light system to replace the alert level system when 90% “double jabbed” vaccine coverage is reached in each District Health Board’s geographic area.
As part of this announcement, a number of legislative changes regarding vaccine mandates were signaled. Of particular note was the proposed, vaccination certificate regime, under which vaccinated Kiwis, along with those medically unable to be vaccinated, would enjoy a wider range of freedoms than those voluntarily unvaccinated.
Earlier this month, we wrote about the COVID-19 Response (Management Measures) Legislation Bill (“Bill”). If passed, the Bill will have the effect of inserting an implied clause into many commercial leases providing for a rent reduction where, because of an epidemic, the tenant cannot gain access to the premises to fully conduct its business.
The Bill has since been through a public consultation process and the Finance and Expenditure Committee (“Committee”) has now published a report which summarises the various submissions on the Bill that the Committee received.
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