Are you looking for a job in New Zealand and need to know more about the Labour Law? Have you entered into a dispute with your employer over your salary or benefits and are looking to solve the matter amicably? Working with an employment lawyer in NZ from our team can be a suitable route to quickly solve your issues.
Hiring employees in New Zealand is regulated through the Employment Relations Act, the Wages Protection Act, the Minimum Wage Act, and a number of other laws concerning waged protection, the right to holiday and parental leave.
Our employment lawyer in New Zealand offers services for both employers and employees who are in need of assistance and advice for various matters concerning employment.
Issues such as minimum wages, employment agreements, trial periods, hiring foreign staff and workplace health and safety can be discussed with out employment lawyer in Auckland if you are based here.
Please read below if you wish to know how an employment attorney can help you and when you should reach out to us.
Our team of lawyers in New Zealand offers tailored services to companies and individuals. If you need more information, other than what is presented in this article, you can reach out to us at any time.
What services does an employment lawyer provide?
All employment relationships in New Zealand are governed by the employment law comprising many different acts and regulations. The government authority responsible for the implementation of these laws is the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
Whether you are just starting employment in New Zealand as a citizen or a foreign nationals or you have been working in a certain filed for many years, discussing matters about the employment agreement, hours and wages or dismissal with an employment lawyer in NZ can be very helpful.
Here are the main areas of interest covered by our employment lawyers:
- Unfair dismissal: unjustified dismissal is not permitted and you can seek legal help when your employer has failed to provide a reasonable cause for the termination of the employment agreement,;
- Wages and leave: if your employer does not observe the law for minimum wage or for parental leave or paid leave, you can talk to us;
- Harassment: workplace harassment should be reported to the employer, however, if your workplace has become unsafe, you can discuss more with our lawyer who will help you raise a personal grievance or approach the matter in a different manner;
- Representation: we assist our clients with court representation in all matters related to employment and we also represent those who have been subject to disciplinary meetings.
The services listed above are offered by our employment lawyer in Hamilton, NZ as well as in other areas by our experts.
We can also help you with:
- Alternative dispute resolution: our team and our employment lawyer in NZ can also assist with mediation, when appropriate, as an alternative to litigation;
- Agreements: drafting employment agreements can be an important step and one that will help clarify a number of issues, as well as protect the employer from failure to observe the latest policy changes;
- Health and safety: complete information about workplace health and safety measures as per the NZ employment law.
You can reach out to our lawyers in New Zealand for more information about each of these services.
Our employment lawyers in Wellington, as well as those based in other cities, will be able to answer specific questions.
We are also able to assist you with a number of other services, such as those related to company formation in NZ.
According to data from the statistical office, on the 8th of August 2021, there were 2,285,300 total paid jobs in New Zealand. Other data summarized below by our lawyers reveals the following:
- out of the total number of jobs, 98,440 were in primary industries and 1,695,800 in the services industries;
- at an industry level, the construction sector had the highest increase in new jobs in the June 2021 quarter: there were 3,693 jobs available, up by 2.2 percent compared to the March 2021 quarter;
- the largest increase in the number of jobs according to region was in Auckland, up 1% in the June 2021 quarter compared to the March 2021 quarter.
Legal assistance for employees in New Zealand
An employment lawyer in NZ from our team is able to represent individuals who are faced with issues concerning their employment contract or who have various issues with their employee.
All employees in New Zealand, whether full-time or fixed term, have certain rights, among which working in a safe environment and being protected against discrimination and harassment.
You can read more about the main services for employees offered by our employment lawyer in Auckland below:
- Employment contract review: if you believe that your employer is not respecting your rights, you can discuss any matter of concern with us;
- Wrongful dismissal: support from our employment lawyer NZ if you were subject to wrongful dismissal;
- Personal grievances: we assist employees who wish to take legal action against their employers; this can be done within 90 days of the incident and our NZ employment law specialists will offer you complete details about the process;
- Workplace discrimination and harassment: discrimination, as well as any form of sexual harassment are illegal in New Zealand; we can assist you if you are faced with these.
As an employee in New Zealand, you have the right to minimum wage. Our lawyers briefly list these below:
- $21.20 per hour;
- $169.60 per an 8-hour day;
- $848 or a 40 hour week.
Please keep in mind that the rates are different for those in training or starting-out. The rates are reviewed and changed accordingly each year by the Government.
Our employment lawyer in Auckland can help you if you are based here. We also offer services in other areas in New Zealand.
Working closely with our employment experts are our NZ accountants specializing in payroll. By working with our team, you will have access to services related to PAYE and IRD calculations, as well as submitting the required documents and making the payments. While there is no payroll tax, companies do need to make social security contributions and our experts can help you comply.
Do I need an employment lawyer in NZ?
Working with a lawyer is not mandatory, however, it is helpful if you wish to solve your problem as quickly as possible and in a favourable manner. From matters concerning wages, to workplace discrimination and wrongful termination, a lawyer is able to provide personalized solutions and will help you reach a resolution with your employer.
If you believe that your employer is being unfair, it is advisable to seek legal counsel before taking up any legal action. The lawyer can help you understand both your rights and your duties and will help you find a solution that will be suitable for your particular case. In most cases, negotiation and amicable resolution is enough to solve employment matters, however, if the matter does go to court, when working with a lawyer you will also rest assured that you have adequate court representation.
Can I hire an employment lawyer in Hamilton, NZ?
Our team offers services throughout New Zealand and part of our team is based in Hamilton. If you live or work near this area, or if you have a business based in the North Island, discussing your employment-related matters with our specialists can be helpful for finding solutions that work bet for your team or your business.
We are a team of lawyers specializing in Labour Law and other business matters and we understand that the relationship between the employer and the employee is not always a straightforward one. We have worked with local and foreign employees in New Zealand and we are ready to answer any questions you might have.
Contact us if you need to work with an employment lawyer in Hamilton, NZ or in another area in the North Island. We provide complete services to employers and employees alike.