The Employment Relations Act 2000 (the Act) in relation to employment agreements - what does it cover, what needs to be in them and how you can best protect yourself and your staff. First, the agreement must be in writing. Why? Well, it provides an employer with the opportunity to clearly communicate their expectations to an employee. An effective agreement will also include a job description which provides the first step in setting effective performance standards and management. The need for a written employment agreement applies to all staff, from permanent full-time through to casual (including relief milkers). Independent contractors such as variable order and 50/50 sharemilkers, or agricultural contractors are not covered by the Act, although we still recommend that you have written contractor agreements with them also. So, what must a written individual employment agreement contain? The following are essential terms that must be included in every employment agreement:
Federated Farmers provide good farming specific employment agreements which can be bought online – permanent and fixed term employment agreements, a casual employment agreement, and a contract milking agreement. These are updated regularly and contain all the essential terms you need in the contract. If you need something more bespoke, then we can help you draft an agreement that meets your specific industry/job needs. It is really important that you, as employer, keep accurate records of hours worked, wages payable (and paid), and leave taken for each employee. You are legally required to keep these records for six years, so make sure you have a robust and secure record keeping system in place. All employees are entitled to at least four (4) weeks of paid annual leave (after working for you for a year). Please note that you cannot ‘contract out’ of these rights. You can provide more leave for employees than this, but you cannot provide less! In some circumstances, you, as the employer, may provide accommodation for your staff. You are free to agree the value of the accommodation provided and that the cost of that accommodation will be deducted from the employee’s wages before they are paid. Where this occurs, the agreed value of the accommodation will be deemed to be “wages” for any minimum wage calculations that may be necessary. Again, clearly recording these arrangements in writing is the key to minimising risk of dispute. We all spend time thinking about the start of a job but often we give little consideration to what happens when the employment relationship ends. There are a number of reasons for employment to end, which should also be considered when preparing an employment agreement, including:
With employment law the procedure you follow when dealing with staff is as important as the reason for the decision. It is common for employees to succeed in unjustified dismissal or unjustified disadvantage claims where the substantive action is considered justified, but the processes followed were inadequate or unfair. We strongly suggest you seek advice from a trusted advisor before commencing any employment processes. For you, as the employer, there may be other issues that are important to you and your employees that are not covered in a standard agreement. At Hamertons, we have specialised knowledge and expertise in all aspects of employment law. Let us know how we can help you. |
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Kawerau
1 Jellicoe Court, Onslow Street, 3127 PO BOX 150, Kawerau 3169 Phone: 07 323 8612 Fax: 07 323 6629 Email: kawerau@hamertons.co.nz |
Whakatāne
71 McAlister Street, Whakatāne 3120 PO Box 601, Whakatāne 3158 Phone: 07 307 0680 Fax: 07 307 0225 Email: reception@hamertons.co.nz |
Ōpōtiki
32 King Street, Ōpōtiki 3122 PO BOX 444, Ōpōtiki 3162 Phone: 07 315 6314 Fax: 07 315 7737 Email: reception@hamertons.co.nz |
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