Employer Bulletin | 16 December
Holidays Act event with the EMA
Last week we sent you an invitation to attend the EMA’s event with the Hon. Brooke Van Velden on the upcoming changes to the Holidays Act. Unfortunately, the EMA’s event system experienced an unusual problem with registrations, preventing you from attending online like we encouraged you to do.
We want to apologise for sharing an invitation that you could not use, and for any frustration that not being able to register caused.
We look forward to bringing you everything you need to know about upcoming changes to the Holidays Act in 2025. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our legal advice team.
Pay deductions for partial strikes to be reintroduced
Changes to collective bargaining will help rebalance the rights and consequences of industrial action, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says.
A bill to allow for pay deductions in response to partial strikes has been introduced to Parliament. Partial strikes are industrial actions that normally involve turning up to work but refusing to partake in key parts of the job. The previous government revoked this in 2018.
“Restoring employers’ ability to make pay deductions for partial strikes could help incentivise both parties to return to the bargaining table and reach agreement sooner, while also minimising community impacts,” Ms van Velden says.
“A large proportion of public sector collective agreements are expiring in the first half of next year. Introducing a bill this side of Christmas will set the stage for this Government continuing to deliver better public services in 2025.”
In today’s Bulletin:
- Employer wins on its use of trial period
- Permanent employee treated as a casual and dismissed
- Employer failed to take steps to protect employees from harm
- Employees with disputes must choose to follow them up at the time
- Employee unjustifiably disadvantaged by prolonged suspension
- Eight news updates of interest for employers including: Pay deductions for partial strikes to be reintroduced; Commonsense changes to insulation standards; Government cuts red tape for food exporters; Repealing advertising restrictions for media; Business employment data: September 2024 quarter; Business financial data: September 2024 quarter; Independent review of ACC announced; and Food and Fibre sector set to break records
- Twelve bills open for submission
If you have any questions, about this case or other employment relation matters, call the Advice Line team on 0800 800 362.
Please note that AdviceLine will close at 5pm Tuesday 24 December and reopen on Monday 6 January.
Our hours from Monday 6 January – Friday 10 January will be 8am – 6pm.
