Employer Bulletin | 7 April
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says safe harbours of deemed compliance will be created to increase business and worker certainty about what they need to do to comply with their health and safety duties.
Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs) are practical guidelines to help people in specific sectors and industries to comply with their health and safety duties.
“Health and safety compliance is based on people doing what is ‘reasonably practicable’ to manage risks, yet I’ve heard time and time again that many people don’t know what ‘reasonably practicable’ actually looks like. There is a demand for more and better guidance,” says Ms van Velden.
“As part of my health and safety reform, I am making a change to the ACOP model to reassure people that if they comply with an ACOP, they have done enough to meet their health and safety duties.
“In the absence of clear regulations and guidance, an entire health and safety industry has developed, which comes at a cost to businesses, consumers and taxpayers. You should not have to hire a health and safety consultant just to understand whether or not you are compliant with the law.”
In today’s Bulletin:
- Employer runs proper medical incapacity process following six months’ absence
- Incorrectly classed pay-as-you-go holiday pay has costly consequences
- Flawed redundancy process leads to unjustified dismissal
- Failure of employees to renegotiate their rehire is not an unjustified dismissal
- Withdrawal of conditional offer of employment is not a dismissal
- Eight news updates of interest for employers including: Reserve Bank capital review welcomed; Reducing ambiguity about what is reasonably practicable for health and safety compliance; Employment indicators: February 2025; Government seeks to simplify Fringe Benefit Tax rules; Māori economic growth plan aimed at boosting jobs and incomes; Investing in injury prevention in the manufacturing sector; Public Works Act overhaul complete to drive infrastructure growth, and Changes to Occupational Regulation on the way.
- Five 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.
