This week we are all about employment. There is a LOT on the horizon for employers and we recommend learning as much as you can about the proposed changes and the new Immigration New Zealand framework. These changes will affect your business, as an owner or a manager.
Immigration NZ’s Accredited Work Visa:
From 4 July 2022 the new Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) will begin and nearly all employers wishing to hire migrant employees will need to become accredited with Immigration New Zealand.
There are two types of employer accreditation.
Standard — to employ up to 5 migrant workers on AEWVs at any one time
High-volume — to employ 6 or more migrant workers on AEWVs at any one time.
There is a fee to become an accredited employer, and there is a minimum wage for most roles, with some exclusions until December 2022 to support tourism and hospitality. Go to this link for more information: www.immigration.govt.nz/employ-migrants/new-employer-accreditation-and-work-visa
Fair Pay agreements:
Fair Pay Agreements are a new part of New Zealand’s employment law that are being proposed by the current Labour Government. The proposal is going through Select Committee now.
These agreements will set some minimum standards of employment for everyone working in a whole sector or occupation. They will be negotiated between working people (in union) and employers in a sector. Employees and employers will get to vote on them, but if the sides can’t agree, a third party will step in and set the new rules.
Fair Pay Agreements will not just be about pay, and they are not a full employment agreement. While pay is one of the things that must be covered it’s not the only thing. They can also cover training, leave, and health and safety.
A Fair Pay Agreement will not be a contract between an employer and an employee, like an employment agreement. It will be more like a law, that sets minimum rules for all the agreements in a sector or an occupation, like sick leave in the Holidays Act or the minimum wage.
We are delighted to announce we are hosting a seminar on Thursday 21 July at 5.30pm at Orca with DTI Lawyers’ Directors Hayley Willers and Jaime Lomas who can answer your burning employment and commercial law questions.
Raglan local, Hayley has legal expertise in business, commercial and property law and is a director of DTI’s commercial team. Jaime specialises in all aspects of employment law and is one of the directors of DTI’s specialist employment team. She is also a regular presenter for Chamber events.
Jaime and Hayley will be answering general legal questions submitted in advance of the event and will be able to respond to queries on the night. We encourage all members and those in the local community who have either a commercial or employment law question they want answered to come along and take advantage of this opportunity. Email info@raglanchamber.co.nz to register and forward your questions. Free for members, $12 for non-members.
