Employment - Parry Field Lawyers

We are aware that a number of employers are unsure at this time about what they need to pay employees and whether they should apply for the Government Subsidy or not.

The Government is regularly clarifying aspects of the Subsidy and the below is our current understanding of how it may apply as at 27 March 2020.

Do employees still have to be paid?

As a general rule, where employees are, apart from the shutdown, otherwise willing and able to work, employees are entitled to be paid by their employer. This will be informed by the following however and the terms of each employee’s employment agreement.

What are some possible relevant clauses in the employment agreement?

Check to see what the agreement says on such things as unpaid leave, special leave, annual leave, what happens in a pandemic, reducing hours, varying agreements, or, in a worst case scenario, redundancy.
Remember however that, any proposed changes to such things as the employees’ usual hours of work or pay, regardless of what the employment agreement says, should be discussed with employees in advance (i.e. consultation, listening to their feedback/suggestions), rather than simply presented to employees. Any agreed variation should also be recorded in writing between the employer and employee.
The duty of “good faith” continues to apply, even in these difficult circumstances. In layman terms, “good faith” simply reflects the “golden rule” and means treating your employees like you would like to be treated (or how you might like a member of your family to be treated by their employer).

The Government subsidy – general information

See our earlier article here on applying for the Subsidy.
Where employees will not actually be physically working or will work for less than their usual hours, say from home, the short-fall, up to 80%, should be recorded as special paid leave.
So, if an employee is not working at all, the 80% will be recorded fully as special paid leave. If the employee is working half their usual hours, half will be recorded as usual wages/salary and the other half, up to 80%, would be recorded as special paid leave.
The Government Subsidy must then be used by the employer towards their 80% contribution (or any additional wage payments the employer decides to make to employees).
The balance – 20% – will need to be discussed and agreed with employees and could be a mixture/combination of unpaid leave, annual leave, sick leave or additional special paid leave. If agreement cannot be reached on employees taking annual leave, the employer can direct employees to use annual leave but only on 14 days’ notice.
The advice we have received on taxation of the Subsidy is that:
- the wage subsidy payment will not be subject to GST;
- the wage subsidy paid to the employer will not be taxable;
- the wage subsidy paid to the employee, by the employer, will not be deductible; and
- the wage subsidy is taxable to employees, being included as part of their normal wages and therefore being subject to their usual PAYE, Student Loan, Kiwisaver deductions, etc.

“What are Best Efforts?”

What about if I’m unsure if I can pay staff 80% of the usual wages for 12 weeks or whether I might ultimately have to make employees’ redundant?

The terms of the subsidy refer to employers making “best efforts” to retain staff and pay staff at least 80% of their normal income for the subsidised period (in order to qualify for the subsidy).
As at 27 March 2020, the Government has clarified that, if an employer has made “best efforts” but cannot pay staff 80% of their usual salary/wages, an employer may still claim the Subsidy but must pass on the whole of the subsidy to their employees.
An employer will still need to be prepared to demonstrate the steps it took, prior to that time, to avoid that situation. In other words, what evidence do you have of your “best efforts.” This could include:
Seeking third party financial assistance, such as from a bank or landlord or suppliers (i.e. further funding, mortgage holidays, interest free terms, deferred payments, staggered payments etc);
Seeking advice from the Chamber of Commerce, a relevant industry association or your accountant; and
Discussing with staff about whether they would be prepared to take their annual leave or sick leave entitlement to top up the Government Subsidy or accept reduced paid hours/unpaid leave. This could include only being paid the amount of the Government Subsidy, if necessary.
MSD will have the ability to check applications and verify information at a later date, including an employer’s declaration at the time of application that they will make “best efforts” to retain staff and pay at least the 80% cap.

What about in a worst case scenario and I need to look at making employees redundant?

As at 27 March 2020, the Government has clarified that, in order to claim the Subsidy, employers must keep employees in employment for the period of the Subsidy (even if they are only passing on the Subsidy to employees to keep them in employment).
It remains unclear what will happen if an employer claims the Subsidy but then makes an employee(s) redundant but it is possible (but not yet confirmed) that employers may need to repay the Subsidy relating to those employees, or at least, relating to the period of time after the employee’s employment ended.
Employers will also need to again be prepared to demonstrate what steps they took to retain staff prior to that time.
If a redundancy is undertaken, employers should again check the terms of their employment agreement to see what it provides regarding redundancy. For example, it may define when an employee will be considered redundant, the process that must be followed, what notice must be paid out, and whether any redundancy compensation is payable. The terms of the agreement will need to be followed.
A fair process, carried out in “good faith” will again be required, although consultation will need to be done by email, telephone or applications such as “zoom” and relevant timeframes for consultation and decision making may be able to be reduced.

This article is not a substitute for legal advice and you should consult your lawyer about your specific situation. Please feel free to contact Hannah Carey – hannahcarey@parryfield.com or any of the team should you need assistance.

The Government will support employers if you face laying off staff or reducing their hours because of COVID-19. But you must meet certain criteria to be eligible – described here.

How much?

The amount involved is paid at a flat rate of $585.80 to a person working 20 hours or more per week and $350.00 to a person working less than 20 hours per week. That is a payment of $7,029.60 for a full time employee and $4,200 for a part time employee.

Criteria to apply?

First, check 2019 revenue against 2020 revenue. Has there been a 30% actual or predicted decline? If so, then you need to confirm:

– the decline is due to the impact of COVID19;
– you will make best efforts to retain staff and pay them (at least 80% of their usual pay). This should be over the – 12 weeks subsidy period;
– you have taken active steps to mitigate lost revenue eg consulting with your bank or advisors; and
– Staff provide consent for details (names, contacts, IRD numbers) to be provided to MSD.

It is worth emphasising that a predicted drop of income will suffice, so employers should put together a list of factors supporting a predicted drop. That could include the obvious, such as staff not being able to work at all but also, where staff can work remotely, not all staff being able to work for 8 hours a day due to technical constraints or clients being in non essential industries.

Other steps to take

We suggest that you document last years revenue vs this year. If you’ve existed for less than a year choose a reasonable month last year to compare with. MSD have noted that they have power to investigate later and it seems likely that some will abuse the system – so best to document both what revenue was and is predicted to be, as well as a list of what steps were taken to mitigate impact.

This article is not a subsitute for legal advice and you should contact your lawyer about your specific situation. If you require any assistance with this, please feel free to contact Hannah Carey – hannahcarey@parryfield.com or Steven Moe – stevenmoe@parryfield.com at Parry Field Lawyers.

We live in unprecedented times. In this short guide we have set out key issues which we think Businesses in New Zealand should be focussed on.

We will update this article as we have further information and expand it more.

Key Information

We recommend looking at this site for the latest Government announcements on COVID-19.

Government support

The government has confirmed that this wage scheme and leave scheme apply to businesses (this includes registered charities, non-government organisations, incorporated societies and other entities). These groups can apply if they meet the qualification criteria. We found that this information was the best to refer to but this summary from Deloitte is helpful as well.

Contracts

Consider seeing what they say about “Force Majeure” events – things outside of your control – there may be provisions which help to delay provision of services or goods at this time. Is some renegotiation needed around the terms? Price? Timing?

Governance

We suggest this is a great chance to look back at your purposes and ensure that they are being followed. Why not also check policies and other rules? We also suggest you ask questions as a governing body to ensure that everyone understands the finances and budgets – how will they be affected? Finally, if you are making important decisions then record them in minutes of meetings. It may be that due to physical distancing you will need to adjust how you have meetings – we use Zoom.

Leases

If you have a commercial lease have a look and see if there is an “Emergencies” clause. If you have such a lease it depends what it says – so it is worth checking your agreement with the Landlord. If you have a recent ADLS version Deed of Lease (which is industry standard) then there is a definition of “Emergency” which includes an epidemic. Clause 27.5 then has provision about access to the property in an emergency – see the screen shot – that refers to “a fair proportion of the rent and outgoings shall cease to be payable…” in some circumstances where you are unable to access the premises as a consequence of the emergency. Use that clause as the basis to talk with your Landlord in the coming weeks.
As a side note, if you only ever signed an Agreement to Lease, don’t panic that it doesn’t have that clause, as the Deed of Lease provisions are deemed to be incorporated into the Agreement to Lease as well (if it is an ADLS form) – see clause 4 of the ADLS Agreement to Lease form.

Other issues

Here are some articles from our website that may be worth a look as well on the topics of good governance, electronic signatures, relief against forfeiture, employer issues, director duties and liquidations.

Questions?

This article is not a substitute for legal advice and you should consult your lawyer about your specific situation. For any questions, feel free to contact Steven Moe stevenmoe@parryfield.com or Kris Morrison krismorrison@parryfield.com

The short answer is, it depends. Key factors include what the employment agreement says about varying the agreement, how significant the proposed change is, why there is a need for the change, whether the change is to the employee’s benefit or not and whether the employer and employee agree.

This article considers the situation where the employment agreement states, as is common, “This agreement may be varied by written agreement between the employer and employee”, the change proposed is more than inconsequential and is not to the employee’s benefit.

Good Faith

The starting position is that the employer and the employee are required, when bargaining for a variation to an employment agreement, to “deal with each other in good faith”. At a minimum that means being “responsive and communicative” towards each other and “active and constructive in continuing a productive relationship.”

In short, in the situation outlined above, employers should tell employees well in advance of the proposed change, the reasons for it, and the possible consequences if the change does not go ahead. A possible consequence may, depending on the circumstances, be that the employee’s employment is in jeopardy. However, that should only be raised if that is a genuine possibility, rather than as a threat.

Employees should be given an opportunity to give feedback on the proposal, including any concerns or alternative suggestions. Employers should maintain an open mind to suggestions made and be willing to vary their proposal if feasible.

Employees should also be told, prior to giving feedback, that they are entitled to get independent advice on the proposal and given sufficient time to get that advice, if they so choose.

If an employee’s employment may be in jeopardy if the change does not proceed, then employees should also be given an opportunity to have a support person or representative with them when they give their feedback.

Employees should not simply reject proposed changes out of hand and refuse to discuss them with the employer. They should engage with their employer and be prepared to discuss concerns and put forward alternatives, with a view to trying to reach resolution if possible.

What should happen if agreement is reached?

If agreement is reached, the terms of the existing agreement should be followed in recording that variation. For example, it should be recorded in writing, signed by both parties, and attached to the agreement.

If the change is solely to the advantage of the employer, an employer should also consider offering the employee some sort of “consideration” (i.e. benefit) in exchange, in order to ensure that the change is binding. This could be a one off payment or a pay increase or some other benefit.

While it is not clear legally that consideration is always required where the parties agree to a change, it is prudent to do so to limit the risk of a future dispute.

What if agreement can’t be reached?

This can be a difficult one. On one hand, the law recognises, as a general proposition, an employer’s prerogative to manage or organise its business. On the other hand, that is not an unconstrained right and the terms of the employee’s employment agreement cannot be ignored.

Consequently, where the proposed change effects an express term of the employee’s employment agreement (e.g. their hours of work) and the agreement states that any variation will be by mutual consent, it will be more difficult for an employer to unilaterally effect a change justifiably, particularly a substantial one.

Nonetheless, in some circumstances, a unilateral change may be permitted, where, objectively, that change is “fair and reasonable” and reasonably implemented. Whether any such change meets that test has been said by the Courts to involve “questions of fact and degree”, i.e. how significant is the change and why and how is it being introduced. Consequently, the individual facts of each case will be critical in assessing whether a change is likely to be upheld or not.

Either way, as with changes by agreement, where the change is solely for the benefit of the employer, the employer should offer some benefit in exchange for the proposed change. This also increases the chances of agreement being reached.

Drafting new employment agreements – a take home message for employers

If you are an employer, we recommend that new employment agreements include scope for changes to be made by the employer where business needs justify it. While employers will still need to follow a fair process, in the event of disagreement, more flexible agreement terms potentially provide greater flexibility in implementing change.

Are you hosting an end of year work Christmas party for your employees where alcohol will be served? It is important that you are aware that you may be liable under Health and Safety legislation, even if the work party is held off-site.

What does the Health and Safety at Work Act say?

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act, employers are required to provide their employees with a safe workplace, protecting them against harm. The Act states the employers must, “so far as is reasonably practicable” ensure that the health and safety of employees is not put at risk. When defining what is meant by “reasonably practicable”, the Act states that employers should weigh up various factors including:

The chance of the dangerous event or risk occuring;
The level of harm that could result;
What the person knows or should know about the hazard of the risk and the ways of eliminating or minimising the risk;
Ways to reduce the risk; and
The cost associated with minimising the risk (and whether doing so is disproportionate to the risk itself).

“Hazard” as referred to in the Act includes where a person’s behaviour has the potential to cause death, injury or illness to a person, and includes whether their behaviour results from alcohol. Therefore, in the case of a work Christmas party where alcohol is being served, the potential for alcohol to affect someone’s behaviour, putting others at risk, is increased.

Employers must reasonably be aware of the hazard of risk occurring and must take reasonable steps to eliminate or minimise the risk in a reasonably practicable manner.

In the context of hosting a work Christmas event where alcohol is being served, reasonable steps to eliminate and minimise risk might include providing plenty of food, providing non-alcoholic drinks and setting limits on number of drinks.

Liability is not excluded just because you are off-site

It is important for employers to be aware that liability can arise at work events held off-site. As defined in section 20 of the Act, “workplace” means:

A place where work is being carried out, or is customarily carried out, for a business or undertaking; and
Includes any place where a worker goes, or is likely to be, while at work.

A venue that is used for work events will be considered part of the workplace. This means that even if the work party is held at a venue off-site, you cannot strike out the possibility of liability under the Health and Safety at Work Act and you must do everything that is reasonably practicable to provide a safe environment for your employees.

Conclusion: Be aware of the risk and put plans in place to eliminate that risk

In conclusion, it is important that you are aware of the risks and that you do everything that is reasonably practicable to provide a safe environment for your employees.

Every situation is unique so please discuss your situation with a professional advisor who can provide tailored solutions to you.

If you have any questions arising from the issues raised in this article or relating to any other employment law matters, you are welcome to get in touch with us by calling 03-348-8480.

When setting up a company, there are lots of new roles to get your head around. Whether you are a shareholder yourself, or a director in a company, it is important to understand what is expected from the role.

Generally, the constitution of a company determines the rules for how the company is to run. The Companies Act 1993 (“the Act”) often sets out that a company can only do certain things if its constitution allows it. In New Zealand however, a company is not required to have a constitution. Although it is very useful to have, it is not a legal requirement. In the absence of one, the Act sets out the rights, duties and obligations of shareholders, amongst other matters.

Shareholders’ Powers

Although shareholders are not responsible for, and don’t participate in, the day-to-day management of the company, the Act holds that there are certain powers that only shareholders of a company can exercise. These include:

Adopting, altering or revoking a constitution (section 32);
Altering shareholder rights (section 119);
Approving a major financial transaction (section 129);
Appointing and removing directors (sections 153 and 156);
Approving an amalgamation (section 221); and
Putting the company into liquidation (section 241).

While the appointing and removing of directors is usually done by an ordinary shareholders’ resolution (simple majority vote), the other powers require a shareholders’ resolution to be passed by a majority of 75% (or higher if required by the company’s constitution) of those shareholders entitled to vote, and voting on the decision.

Under section 109 of the Act, shareholders may also question and pass a resolution relating to the management of the company. However unless the constitution says otherwise, the resolution is not binding on the board.

Limitations

Shareholders can bring an action against a director for a breach of duty owed to them, but not all directors’ duties are owed to shareholders. Section 169(2) makes it clear that a shareholder cannot bring an action against a director for any loss in the value of their shares by reason only of the loss being suffered by the company.

Reporting Requirements

Under section 178, a shareholder may, at any time, make a written request to a company for information held by the company. The company then has 10 working days from receiving the request to:

provide the information; or
agree to provide the information within a specific period; or
agree to provide the information within a specified period if the shareholder pays a reasonable charge to the company to meet the cost of providing the information; or
refuse to provide the information specifying the reasons for refusal.

The company may refuse if:

disclosure would or would be likely to prejudice the commercial position of the company; or
disclosure would or would be likely to prejudice the commercial position of any other person, whether or not that person supplied the information to the company; or
the request for the information is frivolous or vexatious.

Shareholders’ Exit Strategy

Unlike a director, a shareholder cannot just be removed from a company by the other shareholders If problems between shareholders arise, the Companies Act allows a shareholder to apply to the Court to seek orders against the company or other shareholders – for example for the liquidation of the Company. However, this is where it can often be helpful to have a Shareholders’ Agreement which adds to the ordinary rights and responsibilities of the shareholders under the Companies Act. The agreement can set out who can buy their shares, how the shares will be valued, and any restrictions a shareholder may face once leaving, like a restraint of trade. Again, this Agreement isn’t legally required, but it brings clearer rules that are agreed upon by the shareholders.

Conclusion

Without a constitution, there are laws in place to govern what a shareholder can and can’t do. However if you have a company with more than one shareholder, you may want to look into getting a constitution and/or shareholders agreement. They can provide greater guidance on matters already in the Act, but can also allow shareholders greater involvement in how the business itself is run.

This article is not a substitute for legal advice and you should talk to a lawyer about your specific situation. Please contact Kris Morrison krismorrison@parryfield.com or Steven Moe stevenmoe@parryfield.com at Parry Field Lawyers (348-8480)

The Government has announced the introduction of a new Bill to amend the Employment Relations Act 2000. Features of the Bill include supporting collective bargaining and union rights, statutory meal and rest breaks and banning the use of 90-day trial periods for businesses with 20 or more employees.

This last change has sparked some controversy over the years. Initially introduced in 2009, the current law allows employers to fire new staff within their first 90 days. They may do so without giving a reason, and without liability for unfair dismissal.

According to Statistics NZ, 98 per cent of all enterprises have 0-19 employees, with less than 1 per cent employing 100 or more people. However, these enterprises with more than 100 people engage 47 per cent of all employees in New Zealand.

While the change brings security to small business owners worried about barriers to hiring, the majority of employees also have the security of not being subject to this 90-day trial.

Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety, Iain Lees-Galloway has said “Good employment law strikes a balance between employers and workers. Under the previous Government the balance tipped away from fair working conditions for workers. We will restore that balance.”

To read the Government’s media release, click here.

This article is not a substitute for legal advice and you should talk to a lawyer about your specific situation. Should you need any assistance with this, or with any other Employment matters, please contact Hannah Carey at Parry Field Lawyers (348-8480) hannahcarey@parryfield.com

And do they comply?

A recent report from Statistics New Zealand suggests that nearly 1 in 10 employees do not have a written employment agreement. Of those who do have written employment agreements, it’s probably fair to say that a proportion of those are not up-to-date. Recent changes to employment law also mean some previously compliant agreements may need revising.

Whether you are an employer or an employee, you should check your employment agreement and make sure it complies with the minimum requirements. If it doesn’t, employees may be missing out on entitlements, and employers could be exposing themselves to increased penalties and claims from employees. Directors and senior business managers can now also be held personally accountable.

Minimum requirements

The Employment Relations Act 2000 (ERA) requires that every employee must have an employment agreement and that agreement must be in writing whether it is for a permanent, fixed term or casual position. The agreement must include the following:

Names of the employee and employer
A description of the work to be performed by the employee
An indication of where the employee will perform the work
Any agreed hours of work or, if no hours are agreed, an indication of the arrangements relating to the times the employee is to work
The wages or salary payable to the employee, and
A plain language explanation of the services available for the resolution of employment relationship problems, including a reference to the period of 90 days within which a personal grievance must be raised.

Employers must retain a copy of the employment agreement.

Within the ERA, there are further specific requirements in relation to certain types of clauses. For example, if the agreement includes a trial period clause, there are specific requirements which must be met if it is to be relied on to end employment within 90 days.

Recent changes

The Employment Standards Bill was enacted earlier this year, with effect from 1 April 2016. It introduced a suite of changes to employment law including some which mean existing employment agreements will need updating. It also toughened the penalties for employers who do not comply with their obligations.

Some of these changes are summarised below. Please see us if you require a more detailed explanation of the changes and what they may mean for you.

Parental leave

Parental leave eligibility was extended to ‘primary carers’ who can include grandparents, aunts and uncles. Those employees on casual and fixed term agreements are also eligible.

Leave entitlements have been extended, and there is now also the option of agreeing to ‘keeping in touch’ arrangements. These are where employees can return to work on a limited basis for up to 40 hours (total) during their leave without losing their leave entitlements. This allows employees to keep up-to-date with any training or changes in the workplace, and to maintain their social and professional bonds.

Zero-hour contracts

‘Zero-hour contracts’ is a colloquial term for employment contracts which require an employee to be available for work, but don’t offer any guaranteed hours or compensate the employee for being on-call. Zero-hour contracts are now prohibited.

Where an employer and employee agree the hours that are to be worked, this must be recorded in the employment agreement. Where particular hours are not agreed, the agreement needs to give an indication of the hours.

Employers who want to be able to require employees to be available for extra work must include an ‘availability’ provision in the employment agreement. This must set out minimum guaranteed hours of work, and any period which the employee is required to be available above the guaranteed hours. Employment agreements cannot contain an availability provision unless the employer has genuine reasons for requiring it and the employee is reasonably compensated for making themselves available.

If the employment agreement doesn’t comply with these requirements, the employee cannot be required to work more than the agreed hours and cannot be treated adversely if they refuse to do this.

Deductions from wages

Currently, employers need the express consent of their employee to deduct any amounts from wages (other than PAYE, etc). Employment agreements commonly contain an agreement to this effect so that the employer does not need to obtain consent every time a deduction needs to be made.

Now, even if the employment agreement contains such a clause, an employer must still consult with their employee before making a deduction. There is also a prohibition on making unreasonable deductions from wages, even if the employee consents to them. An example of an unreasonable deduction might be in relation to theft of the employer’s property by a customer where the employee had no control over it.

Secondary employment

Employment agreements often contain limitations on an employee’s ability to undertake work for other people. These clauses are now subject to a number of limitations.

It’s only permissible to include such a clause if the employer has genuine reasons based on reasonable grounds, and those reasons are stated in the employment agreement. Genuine reasons can include:

Protecting commercially sensitive information or intellectual property rights, or the employer’s reputation, or
Preventing a conflict of interest that cannot be managed without such a restriction.

A secondary employment clause can only prohibit or restrict other work to the extent necessary having regard to the reasons set out in the agreement.

For agreements that were entered into before 1 April 2016, employers have until 1 April 2017 to remove or amend clauses in existing agreements which don’t comply.

It’s important to get it right

The Employment Standards Bill also made other changes which emphasise the importance of employment agreements:

Record keeping requirements have been clarified
Penalties have increased
Employers can be publically named if they fail to meet minimum employment standards, and
People other than the employer (for example, directors and senior managers) can be held liable.

Failing to meet minimum standards can result in penalties and infringement notices being issued. It can also have a significant effect, for example, on an employer’s ability to dismiss an employee.

Check your agreements

This is a good time for all employers and employees to check their employment agreements to ensure they comply with the minimum standards set out above. Employers may also have policies which may need updating.

If your employment agreement doesn’t comply with the new legislation, talk to your employee or employer about amending it to bring it up-to-date. We have experts who can assist.

This article is not a substitute for legal advice and you should talk to a lawyer about your specific situation. Should you need any assistance with this, or with any other Employment matters, please contact Hannah Carey – hannahcarey@parryfield.com or any of the team at Parry Field.

We have seen a lot of employers falling into some common pitfalls when interacting with their employees. These are our Top 10 Tips for employers for avoiding the most common employment relations issues.

1. Do a thorough pre-employment check Make sure to screen all potential employees before hiring them. Things such as criminal history, medical-and drug-testing, and good referee checks can help avoid employment problems down the road.

2. Finalise and sign employment agreements before an employee starts work The employment agreement is the most important document of the employment relationship, so make sure it is finalised and signed before the employee starts work. A 90 Day Trial Period will only be enforceable if the agreement is signed before the employee starts work.

3. Choose the correct employment agreement Whether you use a permanent, fixed-term, or casual agreement will depend on the circumstances, and each carries its own benefits and risks. Do not be tempted to use a fixed-term agreement to establish whether an employee is suitable for permanent employment.

4. Have policy documents on display and easily accessible Employee practices are often governed by company policies as well as by the terms of their employment agreement or job description. Whether they relate to health and safety, company vehicles, IT, or telecommunications, employees can only be bound by rules they are informed of, so have all policy documents accessible and encourage employees to read them.

5. Keep proper records of every employee This includes records of the employee’s annual and sick leave entitlements, wage/salary records, job descriptions, and a copy of their employment agreement. Make sure you have a file for each employee, and that all their records are filed in it.

6. Always consult with employees before adjusting their hours, roles, or terms Employers cannot unilaterally change the terms on which an employee works. Consulting with employees on these matters is vital, and you may find that they have ideas you had not considered.

7. Keep up-to-date with developments The law is changing all the time; make sure to keep up-to-date with the latest changes to employment law, even where it seems irrelevant to your specific business. It may be that the law has wider application than you expected, or that it becomes relevant further down the track.

8. Act promptly and follow correct disciplinary and redundancy procedures Where you suspect an employee of misconduct or poor performance, act promptly and always follow clear and fair procedures. Never ambush employees with allegations or performance review meetings. Give employees full and timely notice of any disciplinary meetings, and allow them time to prepare and respond.

9. Do not be afraid to go to mediation Most employment problems can be resolved by either informal negotiation or in mediation. Mediation is a voluntary and highly flexible method of resolving disputes, and often leads to mutually satisfactory outcomes.

10. When in doubt, come to us Whenever you have concerns about an employee or the terms of your employment agreements, talk to your lawyer before taking any steps. We can help to determine the best approach to take, resolve disputes as quickly as possible, and assist in improving your employment agreements.

Parry Field has been assisting employers in New Zealand since 1948. Based in Christchurch we have the experience and resources to help you.

You may have hired a worker as a contractor or have begun working as a contractor, but the Courts may see the relationship differently to you. Instead, the Court may decide that the relationship was rather one of employer-employee. This can have significant implications, as outlined below.

In deciding this issue, the Court has to consider the “real” nature of the relationship. To this end, the Court:

• Must consider all relevant matters, including any matters that indicate the intention of the parties; and

• Are not to treat as a determining matter any statement made by the parties that describes their relationship (e.g. if the contract describes one party as a contractor).

So what is the distinction between an employee and a contractor?

The distinction usually lies in whether the person is performing the services as a person in business on his/her “own account. If they are in business on their “own account”, they will usually be an independent contractor.

The Courts have developed a variety of tests over the years to assist in assessing the relationship. Examples of these include:

• What degree of control does the employer have over the work done and the way in which it is performed? The more control an employer has, the more likely it is to be an employment relationship.

For example, if the worker is required to work set hours, is not able to sub-contract the work out to anyone else, is unable to work for other competing businesses, is required to follow workplace rules and is closely monitored, this is may suggest that the “contractor” is actually an employee.

• Is the person a fundamental part of the business – are they “part and parcel of the organisation” or do they merely have an ancillary role?

The more integral to the business, the more likely you are to be an employee.

• Was the person performing the services on his/her own account or as part of the business?

For example, if the worker is providing his/her own tools/equipment, is invoicing the organisation, is able to hire his/her own labour and is responsible for his/her own tax and ACC payments, this may suggest that the worker is a contractor.

Why should this distinction be of a concern for me?

If you engage a worker as a contractor but then, later, that worker is held to be an employee, the following flow-on effects could occur:

• You or your organisation/company could become liable for backdated holiday pay and sick pay from the commencement of the services;

• The tax position will be reassessed. You may become liable for tax.

• The worker will be able to follow all of the processes contained in the Employment Relations Act 2000 including bringing a personal grievance against you/your organisation.

Vice versa, if you are performing work as a “contractor” but fail to see how your situation is any different to a regular employee, you may be missing out on employment entitlements which you are legally entitled to such as holiday pay/leave, sick pay, bereavement leave, kiwi-saver contributions and minimum wage entitlements. You may also believe that you are prevented from bringing a personal grievance against your “employer”.

If you are intending to take on a new worker and wish him/her to be a contractor, at a minimum you should ensure the following:

• That there is a “contact for services” contract in place (we can draft an appropriate document for you);

• That the person is invoicing you/your company for the services provided and payment is made on receipt of an invoice. The person will need to be responsible for their own tax and ACC payments;

• That you do not exercise too much control over the services and how they are being provided e.g. make sure there is flexibility in terms of when the services are to be performed and allow the person to undertake other work (even if it for a competing business);

• That the person provides his/her own equipment/tools (where appropriate).

If you are currently contracted as a “contractor” and are unsure whether in fact you should be classified as an employee, we recommend that you raise this with the business you work for and/or contact us for further advice.

Should you need any assistance with this, or with any other Employment matter, please contact Hannah Carey at Parry Field Lawyers (348-8480).