Edmonds Judd

Postscript

Postscript

Check your passport is current

With a travel bubble opening with Australia, do check that your passport is still valid before making a reservation.

The Department of Internal Affairs says around 300,000 people currently hold expired passports.

As well as being the best regarded form of identity for AML and other requirements, it would be a pity to have your travel delayed if, at the last minute, you discover your passport has expired. To apply for a new passport go here.

Leave and pay entitlements during Covid response and recovery

Over the past 14 months or so, employers and employees have had to work together during national and regional lockdowns, working from home as a requirement and/or choice and many other employment-related situations. Employment law obligations do not cease during these periods and employers must ensure they are acting in good faith towards their employees, while also trying to navigate these complex and rapidly changing situations.

Covid has thrown up some uncertainties for employers when calculating their employees’ entitlements when they are unable to work from home, self-isolating, unable to travel (where necessary) and so on. The wage subsidy regime was introduced in 2020 to cover a portion of employees’ wages during the first nationwide lockdown and has been reintroduced periodically as needed. In addition, the Covid-19 Leave Support Scheme provides support for employees who cannot work from home or need to self-isolate. To find out more about the Scheme go here.

This is a complex area of employment law and it’s important to get it right. For more information, go here.

If you would like more guidance on ensuring you are paying everyone correctly, please get in touch, we are happy to help.

A reminder about major changes to tenancy laws

This year heralds some significant changes to tenancy laws:

Changes from 11 February 2021: Several changes to the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 took effect on this date. These include an increase to either the 63 or 90 days’ notice period for termination of a periodic tenancy and an increase in the level of awards the Tenancy Tribunal can make from $50,000 to $100,000.

There are further changes that take effect from 1 July and 21 August 2021; and from 1 July 2023 and 1 July 2024.

To read more about this go here.