Edmonds Judd

whistleblowing

Postscript

Fair Pay Agreements Bill

The Fair Pay Agreements Bill was introduced earlier this year; it proposes a framework for collective bargaining of fair pay agreements. The Select Committee is working its way through submissions and will report back to the House in early October.

 

The government believes the current situation of an employer and employee being free to negotiate the terms of employment without being subject to fair pay obligations (provided employment law minimum entitlements are met) marginalises some employees. The draft legislation would introduce a regime where an agreement is established across an entire industry or occupation for mandatory minimum employment terms (such as wages or hours of work).

 

It is fair to say, no pun intended, that the proposed legislation has not been met with open arms by employers. Unions, however, have greeted the provisions in this Bill much more positively. We will let you know the status of this legislation in the next edition of Fineprint.

 

Scams: be vigilant

Scams affect us all – in our bank accounts, credit cards, over the phone, social media, via email or simply being sent a ‘strange’ communication offering you some ‘benefit.’

 

If you are contacted unexpectedly – always hesitate and consider that a communication from someone you don’t know could be a scam. Never, ever click on a link that you don’t know. Keep an eye on your credit card statement; unsavoury characters can hack your credit card details and ‘phish’ your money in the blink of an eye.

 

For help and information on scams, go to www.consumerprotection.govt.nz and click on the Scamwatch button. Netsafe New Zealand is also very helpful, go to www.netsafe.org.nz.

 

New whistleblowing legislation now in force

The new Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Act 2022 came into force on 1 July.

 

The government says this new legislation provides clearer protection for people to speak up about wrongdoing, while protecting the whistleblowers themselves. It ensures confidentiality around who has made the disclosure, immunity from disciplinary action for making the disclosure and protection from retaliation through the Employment Relations Act 2000 and the Human Rights Act 1993.

 

If your business hasn’t already done so, we recommend you urgently review your whistleblowing policies and procedures so they comply with this new legislation. If you would like some help with this, please be in touch.

 

DISCLAIMER: All the information published in Fineprint is true and accurate to the best of the authors’ knowledge. It should not be a substitute for legal advice. No liability is assumed by the authors or publisher for losses suffered by any person or organisation relying directly or indirectly on this newsletter. Views expressed are those of individual authors, and do not necessarily reflect the view of Edmonds Judd. Articles appearing in Fineprint may be reproduced with prior approval from the editor and credit given to the source.
Copyright, NZ LAW Limited, 2022.     Editor: Adrienne Olsen.       E-mail: [email protected].       Ph: 029 286 3650