Barbara Buckett and Associates Barristors and Solicitors

trendz - our client newsletter

august 2007

sleeping with the enemy: is it a conflict of interest?

You will probably have read about the Setchell matter where Ms Setchell lost her job because of her partner’s job. Ms Setchell was employed as a communications person with the Ministry for the Environment, her partner worked in the Office of the Leader of the Opposition. At the core of the debate is whether the employer was justified in seeking termination of Ms Setchell’s employment as she was unfit for the job because of her relationship with someone who worked for the opposition. Click here for more …

Employment Relations (Flexible Working Hours) Amendment Bill

If this bill becomes law eligible employees will be able to seek part-time or flexible work hours, changes to the days on when work is undertaken and working from another place of work, including from home. Read on …

annual wage growth remains strong

The Labour Cost Index (LCI) recorded an increase of 3.2 percent in salary and wage rates (including overtime) in the year to the June 2007 quarter. Average total hourly earnings, as recorded by the Quarterly Employment Survey (QES), increased 4.2 percent for the same period. Find out more …

big fine for breaching confidentiality of mediated settlement

The Employment Relations Authority has ordered an employer to pay a former employee a $4000 penalty for breaching a confidentiality requirement of a mediated settlement.

union access rights confirmed

A recent decision by the Employment Court has confirmed that employers cannot require union officials who enter their workplace to speak with staff individually. The Court upheld an earlier Employment Relations Authority determination that stated that the right of access under Section 20 of the Act encompassed individual and collective discussions. However this ruling does not give unions the right to hold full staff meetings. More on this case …

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Disclaimer: These articles are necessarily brief and general in nature. You should seek professional advice before taking any action in relation to the matters dealt with in this publication. Please refer to our Legal Notices.