News

Business Guide to Unfair Contract Terms

Posted by Benefitz Admin on December 4 2018

If you are a business that deals with consumers and you use standard form contracts, you need to make sure your terms are fair. The Commerce Commission has recently launched a series of videos and quick guides to help businesses avoid unfair contract terms in standard form consumer contracts. Read the rest of this entry

The Overseas Investment Amendment Bill

Posted by Benefitz Admin on December 4 2018

The Overseas Investment Amendment Bill ( Bill ) was introduced to Parliament on 14 December 2017 and will amend the existing Overseas Investment Act 2005 ( Act ). The intent of the Bill is to restrict the acquisition of residential land by overseas investors and to ensure that any such... Read the rest of this entry

Minimum wage when on call

Posted by Benefitz Admin on December 4 2018

Workers entitled to be paid minimum wage for each hour when on call Community service workers are often required to undertake sleepovers as part of their role. They must remain on site overnight to be on hand to deal with any issues that arise. The law has been clear since the Court of... Read the rest of this entry

Employment relations amendment bill

Posted by Benefitz Admin on December 4 2018

Moves are underway to strengthen rights for employees, collective bargaining and union rights in the workplace In February this year the Government introduced the Employment Relations Amendment Bill to Parliament. The Bill proposes a number of changes to employment law which will affect all... Read the rest of this entry

Does your contract contain unfair terms?

Posted by Benefitz Admin on December 4 2018

The Fair Trading Act introduced provisions which came into force on 17 March 2015 prohibiting any inclusion of unfair contract terms ( unfair terms ) in standard consumer contracts. The new provisions apply to all standard consumer contracts entered into after 17 March 2015 between a business... Read the rest of this entry

NZ trust law to change – What does it mean to you?

Posted by Benefitz Admin on December 4 2018

Trust law in New Zealand is undergoing significant change. The new law will apply to old and new trusts, although there will be a transitional period for existing trusts to adapt to certain parts of the new law. The proposed changes will make trust law more accessible. It will clarify... Read the rest of this entry

New sentencing approach under Health and Safety at Work Act 2015

Posted by Benefitz Admin on December 4 2018

The recent decision in Worksafe New Zealand v Rangiora Carpets Ltd provides further guidance on sentencing under Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. Rangiora Carpets Limited was prosecuted for health and safety breaches after a worker slipped off the side of a mezzanine and fell through... Read the rest of this entry

Announcing a new appointment: Deanna Clark – Special Counsel

Posted by Benefitz Admin on December 4 2018

Shieff Angland is very pleased to announce the appointment of Deanna Clark as Special Counsel Deanna is widely experienced in property and commercial law.  As part of her experience, she spent nine years working in London in the Real Estate teams of multinational law firms doing... Read the rest of this entry

First Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 sentencing demonstrates the new legislation’s teeth

Posted by Benefitz Admin on December 4 2018

Businesses across New Zealand have been awaiting – not without some trepidation – the first sentencing under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. And the result is a significant fine, demonstrating that the Act does indeed have teeth. Budget Plastics Ltd was prosecuted... Read the rest of this entry

MBIE increasing focus on holiday pay records and Pay Equity – What’s next?

Posted by Benefitz Admin on December 4 2018

MBIE – increasing focus on holiday pay – do your systems meet the standards? Increasingly, we are seeing the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Labour Inspectorate undertaking random audits of businesses to check their holidays and leave records. There are... Read the rest of this entry

"He said, she said" - Assessing employee credibility

Posted by Benefitz Admin on December 4 2018

Guidance for employers from the Court of Appeal when faced with two conflicting stories One of the most difficult positions an employer carrying out a disciplinary process can find themselves in is having to decide which employee is most likely telling the truth when their statements of... Read the rest of this entry

Employment Law Update March 2017 – Update your employment agreements

Posted by Benefitz Admin on December 4 2018

Employers have until 1 April 2017 to update their employment agreements. In 2016 changes were made to the Employment Relations Act 2000 regarding zero-hour contracts (called availability provisions), shift cancellations, secondary employment clauses and wage deduction clauses. The... Read the rest of this entry

Announcing a new appointment: Emma Liu

Posted by Benefitz Admin on December 4 2018

As we bid farewell to Raymond Huo (a new Member of Parliament), we welcome Emma Liu – our Asian Practice Development Manager. Since her early post-university training in the city of Shanghai, Emma has traversed successful careers in financial services, marketing and property... Read the rest of this entry

Introducing a new Senior Associate

Posted by Benefitz Admin on December 4 2018

Shieff Angland are pleased to announce the appointment of Shan Langston as Senior Associate. Shan is a member of the firm’s litigation team specialising in commercial litigation. Her experience includes assisting clients in disputes relating to tortious and contractual... Read the rest of this entry

Intellectual Property Scams

Posted by Benefitz Admin on December 4 2018

We have received an increasing amount of letters addressed to our clients that include unsolicited requests for payments to third party scam organisations. These letters target recent trade mark applicants, posing as official “trade mark database” or “government”... Read the rest of this entry

Health and Safety Reform – Health and Safety at Work Act 2015

Posted by Benefitz Admin on December 4 2018

Health and Safety Update The Health and Safety Reform Bill has been passed by Parliament and will come into effect on 4 April 2016. The new Act, called the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, provides for a significant overhaul of New Zealand’s health and safety legislation. As... Read the rest of this entry

Employment Law Update September 2015 – Two pieces of employment legislation

Posted by Benefitz Admin on December 4 2018

A package of measures aimed at preventing unfair employment practices such as “zero-hour contracts” was introduced to Parliament on 13 August 2015. Read the rest of this entry

Health and Safety Changes: New draft regulations

Posted by Benefitz Admin on December 4 2018

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has recently released consultation drafts of certain regulations that are to accompany the Health and Safety Reform Bill introduced to parliament in March 2014. Read the rest of this entry

Employment Law Update February 2015 – New Year New Law

Posted by Benefitz Admin on December 4 2018

Changes to the Employment Relations Act 2000 regarding collective bargaining in particular were launched by the last National Government but then shelved in 2013 when National was unable to gain a majority to pass the changes due to the resignation of John Banks. Read the rest of this entry

Introducing 2 new Partners

Posted by Benefitz Admin on December 4 2018

Shieff Angland welcomes two new partners, Raymond Huo and Shelley Eden. Read the rest of this entry