We represent employers and employees in employment disputes in New Zealand. All employees have rights under the Employment Relations Act 2000. This blog discusses common and relevant issues in New Zealand employment law.
There is no case for new regulation of employment advocates. The report, Regulating Lawyers in Aotearoa New Zealand did not identify widespread consumer harm justifying new regulation of non-lawyer legal service providers. MBIE should not create licensing, registration, compulsory membership, a statutory code, a new regulator, or a new complaints body without independent evidence of widespread advocate-specific harm.
![Joyce v Ultimate Siteworks Limited [2024] NZEmpC 204 - representatives, employment advocate and employment lawyer conduct](/Blog/articles/Costs/Joyce_Ultimate_Siteworks_advocate_lawyer_conduct/joyce_ultimate_siteworks_01.jpg)
Joyce v Ultimate Siteworks Limited [2024] NZEmpC 204 - Advocate and Lawyer Conduct. Breaching our client's privacy, using a complaint as a bargaining chip, pressuring us to discontinue representation and a SLAPP.
Parties can agree that an advocate is paid directly by the employer in terms of an s 149 record of settlement. "Payment" excludes legal or advocacy services where such service is a separate term of the settlement and a GST invoice for a defined sum is provided to the other party.
The Federated Farmers Employment Contract is commonly used by farmer employers. We represent employers in employment disputes where problems arise with these contracts. The correct preparation and execution of the Federated Farmers Employment Agreement is important for the farmer employers that use them.
There are a lot of employers who think that "No Win, No Fee" is an arrangement available to their business in defending a personal grievance or other claims.
The Law Association (formerly Auckland District Law Society ADLS) called for employment advocates to be excluded from the Employment Court. This page explains why that would harm access to justice and why new advocate regulation is not justified.
Got a Personal Grievance? Ask for an Authority To Act form. Written authority, Terms of Engagement, and fee clarity are practical client protections that do not require new advocate regulation.
There are important steps to be taken before filing in the Employment Relations Authority and attending an Investigation Meeting. The first stages can be fast tracked by filing an application without having first raised a personal grievance letter.
