Resurgence Wage Subsidy
20 August 2020
The Government has opened up another wage subsidy support scheme to assist employers nationwide as the current Levels 2 across NZ and 3 for Auckland. This scheme is called the Resurgent Wage Subsidy. We have now had three rounds of subsidies, the Wage Subsidy (WS), the Wage Subsidy Extension (WSE) and now the Resurgence Wage Subsidy (RWS).
Employment under level 3
13 August 2020
Following 4 cases of community transmission in South Auckland, the Government has put Auckland back into level 3 lockdown and level 2 for the rest of the country from 12pm today Wednesday 12th August 2020.
Level 3 means only essential businesses and those which can operate in a non-contact way can open.
Validity of Medical Certificates
23 July 2020
As per the Business NZ Workplace Wellness Report 2019, New Zealand lost around 7.4 million working days due to absences in 2018. Time lost to absence averaged 4.7 days per employee, and it's estimated to cost the economy $NZD 1.79 billion. These figures are growing each year and has a direct effect on productivity of New Zealand business.
Covid-19 Wage Subsidy; No Work, No Pay?
16 July 2020
Two very recent Employment Relations Authority decisions have reached similar decisions about Wage Subsidy payments from different factual backgrounds. Both suggest that we may be due for a series of similar cases in the not too distant future. Both cases were heard on the papers.
Rostering and Staff at Level 2
28 May 2020
Now that we have a somewhat clearer picture of what life at level 2 looks like, clubs will be having to look closely at their rostering and staffing levels. Many clubs have opted to alter their hours of operation and/or reduce lunch or dinner services and with this comes a need to re-negotiate hours with some staff, remember that everything you negotiate with staff still has to be done under exactly the same employment regulations as applied prior to Covid-19. Negotiating fairly and in good faith is still
Practical Information about complying with the Wage Subsidy Scheme
29 April 2020
Since first being introduced on 17 March 2020, the Wage Subsidy Scheme has successfully delivered over $10 billion dollars into the economy to support employers, employees and the self-employed. Over 500,000 applications have been received, and payments made in respect of over 1.6 million employees and self-employed workers. As many employers have already applied for the Wage Subsidy Scheme, the focus now turns to ensuring that employers are complying with the terms of the scheme; in particular being able to evidence the need for the subsidy and retention of employees on the payroll.
Covid-19 Wage Subsidy - Important Changes for Employers
30 March 2020
The Government has announced some significant changes to the COVID-19 Wage Subsidy. These changes apply to any employer applying for the COVID-19 Wage Subsidy from 5pm on Friday 27 March 2020. These changes do not apply to employers who applied before 5pm on Friday 27 March 2020.
Minimum wage increases from 1 April 2020
26 March 2020
The adult minimum wage will increase $1.20 from $17.70 to $18.90 per hour on 1 April 2020.
The new rate equates to an extra $48 per week before tax for employees on a 40-hour working week.
The starting-out and training minimum wage rates will increase 96 cents from $14.16 to $15.12, and will remain at 80% of the adult rate.
Covid-19 Wage Subsidy and Self Isolation Support
18 March 2020
Wage subsidies will be available for all employers that are significantly impacted by COVID-19 and are struggling to retain employees as a result.
Wage subsidies will be available for businesses in all sectors and all regions that can show a 30 per cent decline in revenue for any month between January and June 2020 compared to the year before (including projected revenue).
More on Coronavirus and the Workplace
13 February 2020
Clearly Coronavirus has well overtaken the SARs outbreak of 2003 with fatalities past 1000 now.
Although the likelihood of an imported case here in NZ is high, a local widespead outbreak is still considered unlikely.
People being advised to 'self-isolate' for 14 days if worried about their symptoms is seemingly NZ's official response at this point, but where does this leave the business owner when staff ring in sick to comply with this?
ANZAC Day 2020 - Mondayisation
6 February 2020
While it is a little while away, we have had a few clubs asking about ANZAC Day this year as it falls on a Saturday and is subject to Mondayisation.
Below is a brief overview of the employee entitlements for ANZAC Day 2020, if you require further information please contact Clubs New Zealand on 0800 4 CLUBS or visit the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment website at https://www.employment.govt.nz/
Workplace preparedness for novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
3 February 2020
Minimising the spread of infectious diseases in the workplace is important to keeping staff safe and well at work. With the coronavirus recently being declared a global emergency many New Zealand businesses will be looking into how they can protect themselves, their workers and their customers. The below information is sourced from the Ministry of Health, the guidance is aimed protecting the workplace from pandemic, including coronavirus as well as other outbreaks such as flu.
