June 2008 Employers Newsletter

DRUGS & ALCOHOL IN THE WORKPLACE NOW CAUSING SERIOUS CONCERN - EVERYWHERE

Contents of This Issue

• Drugs & Alcohol Testing Programme - It Can Be Required
• EAL online Products
• Tractor Death Costs The Public Trust (and Cannabis was involved!)
• Parental Leave Payments Increased
• EAL Clients Now Saving Up To 70% On Some Phone Bills
• Employer's Complaints Upheld In Court - Clauses That Actually Worked – Hooray!!!
• Public Servants Get Better Terms (OOPS!!!!)
• Minimum Wage For Contractors
• Will Labour Pass A Bill For Compulsory Redundancy Payments?

Drugs & Alcohol Testing Programme - It Can Be Required
A full programme including the testing of employees for the presence of drugs or alcohol will be required in some workplaces. The types of tasks that the courts have suggested are as follows SPECIAL OFFER THIS MONTH...read more >>

EAL Online products
All EAL Products 'Online' can be bought or are free to subscribers of the Employers Support package. www.employers.co.nz
We now have over 1500 companies using this popular and valuable service.
Existing users of the Employers Toolbox Online can now also change their own passwords online.
EAL invoices can now be paid online. - http://www.employers.co.nz/pay-invoice.aspx

Tractor Death Costs The Public Trust. Mangaheia Station in Tolaga Bay - just North of Gisborne – tragically lost a farm hand killed when a tractor rolled over in June 2007. There are several points in this case that we wish to bring to the attention of employers and, in particular, farmers ... read more >>

Parental Pay Leave Increased
Parental leave payments will be increased from July 1, Labour Minister Trevor Mallard says. Maximum parental leave payments would increase from $391.28 per week to $407.36 and the minimum for self-employed people would increase from $112.50 to $120 per week. ...read more >>

EAL Clients Now Saving Up To 70% On Some Phone Bills
Employers Assistance Ltd has arranged for Global Technologies to pass on extreme savings to our clients. Save up to 70% and more on your Telephone Account... read more >>

Employer's Complaints Upheld (Employer awarded $223, 500)
The finding of the Employment Authority upholding a complaint by the employer (Bradford Trust trading as Interclean) demonstrates a desire for this to be a warning to others.... read more >>

PUBLIC SERVANTS GET BETTER TERMS (Dept of Labour Press Release)
State Services Minister David Parker announced 5 weeks leave intention for the public servants. Can We Afford It? This nonspecific announcements means that in effect, by 1 July 2009 all public servants will have 5 weeks annual leave. ... read more >>

Minimum Wage for Contractors Bill passes second reading
Labour MP Darien Fenton's Minimum Wage & Remuneration Bill, passed its second reading in Parliament last night. The bill will bring minimum wage rights to workers employed as independent or dependent contractors and break new ground for thousands of workers who are currently without any rights to minimum pay. ... read more >>

Will Labour Pass A Bill For Compulsory Redundancy Before November?
A Public Advisory Group on Restructuring and Redundancy issues has been appointed to the Minister of Labour. Public Submissions closed on 30 April 2008. The Group will examine the adequacy of redundancy laws and provisions. ... read more >>