Employment Law

Employment law is a critical part of Dukesons Business Law's legal practice. Being able to provide advice to clients as an employment lawyer is an important adjunct to being able to provide a wide range of advice as a business lawyer or commercial lawyer. Employment Law is a very demanding area of business law.

There's no shortage of employment law cases coming before the Employment Relations Tribunal and the Employment Court. Some legislation is difficult to apply due to its complexity or uncertainty, despite being in force for many years e.g. the Holidays Act. Further, employment Law is constantly changing (mainly due to changes in Government but sometimes due to developments in case law) and the demands on employers, and on employment lawyers, are increasing. This is particularly so during current times, where additional burdens are increasingly being placed on employers.

For many businesses, especially small businesses, the increasing burdens on employers are an additional hurdle to doing business and the legal requirements in relation to employment law can seem baffling and sometimes complex. The very heavy onus on following correct procedure in relation to disciplinary matters and redundancies has tripped up many employers.

It's easy for employees to raise employment disputes and to bring personal grievances, so that care is required both in terms of having appropriate documentation and in following correct procedure. Even large businesses (with their HR personnel and access to expert lawyers from the larger law firms) have been found wanting. Overseas businesses operating in New Zealand find that our employment law can be very different. Attention to detail can be critical.

Employment Services include:

• Employment Law advice.
• Independent Contractor Agreements.
• Employment Agreements (Employment Contracts).
• Employment Disputes.
• Health and Safety Issues.
• Mediation.
• Personal Grievances.
• Policies (including essential policies like disciplinary and computer policies).
• Privacy.
• Redundancies and Restructuring.
• Restraints of Trade.