Single-minded success - Settlement Support

More documents

Recommendations

Info

EMPLOYMENT How do I exchange my annual holiday entitlement for payment (cashing up annual holidays)? ■ Story by the Department of Labour WORKING IN NEW ZEALAND From 1 April 2011 employees are able to request that their employer pay out up to one week of their minimum entitlement to annual holidays a year. This can only be at the employee’s request and the request must be made in writing. Employees may request to cash-up less than a week at a time. More than one request may be made until a maximum of one week of the employee’s annual holidays is paid out in each entitlement year (a period of 12 months’ continuous employment from the anniversary of the employee’s starting date – the anniversary date has to fall after 1 April 2011.) Any request must be considered within a reasonable time and may be declined. The employee must be advised of the decision in writing and the employer is not required to provide a reason for their decision. If an employer agrees to pay out a portion of the employee’s annual holidays, the payment should be made as soon as practicable, which will usually be the next pay day. The value of the payment must be at least the same as if the employee had taken the holidays. AS AN EMPLOYEE CAN I BE MADE TO HAVE HOLIDAYS PAID OUT? No. An employer cannot pressure an employee into cashing up holidays. Cashing up cannot be raised in wage or salary negotiations or be a condition of employment. A requirement to cash up annual holidays cannot be part of an employment agreement. An employment agreement can set out the process for making a request to cash up annual holidays. AS AN EMPLOYER CAN I HAVE A POLICY SAYING I wILL NOT CONSIDER REqUESTS TO BE PAID OUT? Yes. Employers may have a policy that they will not consider any requests to cash up annual holidays. This can apply to the whole or only some parts of the business. The policy can only be on whether the employer will consider any requests. It cannot be about the amount of annual holidays an employee can cash up or the number of requests an employee may make. An employer should consult with employees on the development of such a policy and inform new employees of the policy when they make an offer of employment, as part of their good faith obligations. ■ 30 LINKZ | ISSUE 48 | 2011 FURTHER INFORMATION www.dol.govt.nz/er/holidaysandleave/annualleave/cashing-up.asp
Diversity brings economic benefit The Office of Ethnic Affairs (OEA) says businesses will perform better and produce more by unlocking the potential of their diverse workforces and markets. It also says employees need to be more responsive to diversity as well. Last December, with the support of Business NZ Chief Executive Phil O’Reilly, OEA launched Riding the Wave, a guide to help businesses better manage diversity . Riding the Wave gives practical guidelines and case studies to show how businesses can improve innovation and productivity by managing diversity more effectively. OEA Director Mervin Singham says employers have long recognised that they need guidance on how to manage diversity effectively. “This is why the Office of Ethnic Affairs produced this resource that is widely supported by the business community,” Mervin Singham said. “In addition, the Office of Ethnic Affairs promotes the use of Language Line to ensure that ethnic businesses and people have access to information that can help them set up businesses in New Zealand.” Language Line, OEA’s telephone interpreting service, significantly helps ethnic businesses. www.immigration.govt.nz Businesses can get an interpreter when calling a biz advisor. Biz is a free government service to help people start or run businesses. An advisor can offer contacts and advice on how to start or develop your business. The advisor can also help with access to training to build business skills and knowledge. Phone biz on 0800 424 946, and ask for Language Line if you need the help of an interpreter. Language Line Manager Diana Clark says, “It is already well recognised that companies are better able to respond to the needs of more diverse global markets if their workforce population reflects that diversity.” Language Line grows and changes in response to New Zealand migration. For example, Filipino and German were recently added to the languages available to assist growing numbers of migrants who speak those languages. Language Line has also extended its operating hours of 9.00 am – 6.00 pm Monday to Friday to include Saturday 9.00 am to 2.00 pm. Three important priorities for the Office of Ethnic Affairs are to: • maximise ethnic people’s networks and skills for domestic economic gain • empower ethnic communities through increased government responsiveness • maintain New Zealand’s reputation as a harmonious country. The Office of Ethnic Affairs has several initiatives: • a series of public interactive workshops on topics about managing and benefiting from diversity in the workplace • exploring ways to access an increasingly diverse marketplace and • establishing a database which migrant businesses can access for mutual support and mentoring. FURTHER INFORMATION www.languageline.govt.nz LINKZ | ISSUE 48 | 2011 31
Page 1 and 2: ISSUE MĀORI INSIDE Understanding M
Page 3 and 4: 28 EMPLOYMENT 30 Cashing up on annu
Page 5 and 6: Christchurch helpline The Wellingto
Page 7 and 8: ORIGIN OF LIFE, LAND AND CULTURE Ma
Page 9 and 10: TE REO MÄORI Kupu Whakahau - Simpl
Page 11 and 12: watü Story by Vision Manawatū Ma
Page 13 and 14: Growth in employment has been drive
Page 15 and 16: Settlement Support Manawatü Settle
Page 17 and 18: “This move was definitely going t
Page 19 and 20: investing in retaining talent Full
Page 21 and 22: The shiny new drum kit in the corne
Page 23 and 24: Production staff members usually wo
Page 25 and 26: Single-minded success ■ Story by
Page 27 and 28: …and Lucas is a Kiwi, that’s fo
Page 29: Skills Highway Award The Department
Page 33 and 34: Fit for the road ■ Story by the M
Page 35 and 36: likely to be on understanding the c
Page 37 and 38: experience of the addiction. Adviso
Page 39 and 40: New to New Zealand? Settlement Supp

Single-minded success - Settlement Support

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?