Publications

We produce a range of articles, legal publications and resources on a wide range of legal subjects and hot topics critical to our clients needs. These include briefings on key legal issues, newsletters on practice areas and industry developments via the below headings.

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Displaying 101 - 120 of 677 results

Accident Compensation Corporation v Calver [2021] NZCA 211

In a recent decision, the Court of Appeal has confirmed that mesothelioma is a personal injury caused by an accident, and that people with mesothelioma are therefore entitled to ACC cover, whether or not it was contracted at work. Background Mesothelioma is a dreadful lung cancer, which is More »

Sick leave changes to take effect

The Holidays (Increasing Sick Leave) Amendment Act 2021 has received its Royal Assent, having passed its final reading in Parliament last week. The Act will come into force on 24 July 2021, amending the provisions of the Holidays Act 2003. The Act increases the sick days available to employees from More »

Ten key changes to note in the Incorporated Societies Bill 2021

The Incorporated Societies Bill passed its first reading on 6 April. It has now been referred to the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee and submissions are open until 28 May 2021. The Committee is due to report back to Parliament by 6 October 2021. It could be in force by the More »

Wide-ranging reforms proposed for civil litigation

As part of its aim to improve access to justice, the Rules Committee, the body responsible for the rules of procedure in New Zealand’s courts, has released a paper setting out suggested reforms for civil litigation across the High Court, District Court, and Disputes Tribunal. These proposals More »

Fair pay agreements: back to the future?

A potentially transformative shift in New Zealand’s employment relations landscape The Government has announced the proposed framework for a new fair pay agreement system in New Zealand. In sum, employers and employees would be required to agree on a ‘floor’ for terms and More »

Immigration update: Accredited Employer Work Visa category

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) finally released initial details about the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) category, and the corresponding Employer Accreditation scheme, on Friday 7 May. In brief, the AEWV Category replaces six existing work visa categories, including the commonly-used Essential More »

Changes to sick leave entitlements

As has been anticipated, there are some proposed changes to the Holidays Act 2003 (“the Act”) that are expected to come into effect later on this year. The changes look to double the minimum number of sick days available to employees from 5 to 10 days per annum, after they have worked More »

Virtually witnessed documents – are they valid?

The main purpose of having a witness to a document is to authenticate that the person signing was in fact the person noted on the document. The implementation of electronic signatures was already common practice and with the advancement of technology, was always likely to increase in use. In New More »

Changes to the Privacy Act

The Privacy Act 2020 replaced the Privacy Act 1993, and came into force on 1 December 2020. The exponential change in the use of technology in society since 1993 together with globalisation, was a driving force for the necessary change to New Zealand’s privacy laws. The central information More »

Leaving chattels under a will

There is a presumption often made by the will maker that they can leave the chattels they have to the executors and the family to sort out once they have died. A generic chattels clause is inserted in the will and the rest is left to chance. Let it be known that chattels division issues cause a More »

Traps when buying a used car

While the process of buying a used car is usually completed without legal advice, it is useful to refresh the checklist of the key points you should follow. This is particularly important if there is no intermediary, such as a used car dealership, overseeing the purchase. There are some key points More »

“Bubble uncertainty” – employment questions answered

The announcement of the Trans-Tasman Bubble was celebrated on both sides of the Tasman, but the softening of border control measures brings a level of uncertainly and a new wave of COVID-19 related questions for employers. Here our employment team provide some guidance on what employers can and More »

For want of a nail…building supply shortages

We recently provided an article on the impact of COVID-19 restrictions, Ports of Auckland delays and spike in construction activity on the supply of building materials and shortage issues that were developing. Further reports this week have shown that this situation is worsening and is likely to be More »

Potential curly issues for employers - minimum wage increases

From 1 April 2021, the adult minimum wage will be increasing from $18.90 to $20 per hour. At the same time, the starting-out and training minimum wages (which are restricted to very limited groups of employees) will increase from $15.12 to $16 per hour. The key for employers will be to ensure all More »

Tax changes on investment properties

Yesterday, the Government announced a range of measures designed to address supply and demand in the housing market, including a number of tax changes. In a significant departure from previous practice some of these tax changes were announced as having almost immediate effect, including: The More »

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Displaying 101 - 120 of 677 results