Citizens Advice - every employee must have an employment contract

Every employee must have an employment agreement.

Your employer must keep a copy of your employment agreement, and if you ask for a copy your employer has to provide it. This is a requirement by law.

If a labour inspector finds an employer who doesn't keep copies of their employees' agreements, the employer can be fined $1000 per employee.

The employment agreement should be signed by both employer and employee - but even if it hasn't been signed it could still be considered a valid agreement in court.

Your employment agreement is a record of what you and your employer have agreed to in terms of employment conditions and what is expected of you.

So, if you don't have an employment agreement, ask your employer for one.

You could offer to create one yourself using the Employment Agreement Builder on the business.govt.nz website and give it to your employer to read and consider.

If you can't agree on the conditions of the employment agreement, your employer must still keep a copy of the draft agreement until the final version has been agreed to.

If you and your employer are in disagreement over this you can call the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's (MBIE) Workplace Contact Centre on 0800 209 020 for help to resolve the issue.

For free and confidential advice and information on this or any other matter visit the Palmerston North Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) in Hancock Community House, 77 King St.

Opening hours, Monday-Friday from 9am-4.30pm 06 357 0647 or 0800 367 222. We have a free legal advice service by qualified lawyers most Thursday evenings at 7.30 pm, and a JP is available on Tuesdays from noon-2.30pm.

No appointment is necessary for either of these services.