Conditions change for employment

Rural Contractors New Zealand chief executive Roger Parton. Photo / Otago Daily Times

Farmers and contractors who have staff must adhere to new minimum employment standards, which were introduced on April 1.

Rural Contractors New Zealand chief executive Roger Parton said employers would be liable for tougher fines if they breached minimum employment standards.

Fines had increased from $10,000 to $50,000 for an individual and from $20,000 to the greater of $100,000 or three times the financial gain for a company.

In addition, directors or senior managers may also be held accountable, if they know about the breaches

''These changes came through last year as result of changes to legislation,'' Mr Parton said.

''It is more for clarification than rule changes and if an employer has any doubts they should seek advice.''

Mr Parton said while zero hours contracts did not necessarily apply to farmers' or contractors' employees, it was still important to keep an accurate record of hours worked.

''That is crucial.''

He said an employee's hours of work must be outlined in their employment agreement.

An employer could not expect an employee to be available for work outside those hours without compensation.

If an employee was required to be available for additional hours, then those requirements must be stated in the agreement.

He said fixed hours must be included in an employment agreement and any additional hours over and above those agreed to, can be offered and accepted on individual occasions.

Mr Parton said employers needed to maintain a written or electronic list of hours worked by their employees for each day in a pay period and the pay rate for those hours.

''Those records should be easily accessible and understood by the employee and the labour inspectors.''

He said employers were not allowed to prevent their workers from having secondary employment unless it was in conflict with the primary job or there was a conflict of interest.

''Pay received during a pay period must not be less than the minimum wage, so if, say, 50 hours are worked one week and 20 hours are worked on the other week, remuneration for each week must be at least the minimum wage.''

Employees had to agree to any deductions from their wages.