It’s been a busy time in the world of workplace legislation (when is it not, really?) with some important government headlines offering timely reminders and tangible changes for employers and employees.
Let’s take a look at three of the most relevant recent news headlines for workplaces and consider what action savvy organisations can take in response.
Covid-19 isolation and leave requirements have officially ended
The NZ Government has removed all remaining Covid-19 public health requirements, effective 15 August 2023.
The latest requirements – the seven-day isolation for people who contract Covid-19 and the requirement to wear a face mask for visitors to healthcare facilities – have now been removed, meaning there are no longer any government-enforced mandates in place when it comes to managing the spread of the virus.
As a consequence, the Covid-19 Leave Support Scheme has also ceased, meaning that, from 15 August 2023, if any employee has Covid-19, time away from work should be treated as sick leave.
Suggested Employer Action:
We recommend a clear internal communication outlining these changes in terms and expectations to avoid confusion. You might also choose to clarify your expectations around best practice when it comes to sickness in the workplace. Why not also take the opportunity to remind employees of the workplace wellness measures you have on offer to help them stay in optimum health?
Would your employees know what to do in a WorkSafe investigation?
Prison sentences recently handed down to two employees of Nelson-based marine engineering firm, Aimex, have sent a powerful message to the business community of the penalties for failing to cooperate during a WorkSafe investigation.
Steven Sullivan, the company’s managing director was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment on a charge of perverting the course of justice, while his brother, William Sullivan, the company’s former health and safety manager, was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment for making a false statement. The charges and subsequent sentences followed a police investigation into Aimex’s mishandling of an incident in which a worker suffered a long-term brain injury from being exposed to toxic fumes in the hull of a boat while cleaning the boat’s engine in 2019. You can read more about the story in this Stuff news report.
Suggested Employer Action:
The sentencing is a timely reminder to organisations that anyone who attempts to obstruct, cover up or manipulate evidence in a Worksafe investigation will face serious consequences. This is an opportune time for Kiwi organisations to assess the levels of training and guidance they offer their staff on how to conduct themselves during any WorkSafe investigation.
Mind the (gender pay) gap
The gender pay gap compares the hourly earnings of men and women in part-time and full-time work and – on 11 August 2023 – the NZ Government announced a commitment to closing it for NZ women by introducing mandatory gender pay gap reporting.
The move means around 900 NZ entities will be required to start reporting their pay gap. After four years, the number of entities required to report this figure will grow to 2,700.
Requests for businesses to present action plans demonstrating how they are working to close pay gaps will be voluntary to begin with, however, the government will review this after three years to determine whether action plans need to be mandated.
Suggested Employer Action:
While the legislation for this commitment is yet to be drafted, savvy organisations will already be looking at how their pay equity stacks up and where there is room for improvement to achieve gender pay equity.
We can help
Change is a constant in business but that doesn’t make it any less daunting, especially when it involves ensuring you and your employees stay on the right side of the law. If you need support establishing what new or impending rule changes mean for your business, or want some advice on the best way to communicate updates to employees, we can help. Our initial chat is always free, and if you decide you’d like some independent, impartial and up-to-date support, you can make use of our qualified HR expertise for as little as an hour, or as long as you’d like. It’s up to you.