This course is designed for professionals in management and team leader positions, and for any managers and HR professionals who wish to maintain productive employment relationships. This course focuses on how to reduce the risk of any legal claims and apply best practice.

Employment law in New Zealand is complex, and all managers and team leaders should understand how to comply with lawful duties and maintain productive working relationships.

Participants will gain an understanding of how to comply with employment laws in New Zealand to be a best practice employer.

Presented by an experienced employment lawyer, this practical course provides a comprehensive overview of employment laws in New Zealand, from hiring through termination, and everything in between.

Through discussion and case scenarios, you will find out how to reduce the risk of personal grievances and resolve employment relationship problems.
You will also discover how to manage staff relationships with confidence through activities and learning about case law.

Course Format
Practical Employment Law for Leaders is a 7.5 hour course, facilitated online.  Concepts and case law will be introduced and explained, then applied through scenarios and discussions.  Real-time interactions including group activities, polls and Q&As will allow you to connect and ask questions throughout the course.

You Will Learn:

• Identify how to comply with the duty to ‘act in good faith’ as a manager
• Apply fair and reasonable decisions in management to reduce the risk of personal grievances
• Explore how to lawfully recruit the right staff and follow fair selection processes
• Identify how to interview job applicants so you comply with human rights and privacy laws
• Apply best practice when offering staff employment
• Identify staff entitlements to holidays and leave and manage staff requests for leave
• Explain the difference between ‘poor performance’ and ‘misconduct’
• List key requirements in managing poor performance
• Identify a fair and reasonable disciplinary process for misconduct
• Manage proper process in investigation and disciplinary meetings
• Explore processes for resolving employment relationship problem

Presenter information
Director Julia Shallcrass is a qualified employment and privacy lawyer with a passion for training.  Julia is an engaging presenter with expertise in training professionals to create high-performing workplaces through the online courses. Julia is an employment columnist for the NZ Herald.


Not-for-Profit organisations, clubs and charities that are eligible* will receive a 50% subsidy.
Subsidised workshops are due to the generous support of Otago Community Trust (OCT). *Eligibility criteria: Not-for-Profit organisations, charities, and incorporated societies are to be a registered organisation with a NZBN #, Society # or Charities #. Please provide us with the NFP name when you register.  Please note that as part of our reporting requirements, your organisation name, the course name, and the course cost will be shared with OCT.  Funding support for this course only applies to the OCT funding boundary (North Otago, Central Otago, South Otago, Greater Dunedin and the Wānaka ward of the Queenstown Lakes district). Terms and conditions apply.