In this month’s issue, we’ll take a look at changes to sick leave entitlements, COVID-19 and staff travel, and a little bit about Marbles! If you have enjoyed working with us in the past and have a minute to write us a review, that would be so appreciated! See the link at the bottom of the page.
Changes to Sick Leave entitlements
A bill that doubles the amount of employer funded sick leave from five to 10 days passed its third and final reading in Parliament last month.
Most employees who have worked for an employer for six months or over are entitled to sick leave if they, or a dependent, are sick or injured. Currently, employees are entitled to 5 days of sick leave per year; however, from 24 July 2021 this will increase to 10 days per year.
Employees will get the extra five days when they reach their next entitlement date – either after reaching 6 months’ employment or on their sick leave entitlement anniversary (12 months after they were last entitled to sick leave). Employees who already get 10 or more sick days a year will not be affected by this change. The maximum amount of unused sick leave that an employee can be entitled to will remain 20 days.
Now is a good time to review your employment contracts and policies and make sure they are up to date with the new legislations. If you require help with this please reach out to us at any time
‘Objectivity,
Empathy,
Integrity.
This is how we partner with our clients’
COVID19 and staff travel?
COVID-19 has created various considerations for businesses to navigate, and it is important for all of us to stay informed and keep up-to-date with the most recent information and developments in this ever-changing environment.
While the New Zealand government will open travel bubbles with some countries, these can change very quickly, which can change travel plans and place those travelling in unexpected and inconvenient positions; therefore, you need to make sure that you are putting policies and procedures in place to ensure that your team, your organisation and your customers are safe and protected.
Companies should be constantly assessing and reassessing their response to COVID-19 and the current pandemic. See below for some information that might help you in building these new policies and procedures.
Consider how staff apply for annual leave travelling overseas?
As with all annual leave requests, staff should apply according to your organisations usual process as set in your policies.
If they are travelling overseas, we recommend that you also ask staff to provide the following additional information to their manager as soon as possible:
- Details of which country (or countries) they intend to visit; and
- The intended dates of departure from New Zealand and arrival back into New Zealand from that country (or countries).
We also recommend that you have your staff discuss with their manager a contingency plan should travel plans be interrupted due to the pandemic during their period of travel.
The purpose of collecting this information is to ensure that your organisation can meet health and safety obligations, be communicative with staff and meet your obligations as an employer.
What else should you consider?
Given the landscape of the ever-changing nature of the pandemic, we strongly suggest that your staff consider the possible implications of any travel delays or illness while overseas. This includes knowing what the current COVID-19 restrictions are in the country they are travelling to, as well as what health and safety precautions are required (or should) be followed. It is important to keep updated with the government’s travel restrictions and understand before your staff leave what their travel insurance does and does not cover.
Ensure your staff understand the importance of communication with their manager (for example if they find themselves in a lockdown overseas, or come into close contact with someone with COVID-19) to ensure you can meet your health and safety obligations, and also so you can appropriately plan alternative arrangements with staff and any potential impact this may have on their employment (including annual leave, sick leave or unpaid leave).
If you require help in developing or adding to your policies with relation to COVID-19 and staff travel please feel free to reach out to us.
Marbles Updates
Last month Marbles turned Five! Wow!
We have had some amazing clients over the last few years. We have supported you with a range of
people-related situations, and we are so proud of the mahi that we have done. Thanks to you all for your support!
Have you got new roles to advertise?! Have you checked out the ‘Job Hub’ on our webpage? This is a great way to get your vacancies promoted and is included in our recruitment process when you are advertising through us!
Check it out here: https://marbles.org.nz/job-hub/
Have you worked with Marbles in the past?
We hope we were able to provide you with everything you needed (and some)! Reviews help us to build an online presence and helps others learn about the team, the services we provide and how we might be able to help them, like we helped you.
Would you be willing to take a few minutes to leave us a review? You can click this link to leave us a review. Thank you in advance for taking time to share your experience with us.
From the Team at Marbles
