Employers Paying More Than Law Requires For Y2k

27 OCTOBER 1999

Media Release
27 October 1999

Employers Gear Staff to Work on Millennium, Paying More Than Law Requires

Almost half (45%) of employers are requiring some staff to work on the turnover to the millennium, and most of those employers are paying better than ordinary rates to full time and part time waged staff. But salaried staff and senior management, either required to work or on call, are less likely to be paid extra.

So found the Simpson Grierson Holidays Act Survey, an in-depth study of how employers interpret and apply the Holidays Act. The independent survey of 662 employers with 10 or more staff throughout New Zealand, found that:

 45% of employers required at least some staff to work on the turnover to the millennium, and 30% required at least some staff to work on call.

 As at July this year, half of employers had already made arrangements for these staff to work; but half had not.

 69% of employers who had made arrangements for staff to work, had made it mandatory.

 Most employers requiring staff to work were paying better than ordinary rates – especially to full time and part time waged staff. If senior management or salaried staff were required to work, they were less likely to be paid extra. Of those employers paying a higher rate of pay to staff, the most common rates were double time (44% of employers asking staff to work were paying double time); and time and a half (22% of employers asking staff to work).

“There is no legal requirement to treat the millennium changeover days any differently from statutory holidays. But a number of employers are providing more than ordinary pay – including higher pay rates, bonuses and time in lieu, to ensure the issues they need to have managed, are properly managed,” says Simpson Grierson Employment Law partner Don Mackinnon.

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The Simpson Grierson Holidays Act Survey focused primarily on the Holidays Act. However it also investigated employers’ opinions on key issues such as the millennium and paid parental leave.

The Simpson Grierson Holidays Act Survey was conducted in July by independent research company Marketing Diagnostics and Development Limited.

The survey results are intended to provide New Zealand businesses with a benchmark of “typical” practice. They are also intended to provide regulators and policy makers with authoritative information about employment practices, to help them advance New Zealand law.

Simpson Grierson's Employment Law Group was set up 10 years ago and was the first specialist employment law practice to be developed by a large law firm in New Zealand. The group is well recognised as a leading team in the area.

Simpson Grierson is a top tier New Zealand law firm, of 54 partners and 450 staff, based in Auckland and Wellington. The firm will deliver the results of the survey back to their employment law clients and those employers who participated in the survey.

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MEDIA! PLEASE REFER ALL ENQUIRIES FOR INTERVIEWS AND FURTHER INFORMATION DURING THE PERIOD 27 OCTOBER TO 7 NOVEMBER TO:

PRaxis Public Relations Limited
Bill Moore
Phone (09) 373-5068
Mobile (025) 769-654
Home (09) 817-9257
Email: bill@praxispr.co.nz

AFTER 7 NOVEMBER PLEASE REFER ALL ENQUIRIES TO:
Andrea Parker
Public Relations Manager
Simpson Grierson
Phone (09) 358-2222

Spokespeople for this release are:
Don Mackinnon or Phillipa Muir
Partner Partner
Simpson Grierson Simpson Grierson

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