{"id":1846,"date":"2020-12-21T22:42:41","date_gmt":"2020-12-21T22:42:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nz.legalvision.com.au\/?p=1846"},"modified":"2024-10-30T11:26:02","modified_gmt":"2024-10-29T22:26:02","slug":"annual-parental-leave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/employment\/annual-parental-leave\/","title":{"rendered":"Annual and Parental Leave Rights in New Zealand"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Understanding and respecting your employees\u2019 rights<\/a> will help you develop long-lasting relationships with the staff at your business<\/span>. You will also earn recognition as a fair employer in the New Zealand labour market. One of the most important rights for employees is having adequate access to leave<\/a>.<\/span> This assists in balancing their work, personal and life commitments. In addition to avoiding potential disputes, allowing your employees to take time off work when they need it is essential to promote balance and enhance productivity in your workplace. This article will provide a breakdown of some of your essential obligations and rights as an employer when dealing with annual and parental leave entitlements. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Annual Leave: Your Employer Obligations <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What is Annual Leave?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Annual leave, also known as annual holidays, is a benefit that you have to offer to your employees by law. Annual leave is paid time off work every year to use as the employee wishes. Allowing your employees to recharge is essential to promote good physical and mental health<\/span>. This, in turn, increases productivity.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Eligible To Receive Annual Leave?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

All your employees are entitled to take paid time off for annual leave. This applies even if they work part-time or irregular hours, with the exception of self-employed workers. However, often employees with irregular hours, such as those on casual arrangements or fixed short-term arrangements, tend to be paid out at the rate of 8% in lieu of annual leave, as employees are only eligible to take annual leave after 12 months of employment.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Much Annual Leave Can Your Employees Take?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your employees are entitled to take at least four weeks of paid annual leave every year (not including public holidays or sick leave) after 12 months of continuous employment. To calculate their entitlement<\/a>, you must consider whether they work regular hours, shifts or have no set hours.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

For example, if an employee works two full days each week of the year, they are entitled to eight paid days in a year.<\/span> The <\/span>Employment New Zealand website<\/span> lists other instances of predictable and unpredictable work patterns.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

If your employee does not have set hours, you can decide with them what their annual leave looks like and record this in their employment agreement. If your employee is on a fixed-term contract of less than 12 months or works intermittently, you may agree to pay them holiday pay at a rate of not less than 8% of their gross earnings.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, if an employee takes leave in advance or during a closedown before completing 12 months:<\/p>\n\n\n\n