Master the critical legal frameworks to handle fair dismissals, execute lawful redundancies, and protect your organization from costly workplace disputes in New Zealand.
New Zealand employment law is undergoing significant change, creating new challenges and opportunities for employers, employees, and legal practitioners alike. Recent legislative reforms, proposed amendments to personal grievance procedures, evolving trial period requirements, and an expanding body of Employment Relations Authority and Employment Court decisions are reshaping how workplace disputes are managed and resolved. In this rapidly changing environment, practitioners must stay abreast of both current obligations and emerging developments to provide effective legal advice and mitigate risk.
This practical course examines the key legal and procedural issues surrounding redundancy, dismissal, and workplace relations in Aotearoa New Zealand. Participants will explore the operation of 90-day trial periods, redundancy and restructuring processes, personal grievance claims, workplace investigations, and dispute resolution pathways. The session also considers recent and proposed legislative reforms, highlighting their implications for employers and employees across a range of industries. Attendees will gain practical guidance on navigating workplace disputes, ensuring procedural fairness, and advising clients in an increasingly complex employment law landscape.
Key Topics Discussed:
Owner | Shelley Eden Law
Shelley graduated from Auckland University in 1991 and was admitted to the Bar in 1992. Her first role was in a general commercial litigation role. She remembers receiving her first employment file, and beginning her path to becoming an employment lawyer. Employment law appealed as having a deeply human side, combined with sometimes challenging legal problems. It requires advocacy and negotiation skills, as well as people and strategic skills. Shelley continued with a mix of commercial and employment law, becoming a specialist in employment but along the way developing advocacy skills as she appeared in the District Court, High Court and Court of Appeal, while also appearing in the Employment Relations Authority and Employment Court. After time out travelling Shelley had a spell as an in-house lawyer, and in that organisation moved into an operations management role, also studying leadership and management. A further time out led to tertiary teaching, and a three-year spell as a lecturer in employment law, HR and management. In 2005 Shelley returned to legal practice for a five-month contract as a solicitor with a central city firm. Making the decision to stay, over the years she progressed from solicitor, to associate, senior associate, and then in 2015, to partnership. And after a move to director at another firm, Shelley commenced practice as Shelley Eden Law in February 2023.
