All employers in New Zealand, no matter their size, will now be able to use 90-day trial periods.
Previously, 90-day trial periods were only applied to employers with fewer than 20 employees but as of December 23, 2023, this was extended and is available to all employers, according to employment.govt.nz.
Any employer can provide a new employee with an offer of employment which includes a trial period.
A trial period must be agreed to by the employer and employee in writing, and in good faith, before the employee starts work, as part of an employment agreement.
There are a number of ‘must-dos’ in any employment relationship, which you can find here.
The extension of 90-day trials will not affect other aspects of employment relations, such as the requirement to act in good faith, or worker protections regarding pay, conditions, leave, and health and safety.
If employers are hiring people on certain work visas, they will also need to consider any immigration requirements relating to the use of trial periods.
For more information on trial periods, click here.
How to catch up with The Shout NZ…
Online, updated daily with its own unique content and breaking news.
Our weekly newsletter – free to your inbox! Subscribe here.
We are also on Facebook and Instagram!
