Grievance free work trial terms working well

Grievance free work trial terms working well: survey

Grievance-free trial employment periods are mainstream business practice around the world and working well in New Zealand too, says David Lowe, Employment Services Manager for the Employers & Manufacturers Association (Northern).

"72% of small employers are using our 90 day trial employment terms introduced a year ago, according to an EMA survey of 409 businesses eligible to use the provision," Mr Lowe said.

"The doom merchants opposing the law predicted the sky would fall in when this was introduced last year, but it simply has not happened and was never going to.

"Our current law is conservative by international standards as its limited to 90 days and in workplaces with less than 20 employees.

"Six and 12 month trial periods are the norm internationally and apply in all sizes of organisation.

"There is a strong case for extending our current law to all businesses who do not have in-house employment law experts to help navigate our difficult and complicated employment laws.

"The evidence is clear that people have got jobs they otherwise would not have got. Employers are hiring people because they don't have the risk of a personal grievance hanging over them.

"Without this law in today's conditions many would have been far less likely to hire anyone at all."

Below are the stats from the survey.

1. If you employ less than 20 employees:

a) Do you include the 90 Day Trial Period in your offers of employment?

Yes 72%

No 28%

b) Have you terminated anyone under the 90 day trial provision?

Yes 48 employers

No 361 employers

ENDS

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