Other Leave Rights

Employees may be entitled to other types of leave, for example if they’ve been injured in a work accident or are training in the armed forces.

Flexible working arrangements
Employees with caring responsibilities have a statutory right to request a change to their hours of work, days of work, or place of work. Employers must consider a request and can refuse it only on certain grounds. See www.dol.govt.nz/worklife for more information.

Equal pay and equal rights
Employers can’t discriminate in hiring or firing, paying, training or promoting an employee because of race, colour,
national or ethnic origin, sex or sexual orientation, marital or family status, employment status, age, religious belief or political opinion, disability, or participation in certain union activities.

Fixed-term employees
Employers can offer fixed-term employment if:

• There are genuine reasons – like seasonal work, project work, or where the employee is filling in for a permanent employee on leave
• The employer tells the employee the reasons, how or when the employment will end, and the employee agrees to this in their employment agreement.

Like other employment agreements, fixedterm agreements must be in writing.