Auckland Chamber of Commerce's top tips for businesses: Holidays and leave

With Christmas just around the corner - so too are the challenges businesses often face around holidays and annual leave. It can be a very daunting, confusing time - especially given recent changes to holiday leave law.

Here's a handful of top tips from Auckland Chamber of Commerce to help your business do things right leading into Christmas… and beyond!

  • If you're closing down during the holiday season, you must give your staff at least 14 days notice when informing them about the closure
  • Leave entitlements apply after one year's service, so if someone has less than one year's service, they may need to make arrangements with you, e.g. take leave in advance or take leave without pay
  • Accrued leave can be very costly for your business. Employees are legally entitled to cash up one week's leave each year. That means your business has to pay this out. It can be confusing and it can also cost your business money. So watch this two minute video that explains what to do when employees accumulate too much leave as well as other valuable leave information
  • It's really important to keep accurate leave records - all the time. Everyone must have a written employment contract or agreement
  • Holiday leave entitlements keep accruing during parental leave, 90 day trials and suspensions or investigations

If you need more help - call Auckland Chamber's free business helpline: 0800CHAMBER. Auckland Chamber of Commerce can help with advice on anything from HR to Health & Safety and everything in between - even holidays and annual leave queries.

Auckland Chamber of Commerce CEO, Michael Barnett, speaks with senior employment lawyer, Peter Kiely, of Kiely Thompson Caisley.