New employment "laws"

[lb99]

whats the guts with the new employment laws, my wife just had her 5 hour shift reduced by half an hour because they say she HAS to have a ten minute paid and a 30 min unpaid break, before it was 15 min paid at lunch which was heaps.

on top of that, yesterday she was earning .25 above minimum, today shes at minimum wage again, it took her 2 years to get above that "minimum wage" feeling, and on top of that she now loses half a days pay every week.

I think her work just found a new way to screw the workers

cunts.....

[Motu]

Bring back Unions!

It was always a paid 10 min break every 2 hrs and unpaid 1/2hr lunch when the Unions were in charge of this country.Cripple the whole country with a general strike if a company tried to not give you a break.One place I worked at we shut the place down for a week over a pair of boots - no Fruju or frozen peas for you as a bit of a clue of who it was.

[cowpoos]

Bring back Unions!




Nah...over protection of usless workers at the expense of normal to excellent ones is not what this country needs.

[Ixion]

That's how it all begun. A strike about a lunch break . Blackball, 1908.

"While cowards flinch and traitors sneer"
"We'll keep the red flag flying here"

[Oakie]

One of the Labour government's final acts was to pass this piece of legislation which overrode existing break conditions and said "this is what every workplace in the country shall do. No exceptions. One size fits all".
It will be repealed or at least softened. It has to be when you consider just my workplace.
We have individual workers looking after intellectually disabled adults in. Normally 1 worker to a house of about 4 adults although we also have 3 positions where we have one worker with 1 'high needs' person. There is no way we can just have a break and leave these guys on their own for half an hour (in the recent past, 20 minutes has proven fatal). Our option by complying with the letter of the law is to get an employee to come in for a couple of 10 minute shifts and a half hour shift. Not really a practical solution. The present reality for our employees is that they do their 5 1/2 to 7 1/2 hour shifts and are paid right through. They have a meal with the residents and are able to kick back and relax when they gat the chance as long as they keep an eye on the guys. I actually watched two of our employees watching our guys playing cricket in the sun for two hours last Friday. Not exactly hard work but it's swings and roundabouts so we don't mind when it works out well for our guys like that and they don't complain when things are full on.
You just can't legislate in this way for organisations like ours when taking a break may be fatal. (Oh, unless they want to increase our funding)
Anyone in a sole charge situation will strike the same problem:
Sole charge child care facility,
Single teacher school,
Sole pharmacist (shop must shut if pharmacist is not in attendance)
etc.

And yes, as pointed out initially, having breaks will cost our employees half an hour wages a day, two hours a week ... about $1600 a year.

[cowboyz]

well it could be argued that its only illegal if someone complains.

I, for one, are happy about the changes. I now get an extra break in my day that I didnt have before and since they outlawed me smoking while mowing I am happy to stop mid arvo for a smoke rather than working all afternoon.

[mangell6]

That's how it all begun. A strike about a lunch break . Blackball, 1908.

"While cowards flinch and traitors sneer"
"We'll keep the red flag flying here"

All on displayed in the "(Formally) The Blackball Hilton"

[Lias]

That's how it all begun. A strike about a lunch break . Blackball, 1908.

"While cowards flinch and traitors sneer"
"We'll keep the red flag flying here"

Fucking red scum, should have machined gunned the lot of them.

[Conquiztador]

Yep. So many changes suddenly. New tax categories, changes in Kiwi Saver, the mentioned break rule, minimum wage etc. Tricky for most businesses to comply with all that. And most of it means more costs. The changes to the Payroll is a cost, the breaks will cost, the minimum wage...

There will be companies/organisations that can not cope with all this.

As mentioned there has to be a softening of many of them.

[McJim]

whats the guts with the new employment laws, my wife just had her 5 hour shift reduced by half an hour because they say she HAS to have a ten minute paid and a 30 min unpaid break, before it was 15 min paid at lunch which was heaps.

on top of that, yesterday she was earning .25 above minimum, today shes at minimum wage again, it took her 2 years to get above that "minimum wage" feeling, and on top of that she now loses half a days pay every week.

I think her work just found a new way to screw the workers

cunts.....
Yeah fuckem - they should all pay a decent wage and then go bust so EVERYONE can lose their jobs fair and square like! :rofl:

[cowboyz]

seriously. We are not surposed to be a third world country.

All the changes are minor and shouldnt be hard to comply with. The breaks coming into law are only what has been common practice for most reasonable employers for some time and min wage is really minimum.

[McDuck]

As a foreman brakes mean fuck all. Workers cant work un supervised and there are tasks that cant be done when the workers are withen ear distance.

This means that while my workers have a 15m brake i would be lucky to get 5, dosnt bother me to much as long as i get a drink and a snack...

[marty]

I do a 10.5 hr night shift. still get paid for all breaks. not much point getting a 30 min unpaid break at 0100am

[MSTRS]

I employ me.
'me': The boss is a cunt, so I'm going to work to rule. That'll learn 'im.
'I': And as far as I'm concerned, this $12.50/hr shit stinks...the lazy shit isn't worth that much. Fuck, I'm going to have to take a drop in salary just to pay him that. Or dream up some excuse to fire his arse. Then I'll do the work.

[Ixion]

All on displayed in the "(Formally) The Blackball Hilton"

Yep. A very moving moment hearing that declaimed in that room . And thinking of the names that had heard it there before .

[FROSTY]

The most extreme example probably needs to be used to get the point across loud n clear.
1)Fire crew 4 hours into fighting a major fire. -Hey guys sorry law says you gotta stop work for a half hour.
2) surgeon 4 hours into a major lifesaving surgery. Back in half an hour dude.
3)Airline pilot 4 hours into a 4.15hour flight--Ohh sorry control welll just circle up here for half an hour whilst the flight crew take their break -Ohh but wait --the flight attendants are on break as well

[Oakie]

The most extreme example probably needs to be used to get the point across loud n clear.

Police: (C'mon ... if we do a runner and keep it going for 2 hours then they have to stop for a 10 minute break and then they'll never get us).

[FROSTY]

Police: (C'mon ... if we do a runner and keep it going for 2 hours then they have to stop for a 10 minute break and then they'll never get us).
the problem is??

[yungatart]

I started work today at 8.45 am, got my first break at 1.30pm for 40 mins. And every Thursday is the same for me!

[cowboyz]

Then I'll do the work.

yeah, like that is ever gonna happen!


The most extreme example probably needs to be used to get the point across loud n clear.
1)Fire crew 4 hours into fighting a major fire. -Hey guys sorry law says you gotta stop work for a half hour.
2) surgeon 4 hours into a major lifesaving surgery. Back in half an hour dude.
3)Airline pilot 4 hours into a 4.15hour flight--Ohh sorry control welll just circle up here for half an hour whilst the flight crew take their break -Ohh but wait --the flight attendants are on break as well

Actually, it doesnt specifically say a break every 2 hours. It just says that in an 8.5 hour day 2 10 min paid and 1 30 min unpaid break. It leaves it so that if you and your empolyer agree you could work for 7 hours 40 min and then take 2 10 min paid breaks and then take that 30 min unpaid break.

I win in this particular law coming into effect so I anit gonna bag it.


I started work today at 8.45 am, got my first break at 1.30pm for 40 mins. And every Thursday is the same for me!

thats fine. Perfectly legal if you agree to do that.

[FROSTY]

Im missin summat here. I thought that was ALWAYS the law

[Mom]

Im missin summat here. I thought that was ALWAYS the law

Yes but it was ignored in a large part by employers. This was as cowboyz says some that were not getting their break entitlements have to get them. I recently typed up over 80 employment contracts for a new owner of a supermarket, the existing contract allowed for breaks, but the new ones actually took the wording directly from the new law, and will be actively enforced by managers of each department.

Me, I dont usually take breaks, self employment usually goes that way, quick smoke stop every so often, eat while I work. Interestingly enough last waged position I had I was exactly the same. I did not take any breaks, apart from the odd smoke and gobble of my sammy at my desk.

[Ixion]

Im missin summat here. I thought that was ALWAYS the law


It *was* the law before the Employment Contracts Act. It was one of the mandatory requirements for all awards. But that all went by the board with the ECA . Now its caught up again.

[FROSTY]

It *was* the law before the Employment Contracts Act. It was one of the mandatory requirements for all awards. But that all went by the board with the ECA . Now its caught up again.
ER righto--Mate not being a smartass but isn't it a basic human right to get propper breaks?

[Ixion]

It is indeed. Charitably, one might assume that it was an oversight. The old award legislation was repealed, holiday stuff was taken up in the Holidays Act, safety and such like in the H&S Act. They missed dealing with breaks.

And by and large it was so much an given that very few employers tried to take advantage of the omission. So it's not really been a big problem. But it is not unwise to ensure that noone takes advantage in the future. Whether the new legislation is well drafted is another matter.

[Motu]

In my ''area of employment'' - when the Employment Contract thing came in,the ''contract'' was just the Engineers Union Award,it was the same old same old.The first time I have ever signed a contact was for this job 18mths ago,and apart from a few small modern updates,was just the old Engineers Union award.We get paid morning and afternoon breaks and an unpaid lunch period.Same as it's always been....this so called law won't change a thing in my game.

[lb99]

ok I understand , the idea behind the breaks, its a good idea.
I get 2 x 15 min paid and one unpaid 30 min in a 10 hour day, plus more if I need it, I get paid well too......

however in my wifes position, its half a days pay man, thats her fuel budget for the week gone (back into the employers pocket) AND THE BIG FINGER WAS......the paid break used to be 15 min, now its only 10 (coz thas the "law")

this outfit are cunts, the only people getting really screwed are the school mums working 9 till 3, it not like they can just work another half hour is it.....

still, she got $0.25 ph pay rise :woohoo:

[Max Preload]

It *was* the law before the Employment Contracts Act. It was one of the mandatory requirements for all awards. But that all went by the board with the ECA . Now its caught up again.

Don't forget the ERA 2000 didn't reinstate it either.


Same as it's always been....this so called law won't change a thing in my game.

Mine either. I take breaks when I want, for as long as I want (within reason and depending on workload) - another of the perks of being an outside contractor (I've yet to find any disadvantages).

My policy is I don't charge for any time beyond 15 mins for morning/afternoon tea or any lunch times unless I stop only just long enough to gobble down a sandwich.

Isn't it great to be a trusted professional? those fools... mwahahahaha

[kevfromcoro]

well isnt it ironic..ever heard the saying the less you work
the more you get . i have worked my arse off for most off my life , some good and some bad..iam an engineer , and got a job down south on a large construdtion co. it has been a reel eye opener for me.
we get paid well..... $50 an hour .. and i havent done anything all week..
we got a bloke here that has been here for 6 weeks and he has done less than me..
no wonder these big projects cost so much.but they keep putting money in bank..
gota go .. its fishing time and iam getting payed for it

[cowboyz]

ok I understand , the idea behind the breaks, its a good idea.
I get 2 x 15 min paid and one unpaid 30 min in a 10 hour day, plus more if I need it, I get paid well too......

however in my wifes position, its half a days pay man, thats her fuel budget for the week gone (back into the employers pocket) AND THE BIG FINGER WAS......the paid break used to be 15 min, now its only 10 (coz thas the "law")

this outfit are cunts, the only people getting really screwed are the school mums working 9 till 3, it not like they can just work another half hour is it.....

still, she got $0.25 ph pay rise :woohoo:


The "law" is a minimum requirement. Not an absoulte figure. But I find more and more employers taking advantage. Mine being one of them.

Got told today that the drug and alcohol testing program which they are putting into practice will have a zero tolerance for both drugs and alcohol. Compulsory testing (serious misconduct leading to termination of contract if refuse to take the test) and the test is sensitive to alcohol for 7 days in your body. zero tolerance. If they detect alcohol in your system (note this does not mean you are intoxicated, just that you have had alcohol in the past 7 days) then it is serious misconduct leading to termination.
It is seriously shit. Have to get hold of a lawyer for this one.

[kevfromcoro]

iam very serious about my tax..
it goes to pay dole blugdlers i had to piss in the jar to get on this job.
all good....
why dont dole blugdlers have to piss in the bottle to grt my money
its all wrong
the govt needs to look at this

[wickle]

Quote from contract,
Meal Breaks
It is acknowledge that it is impossible to adequately provide a proper meal break during the normal running of a shift. Therefore we allow for coffee/cigarette breaks when they do not affect thenormal running of the site or the normal high level of customer service.

[cowboyz]

thats fair enough as long as they dont pack a sad about you going out for a smoke break at 11.30 if you havent had one all day. The law does have a lot of give and take in it and 90% of employers would already be abiding by it anyone. Those who arent probably dont get on with their employees anyway so fuck em.