Personal grievances are among the most common and costly legal claims brought by employees in New Zealand. Under the Employment Relations Act 2000 (‘the Act’), employees can challenge unfair treatment at work, including unjustified dismissal, constructive dismissal, disadvantage, unlawful discrimination, sexual harassment and more.

They often involve significant financial remedies where employees succeed, not to mention the time, management resource and commercial drain on employer’s business to be involved in dealing with related claims.

Employers who misunderstand their obligations expose themselves to legal risk. This employer quick guide explains the common types of personal grievance claims, outlines frequent employer mistakes, and highlights recent case law to help employers manage risk.

According to recent statistics, compiled by Thomson Reuters Westlaw New Zealand, it showed that 65% of personal grievances, which includes personal grievances for unjustified dismissal determined by the Employment Relations Authority, were found in favour of employees. These statistics underscore the need for employers to have access to affordable and competent professional support when dealing with employment disputes.

Employer Pro are specialists in employment law and workplace disputes, support employers only and offer a range of affordable Employer Protection Packages, including competitive representation rates for managing personal grievance claims, which start from $150.00 plus GST per hour, depending on subscription level.

Employer Pro also has a range of resources, including employer-focused Employer Toolkits and Targeted Employer Resource Packs on managing key employment processes, including legal commentary, best practice guidelines and various templates to manage legal compliance and key employment processes.