Bacteria to prevent fungal diseases
Plant fungal diseases can be devastating for horticulture and agriculture - in the worst cases, wiping out entire crops.
A Hastings business supplying workers to local orchards must pay $6567.42 after failing to provide written employment agreements or maintain wage, time, holiday and leave records for its 15 employees.
MD Dara Miah Horticulture Ltd and its sole director, Mohammed Dara Miah, were ordered to pay a $6000 penalty and $567.42 in costs by the Employment Relations Authority.
The Labour Inspectorate took MD Dara Miah Horticulture Ltd to the authority after Mr Miah failed to produce employment records for a Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Labour Inspector during a visit last December.
"Without maintaining proper records employers are unable to demonstrate they are providing employees with their minimum employment entitlements, such as minimum wage," says Labour inspectorate regional manager Wellington Kevin Finnegan.
"While we acknowledge ignorance of his obligations as an employer played a part in his offending, Mr Miah had the ability to access professional advice and it is disappointing that it took a visit from the Inspectorate before he was motivated to do so.
"It is simply not good enough for employers to sit and wait until they are caught out before taking action to meet their obligation as an employer to maintain employment records.
"This decision sends a strong message to employers that failure to maintain employment records will not be tolerated."
Employment law requires employers to be able to produce records for the number of hours worked by employees each day in a pay period, and the pay for those hours.
The information must be recorded in an easily accessible format and made available on request from an employee or from a Labour Inspector.
For employees who work regular hours each day for regular pay, to which they already agreed to with the employer, a statement of what the regular hours and pay is all that is needed to comply. It could be set out in the employment agreement, for example.
Changes to the Employment Relations Act which came into force on 1 April 2016 mean Labour Inspectors can issue an employer an Infringement Notice of $1000 per charge, per employee, up to a maximum of $20,000 for failing to keep employment records.
More information on recording pay details for both wage and salaried employees is available on our Employment New Zealand website.
MBIE encourages anyone who believes their employer is in breach of employment law to call its contact centre on 0800 20 90 20, where their concerns will be handled in a safe environment.
Another 16 commercial beef farmers have been selected to take part in the Informing New Zealand Beef (INZB) programme designed to help drive the uptake of genetics in the industry.
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Kiwi exporters will be $100 million better off today as the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) comes into force.
Making things simpler, not harder, for deer farmers in farm planning and coping with regulations is Deer Industry New Zealand (DINZ) industry capability manager John Ladley’s current focus.
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) is launching an online business directory called The Country Women’s Collective to promote and support entrepreneurial rural women.
New Zealand actor Sam Neill has joined the Campaign for Wool NZ as an ambassador, lending his name and profile to educate and advocate for New Zealand strong wool.
Living labs that bring together expertise at locations around New Zealand are among potential solutions identified by researchers to help the country move towards a more climate resilient future.
OPINION: The new government has clearly signalled big cuts across the public service.
OPINION: Your canine crusader is not surprised by the recent news that New Zealand plant-based ‘fake meat’ business is in…