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"An outstanding New Zealand summer provided near perfect conditions for growing grapes across the country" said Philip Gregan, chief executive officer of New Zealand Winegrowers. "The result is that we expect the 2013 wines to be vibrant, fruit driven and complex expressions of our diverse grape growing regions. 2013 looks set to be a vintage to remember."

 It's confirmed! The excitement expressed as grapes of every variety were harvested throughout Hawke's Bay last month, has burst into euphoria; pressed grapes now safely in barrels and casks are being touted as exceptional and 2013 as the ‘vintage of the century' for Hawke's Bay.

An informal survey of winemakers from Central Hawke's Bay to Esk Valley,  from the coast to the (almost) the ranges is unanimous. The flavours and colour of this season's pressed grapes, both white and red, could not be better.

Payroll is the single largest overhead for most businesses. Using gut feeling to determine remunerations levels is one thing, but you need market data to make an informed decision.

When hiring a new employee or embarking on annual pay reviews, what is it based on? Businesses use market research for product development, market and consumer trends, purchasing and finance decisions but don't always get data required to make informed remuneration decisions.

From 1 May 2013 the starting-out wage will replace the new entrants wage and training wage for under-20s.

http://dol.govt.nz/er/pay/starting-out-wage/index.asp

If you have guys adopting the "don't shave over vintage" tradition, then they should be part of our "Face Off" competition - get them involved, there's some prizes on offer! Or, just people having fun during vintage, or the Pic of the Vintage. Here's the full details - photos just need to be uploaded to our Facebook page. Please, join the fun and play along. 

Minimum wage, Kiwisaver and tax changes 1 April
The adult rate increases to $13.75 an hour from 1 April, and applies to all workers 18 years and over. ...

Salary/Wage Rates
Latest figures from all industries show that pay rates are in some cases still going down...

Piece Rates and Meal Breaks
Tea breaks must be paid for, but how do you calculate the correct payment?

Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy
Every workplace should have one. Why?

Health and Safety
2013 - the Year of Health and Safety in NZ workplaces 

Waitangi and ANZAC holidays
Soon to be Mondayised. What do you think?

Restraints of trade clauses for employees are often thought as being "not worth the paper they are written on". However, this belief is often completely wrong.

The Employment Relations Authority and Employment Court have recently upheld restraint of trade clauses in a number of cases, where employers have applied restrictions that are reasonable. The most common mistake is when employers make the restrictions too harsh. 

One in ten New Zealand workers made a claim to the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) for work-related injuries last year, according to Statistics New Zealand. The latest figures show:

Press Release from NZ Winegrowers:

New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) has released the 2012 Vineyard Register Report today, which presents the most accurate statistics in the last decade on the sector's vineyard productive capacity. The report includes data from 1,841 vineyards with a combined producing area of 34,269 hectares in 2012, which is anticipated to increase 683 ha in 2015.

97 gold medals have been handed out at this year's Air New Zealand Wine Awards with 90% of these medals going to sustainable wines. 

Snippets: 21 medals for Pinot, 17 for Sav and 15 for Chardonnay.

Looks like Villa Maria will once again prove that they are "New Zealand's most awarded wine company" - 9 of the 12 Chardonnay golds to the Villa Maria Group. Amazing, congrats to Sir George and the winemaking team.

Click on the READ MORE link at the end of this list to read the full Press Release

Wineworks Champion Sparkling Wine
Pure Gold
Quartz Reef Méthode Traditionnelle Brut NV
Gold
Lindauer Classic Rosé NV
Palliser Estate Méthode Traditionnelle 2007

Label and Litho Limited Champion Sauvignon Blanc
Pure Gold
Ara Single Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Artisan The Sands Block Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Framingham Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Huntaway Limited Edition Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Kim Crawford Small Parcels Spitfire Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Matua Valley Estate Paretai Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Mud House Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Rapaura Springs Reserve Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Saint Clair Vicar's Choice Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Sileni Cellar Selection Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Stoneleigh Rapaura Series Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2012
The Kings Favour Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Tohu Mugwi Reserve Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Vicarage Lane Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Wither Hills Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Yealands Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Yealands Estate Single Block Series M2 Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Plant & Food Research Champion Riesling
Pure Gold
Aspiring Flats Bendigo Central Otago Riesling 2012
Mt Beautiful Riesling 2010
Vavasour Riesling 2011

Guala Closures NZ Champion Pinot Gris
Pure Gold
Eradus Wines Awatere Valley Pinot Gris 2012
Mud House Estate The Home Block Vineyard Waipara Valley Pinot Gris 2011
Spy Valley Pinot Gris 2012
Stoneleigh Pinot Gris 2012
Tiki Estate Waipara Valley Pinot Gris 2011
Villa Maria Private Bin East Coast Pinot Gris 2012
Whitehaven Marlborough Pinot Gris 2012

Coast FM Champion Gewürztraminer
Pure Gold
Lawson's Dry Hills Gewürztraminer 2010
Waimea Gewürztraminer 2012

Rabobank New Zealand Limited Champion Chardonnay
Pure Gold
Auntsfield Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2010
Matua Valley Single Vineyard Marlborough Chardonnay 2011
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 10 Twin Hills Chardonnay 2011
Vidal Legacy Series Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2010
Vidal Legacy Series Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2011
Villa Maria Reserve Barrique Fermented Gisborne Chardonnay 2010
Villa Maria Reserve Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2011
Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Chardonnay 2011
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay 2011
Gold
Lawson's Dry Hills Marlborough Chardonnay 2008

BDO Champion Other White and Rosé Wines
Pure Gold
Coopers Creek SV Gisborne Albariño 'Bell-Ringer' 2012

Kapiti Champion Dessert Wine
Pure Gold
Brancott Estate Letter Series 'B' Late Harvest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Greystone Waipara Valley Basket Star Riesling 2011
Lawson's Dry Hills Late Harvest Riesling 2010
Osawa Wines Late Harvest Hawke's Bay Gewürztraminer 2011
Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Noble Riesling Botrytis Selection 2011

JF Hillebrand New Zealand Ltd Champion Pinot Noir
Pure Gold
Ara Resolute Pinot Noir 2011
Bird Big Barrel Pinot Noir 2011
Charcoal Gully Central Otago Sallys Pinch Pinot Noir 2011
Domain Road Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011
Esk Valley Marlborough Pinot Noir 2011
Forrest Tatty Bogler Pinot Noir 2010
Gibbston Valley School House Central Otago Pinot Noir 2011
Grasshopper Rock Central Otago Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010
Jules Taylor Wines Marlborough Pinot Noir 2011
Rockburn Central Otago Pinot Noir 2011
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 14 Doctor's Creek Pinot Noir 2011
Scott Base Central Otago Pinot Noir 2011
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Pinot Noir 2010
Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Pinot Noir 2011
Wooing Tree Beetle Juice Central Otago Pinot Noir 2011
Wooing Tree Central Otago Pinot Noir 2010

New Zealand Winegrowers Champion Merlot
Pure Gold
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawke's Bay Merlot 2010

Fruitfed Supplies Limited Champion Syrah
Pure Gold
Coopers Creek SV Hawke's Bay Syrah 'Chalk Ridge' 2011
Passage Rock Reserve Waiheke Island Syrah 2010
Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2011
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke's Bay Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2010
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawke's Bay Syrah 2010
Gold
Villa Maria Reserve Hawke's Bay Syrah 2009

Gold Medal Vintage Insurance Champion Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot/Cabernet Blend
Pure Gold
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2010
Gold
Esk Valley Winemakers Reserve Merlot Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

New Zealand Winegrowers Champion Other Red Styles
Pure Gold
Trinity Hills Gimblett Gravels Tempranillo 2010
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Gimblett Gravels Hawke's Bay Grenache 2010

Waitoa Free Range Chicken Champion Exhibition White or Sparkling Wine
Pure Gold
17 Seventeen Valley Chardonnay 2011
Akarua Central Otago Alchemy Ice 2012
Drylands Marlborough Dry Riesling 2012
Gibbston Valley La Dulcinee Pinot Gris 2012
Giesen The Brothers Marlborough Chardonnay 2011
Lawson's Dry Hills The Pioneer Pinot Gris 2010
Maude Mt Maude Vineyard East Block Riesling 2012
Rockburn Tigermoth Central Otago Riesling 2011
Villa Maria Reserve Barrique Fermented Gisborne Chardonnay 2011
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Chardonnay 2010
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Chardonnay 2011
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Omahu Gravels Viognier 2010
Waimea Grüner Veltliner 2012
West Brook Marlborough Riesling 2011

Stuff.co.nz Champion Exhibition Red Wine
Pure Gold
Judge Rock Central Otago Pinot Noir 2010
Last Chance by Two Paddocks Central Otago Pinot Noir 2010
Söderberg Single Vineyard Home Block Marlborough Pinot Noir 2010
Tupari Awatere Valley Pinot Noir 2011
Vidal Legacy Series Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2009
Gold
Vidal Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawke's Bay Syrah 2007
Villa Maria Reserve Hawke's Bay Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2007
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Southern Clays Pinot Noir 2009

UC biology researcher Sara Kross, from Blenheim, said the country's only remaining endemic bird of prey, the falcon, is a perfect match for vineyards.

Two important international wine meetings will be held in Auckland this week - the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Wine Regulatory Forum (5-6 November) and the World Wine Trade Group meeting (7-9 November). These meetings will help to develop understanding and cooperation around the international trade in wine.

http://boutiquewines.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/TOP_TROPHIES.pdf

Credit: Information from boutiquewines.com.au

Webb’s Auction house has two ‘single vendor’ collections of wine featuring in its upcoming Fine Wine auction later this month. The first session of the auction will have a single vendor collection of Australia’s iconic Penfolds Grange Hermitage wines and this will include a near vertical consisting of one bottle each from 1975 to 1995 (missing 1983 & 1990). As part of this vertical is a bottle of 1979 Grange that has been personally signed by the Max Schubert, the legendary winemaker of this wine. Another rare bottle featured is a 1962 Penfolds Bin 60A, given to the vendor by the winery with an estimated value between $4,000-5,000. Finally an unopened case of 1990 Penfolds Grange, regarded as one of the greatest recent vintages of this world famous wine.

The later session includes another single vendor collection of French wines dating back to 1961 and includes marquee  producers such as Chateau Margaux, Latour, Mouton Rothschild, Lafite Rothschild & Chateau Petrus.

Simon Ward is head of the Wine department at Webb’s and says ‘It’s very exciting to be able to offer these two single vendor collections because it’s not often we come across large amounts of these iconic wines with such impeccable provenance’. 

‘The highlight must be the ‘Imperial’ (6 litre bottle) of Chateau Lafite Rothschild from 1967’ (estimate of $9,000-11,000).

Webb’s Auction house holds eight Fine Wine Auctions each year.

Auction date: 29^th October

Time: 5 – 8pm

Venue: Webb’s, 18 Manukau Rd, Newmarket

For further inquries, contact Simon Ward: sward@webbs.co.nz

021.642.277

5 tips to make the process easier

Interviewing an applicant for your job vacancy should be taken seriously; a business depends on the interviewer to hire the right person - it's a costly mistake to get it wrong.

Planning and Preparation
The first thing to do is to plan for the forthcoming interviews. Being prepared is critical for a successful outcome. The benefit of studying the CV in advance is that you ...

We were thrilled to hear this great news from NMIT and Lincoln University.

As reported in Scoop (www.scoop.co.nz) Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology has signed an agreement with Lincoln University to ensure the continuation of offering a bachelor degree in viticulture in Marlborough. 

It means students have a guaranteed pathway from NMIT's two-year Diploma in Viticulture to a Bachelor Degree without having to leave the region. NMIT will be the only New Zealand education provider offering students two vintage experiences during their viticulture studies. 

NMIT's 2-year Diploma in Viticulture and Wine Production is a practical, hands-on programme where students get one vintage of practical industry work experience and, should they choose to progress on to the Lincoln University Degree, a second vintage experience plus a summer school. 

Sparkling
Nautilus Cuvee Marlborough Brut NV

Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Durvillea Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Mount Riley Limited Release Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Saint Clair Marlborough Premium Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Ara Single Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Kim Crawford Small Parcels Spitfire Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Matua Valley Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Brancott Estate Special Reserves Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Stoneleigh Latitude Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Auntsfield Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2012
The Ned Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Southern Clays Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Triplebank Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Sauvignon Blanc 2011
The King's Favour Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Sauvignon Blanc 2010 and older
Mount Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Sauvignon Blanc ‘emerging styles'
Waterfalls Road 'Technical Drop' Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2011

Chardonnay 2012 - 2011
Hunter's Marlborough Chardonnay 2011
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 10 Twin Hills Chardonnay 2011

Pinot Gris
Opawa Pinot Gris 2012
Stanley Estates Pinot Gris 2012
Kim Crawford Regional Reserves Pinot Gris 2012

Riesling 2012-2011
Matua Valley Single Vineyard Riesling 2011
Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Dry Riesling 2011
Two Rivers Juliet Riesling 2012
Vic Williams Selection Classic Marlborough Riesling 2012

Riesling 2010 and older
Coopers Creek Marlborough Riesling 2010
Coopers Creek Marlborough Riesling 2009
Coopers Creek S.V. Marlborough Riesling 'Mister Phebus' 2009

Gewurztraminer
Lawson's Dry Hills Gewurztraminer 2010

Sweet Wines
Brancott Estate Letter Series Late Harvest 'B' Sauvignon Blanc 2011

Pinot Noir 2012-2011
Peter Yealands Pinot Noir 2011
Babich Winemakers' Reserve Pinot Noir 2011
Whitehaven Marlborough Greg Pinot Noir 2011

Pinot Noir 2010
Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir 2010
Lawson's Dry Hills Pinot Noir 2010
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 14 Doctor's Creek Pinot Noir 2010
Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Pinot Noir 2010

Pinot Noir 2009 and older
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Southern Clays Pinot Noir 2009

Champion Wine of the Show

Vidal Reserve Series Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2010

Champion Wine Producer

Villa Maria Estate

AND

Champion Wine Producer

Mount Riley

Champion Sparkling Wine

Quartz Reef Methode Traditionnelle 2007

Champion Gewurztraminer

Distant Land Gewurztraminer 2011

Champion Pinot Gris

Mount Riley Pinot Gris 2012

Champion Riesling

Giesen Marlborough Riesling 2012

 Champion Sauvignon Blanc

Whitehaven Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Macvine International Ltd

 Champion Chardonnay

Nautilus Marlborough Chardonnay 2011

 Champion Other White

Tyrrell’s Stevens Hunter Semillon 2007

Champion Sweet Wine

Osawa Wines Noble Gewurztraminer 2011

 Champion Pinot Noir

Pasquale Pinot Noir Hakataramea Valley 2010

Champion Cabernet Sauvignon

Shingleback The Davey Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

 Champion Shiraz/Syrah

Vidal Reserve Series Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2010

Champion Other Red

Feudi di San Marzano SUD

Primitivo di Manduria DOP 2010

Champion Fortified

Lustau Pedro Ximenez San Emilio

Press Release from the organisers - read on!

Gold medals

 SPARKLING WINE

Lanvin Brut NV Champagne

Daniel Le Brun Blanc de Blancs 2002

Lindauer Special Reserve Brut

Morton Estate Blanc de Blanc 2002

Nautilus Cuvee Marlborough Brut

Quartz Reef Central Otago Methode Traditionnelle Vintage 2007

Lindauer Classic Rosé

GEWURZTRAMINER

Distant Land Gewurztraminer 2011

PINOT GRIS

The People's Pinot Gris 2011

Forrest Pinot Gris 2012

Ribbonwood Pinot Gris 2011

Villa Maria Single Vineyard Seddon Pinot Gris 2011

Waipara Hills Waipara Valley Pinot Gris 2011

900 Grapes Pinot Gris 2011

Mount Riley Pinot Gris 2012

RIESLING

Eden Springs High Eden Riesling 2008

Mount Riley Riesling 2012

Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Riesling 2011

Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Riesling 2012

Dusky Sounds Waipara Riesling 2008

Giesen Marlborough Riesling 2012

Greystone Riesling 2011

Kahurangi Estate Mt Arthur Reserve Riesling 2011

Kerpen Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese 2005

Seifried Nelson Riesling 2012

SAUVIGNON BLANC

Ara Single Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Gladstone Vineyard Sophies Choice 2011

Crosse Vineyard Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Saint Clair Pioneer Block 3 43 Degrees Sauvignon B 2012

Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Starborough Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2012

Tiki Single Vineyard Wairau Sauvignon Blanc 2011

Whitehaven Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Peter Yealands Sauvignon Blanc 2012

CHARDONNAY

Auntsfield Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2010

Lake Chalice Wines Marlborough Chardonnay 2011

Matua Valley Single Vineyard Marlborough Chardonnay 2011

Shingle Peak Reserve Chardonnay 2011

Mount Riley 17 Valley Chardonnay 2011

Nautilus Marlborough Chardonnay 2011

Spy Valley Chardonnay 2011

OTHER WHITE

Tyrrells Steven's Hunter Semillon 2007

SWEET

Osawa Wines Noble Gewurztraminer 2011

Squawking Magpie SQM Sticky Beak 2011

PINOT NOIR

Grasshopper Rock Central Otago Pinot Noir 2010

Tohu 'Rore' Limited Edition Reserve Pinot Noir 2010

Lawson's Dry Hills Pinot Noir 2010

Pasquale Pinot Noir Hakataramea Valley 2010

Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir 2010

Villa Maria Single Vineyard Seddon Pinot Noir 2010

CABERNET SAUVIGNON AND MERLOT

Sandalford Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Shingleback The Davey Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Spy Valley Merlot Malbec 2010

Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Villa Maria Reserve Hawkes Bay Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2009

SHIRAZ/SYRAH

Matua Valley Reserve Syrah 2010

Vidal Reserve Series Hawkes Bay Syrah 2010

Kingston Estate Shiraz 2010

Mojo Shiraz 2011

OTHER REDS

Feudi di San Marzano SUD Primitivo di Manduria DOP 2010

Castano Monastrell (Familia Castano) 2011

FORTIFIED

Lustau Pedro Ximenez San Emillio

Buller Wines Fine Old Tokay

Companies today are being exposed to major challenges when they consider the increasing difficulty of finding skilled employees, a younger workforce (Gen Y) with different attitudes about work and a growing group of older employees (baby boomers) heading towards retirement, and above all, retaining their best people.

Do employers need to introduce bonuses?

Both fired employees who took Personal Grievances against them
One employer won his case and got $8,900 from his employee.
The other employer lost and he had to pay $8,500 to his employee.
The difference?         Process.....

When employment disputes go to Court (or the ERA), employers usually get - well - caught.... Here are some recent cases that should remind employers of their obligations.

Yes, the dreaded performance appraisal.

Even the Courts were confused.

When is a contractor an employee? Or an employee a contractor?

To recruit the best person for your job, avoid the problems of past hiring decisions. Here are 7 recruitment mistakes commonly made:

Empowering CS staff is important because:

Changes to the Employment Relations Act & Holidays Act took effect 1 April 2011

There are significant changes you need to know of .....

The Employment Court has issued its first judgement on a case concerning the use of 90 day trial period provisions, conveying to businesses that they must be careful in how they are used.

So what is performance management?

It is all too easy to employ people on the wrong sorts of employment agreements. These are the recognised definitions -

Casual:
employed on an on-call and as required basis without any commitment from either party to ongoing employment. This includes staff engaged for one-off situations. They do not have pre-determined hours of work, and work arrangements are made on an hourly, daily or weekly basis depending on the employer's needs and availability of the worker.

Part-Time:
employed usually to work fewer than say 37.5 hours per week. May have regular hours or days of work or be rostered. Or hours and days may vary, but there is a pattern of regularity.

Full Time:
employed usually to work say 37.5 hours or more per week.
Over time an employment category can alter without being changed in an employment agreement. It's important :

So, you have a business plan, a strategic plan, a marketing plan.... But do you have an HR plan?

Successful companies develop an HR plan to work with the culture, goals, values and visions of a business, to contribute to the success of the organisation through its employees.

An often overlooked integral part of a company's planning, your HR strategy should consider 6 key points.

New company for Pernod Ricard’s wine portfolio - Premium Wine Brands - include Montana, Brancott, Church Road and Corbans in New Zealand plus Australian, Spanish and Argentinian producers.  Read full story courtesy of Food News

Eurowine and Vintage Wines and Spirits become EuroVintage by end of August 2010. Over 60 agencies - is this now the largest distributor in the NZ wine market?

http://www.foodnews.co.nz/16500/wine-trade-transformed-by-takeover-of-eurowine/

Statistics New Zealand have just released figures showing wage and salary rates grew 1.6 percent in the year to the June 2010 quarter. 

http://www.btob.co.nz/cms/news/2010/08/annual_wage_growth_at_1_6_percent.php

The Department of Labour just released new guidelines for those who deal with contractors. A handy read if you are involved in using contractors to do work at your place. http://www.osh.govt.nz/order/catalogue/contracting-health-safety.asp

There are examples given right from how to select the contractor and allocate work.

A Code of Practice to help employers who need to provide infant feeding facilities and breaks has been released.  Interesting Reading!   PDF document available from Department of Labour Website.  

If you have been affected by a Personal Grievance case or feel strongly about some aspect of the process, do send a submission - before 31 March 2010.

http://www.dol.govt.nz/consultation/personal-grievance/

The first Approved Handler Certificates and Approved Filler Test Certificates were issued uner the HSNO legislation 5 years ago are coming up for renewal. 

Check via this website link: www.ermanz.govt.nz

From 1 April 2010, all adult New Zealanders in the work force will be paid $12.75 per hour, as announced by the Government on 26 January.  

Increase in number of personal grievance claims taken against Employers allegedly due to advice their ex staff were getting from Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ).

Under the new Immigration Act 2009 it will be an offence to employ someone knowing that they do not have an entitlement to work. Therefore employers should make sure they check a person's entitlement to work.

But it is a defenCe to a charge of that offence that the employer did not know the person was not entitled to work, AND that the employer "took reasonable precautions and exercised due diligence to ascertain whether the person was entitled to do the work."  

For more information, check out the immigration website

The Government's new Silver Fern visa will attract young highly skilled people to work long term in New Zealand, Minister of Immigration, Jonathan Coleman has announced this week.

Employment laws covering contract workers are to be reviewed, Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson said today.

The laws, called continuity of employment provisions, affect industries such as cleaning, food and laundry services where work was often contracted and changes to contracts can create restructuring or redundancy situations.

NEW  - Interactive website page of Napa Valley Wineries, brilliant for NZ winemakers doing a US harvest, only just found it so no good for 2009 but bookmark it for next year!

http://www.napavintners.com/maps/maps_of_napa_wineries.asp