The Government has passed a Bill increasing employees’ minimum entitlement to sick leave from five days to 10 days per year.
Under the Holidays Act 2003, employees are entitled to sick leave once they have worked with the same employer for six months.
The new legislation will come into effect two months after the Bill receives Royal assent. This means that the legislation will come into effect around mid-July.
The Government has also begun work to implement the recommendations of the Holidays Act Taskforce, which includes giving employees access to sick leave from day one of employment, as opposed to only being eligible after six months.
For more information on the Bill, visit
www.beehive.govt.nz/release/more-sick-leave-support-employees-way.
