Good work starts
with clear foundations.

Put the working relationship in writing.

Every employee must have a written employment agreement. It should make the work, agreed hours, pay and important terms clear. Minimum employment rights apply even where an agreement does not spell them out, and cannot be signed away.

Record agreed terms above the minimum, such as extra leave or overtime rates. Genuine fixed-term arrangements need a genuine reason based on reasonable grounds, documented in the agreement. An employee’s actual working arrangement matters, including when deciding whether employment is casual.

Check every hour against the minimum.

From 1 April 2026, the adult minimum wage is $23.95 an hour before tax. The starting-out and training rates are $19.16 an hour, but apply only where their specific eligibility conditions are met.

Minimum wage protection generally applies from age 16. A salary does not remove the need to check that the employee receives at least the applicable minimum wage for all hours worked in the pay period, including overtime. Deductions and employer KiwiSaver arrangements also need care.

Current minimum wage rates and eligibility ↗ · Estimate take-home pay →

Make hours and breaks workable.

Employees are entitled to rest and meal breaks based on the length of their work period, subject to specific exceptions. Rest breaks are paid; meal breaks are generally unpaid. The timing should follow agreement and the statutory rules.

For a usual eight-hour work period, the standard minimum is two paid 10-minute rest breaks and one unpaid 30-minute meal break. Use the official table for other shift lengths and arrangements.

Good payroll starts with good records.

Employers must keep accurate wage and time records, and holiday and leave records, for six years, including after an employee leaves. Records should support the hours worked, wages paid and leave entitlements.

Keep agreed deductions and relevant authorisations clear. Review actual hours for salaried employees too. Separate employment record obligations from tax filing requirements; submitting a payday return does not replace payroll records.

Employment record requirements ↗ · Payday filing guide →

Trial periods have conditions.

A trial period can last no more than 90 calendar days, must start at the beginning of employment, and is for an employee who has not worked for that employer before. It must be agreed, included in the agreement and signed before the employee starts work.

Trial periods and probationary periods are different. Other minimum employment rights still apply during a trial. Immigration New Zealand does not allow trial periods for workers employed on an Accredited Employer Work Visa.

Use a fair process when things change.

Employers and employees have good-faith responsibilities. Proposed changes to hours, roles or employment terms need a proper process. Performance concerns, disciplinary steps, restructuring and ending employment each have specific requirements and exceptions.

Raise concerns early, keep relevant records and get guidance for the situation before taking action. Employment New Zealand provides information and pathways for help; a general web guide cannot decide whether a particular dismissal or employment change is lawful.

Employer responsibilities ↗ · Employee rights ↗