Horizon Recruitment was established in 1995 by Toni Henderson. Horizon quickly built a reputation for top quality recruitment and superior outcomes, developing trusting relationships with employers and career seekers alike. It was in the early 1980s that Toni discovered an abiding passion for recruitment. Having forged a career as a top-rated manager internationally with a global leader in recruitment, she went on to expand on her considerable knowledge of recruitment in New Zealand, eventually investing the very best of her experience and her knowledge into Horizon. “True to our founding principles, our focus today remains on building lasting relationships through complete integrity, a warm and personal approach and in leaving no stone unturned in seeking out the best possible solutions for employer and career seeker alike”.

Horizon Recruitment has the reputation, the experience and the technology to ensure the outcome matches the aspirations of their clients every time. They also have the knowledge to help clients identify their optimum recruitment options, whatever the market conditions. Clients are assured of the complete commitment of the professional team at Horizon, who will be there every step of the way, from inception to successful conclusion. Their industry best practice processes and procedures ensure a top quality service every time. Continuity of service is assured with Horizon’s hands-on owner managers who are renowned for their integrity, being open, up-front and completely transparent in everything they do.
As a New Zealand Credit Manager of Financial Services testifies, “Horizon has been extremely effective at finding the right people to fit the roles we had available. They have really taken the time to gain a good understanding of our business and our culture and their comprehensive assessment of each candidate has made the process that much simpler”.

At Horizon they have built their reputation by providing first class, end-to-end recruitment solutions, contract and temporary staffing, recruitment support and employment market guidance. They also recognise that some employers prefer to do their own recruiting. To that end they offer an unbundled range of essential pre-employment services, including skills testing, employment background checks and personality profiling to assist those employers in making a more considered decision. Their ‘modus operandi’ is built around experienced and commercially astute consultants who partner with a select portfolio of clients companies, while working in close cooperation with each other as a cohesive team. The benefit to the employer or career seeker is that they have immediate access to all the resource and opportunity within Horizon.

For more information on these services, please visit their website at http://www.horizonrecruitment.co.nz.

Sporty, active and into health and wellbeing?
Do you want to work where everyone is focussed on fitness for life?

Are you a senior level physiotherapist focussed on getting truly life changing results for your clients?  Would you like an opportunity to join a multidisciplinary clinic consisting of physiotherapists, massage therapists and pilates trainers working together?

An opportunity to join our team at Bodyneed will become available from late June 2013. Our clinic has a strong manual therapy and exercise rehabilitation focus. We are looking for a sport’s physiotherapist with an interest and experience in working with endurance athletes. Post graduate qualifications, experience in pilates and biomechanical assessment would be an advantage.

If you are interesting in meeting us have a look at our website – www.bodyneed.co.nz - and send your CV to bodyneed@bodyneed.co.nz  Attention: Jennifer Dodds, Physiotherapy Manager, Bodyneed Ponsonby

The core service of the Student Job Search organisation is match-making. They align the needs of employers with jobs and the needs of intending, current and/or graduate tertiary students looking for work.  They make sure that commercial objectives don’t get in the way of ensuring employers and students with shared interests engage with one another effectively and efficiently. There is no doubt at all that the team at Student Job Search do this so much better than anyone else. They are there to help by enabling students to find jobs that provide cash now and provide experience that will pay off when they are looking for jobs in future. Grades are important but work experience is rapidly becoming the primary determinant of employment success. A bit of cash in the hand along the way is a definite bonus.

The Student Job Search website is in itself a huge bonus, for employers and students alike. Along with all the other really helpful information, students can click on the page which gives them some fantastic tips on going for their first (or maybe second or third), job interview. By taking advantage of these professionally collaborated tips for young people looking for jobs, students will find themselves so much better prepared when the time actually arrives for that all-important interview.

For starters, there is a page on the website where students can review typical interview questions and answers and they can practice their responses before they go to the interview. It is suggested that they ask a family member or a friend to ask them some questions so they can practice their answers. On this same page it is stressed that it is really important to impress the interviewer from the moment they arrive at the interview. Students are advised to ‘not just show up’ at the interview. Obviously, the more information they have prepared in advance, the better impression they will make on the interviewer, so it is essential to take the time to get working papers and references in order, before going for the interview.

Even more obviously, good manners will go a long way to making a good first impression in an interview. As they hopefully will have been taught by their parents, it is important to look your interviewer in the eye as you say hello and shake them by the hand. Being on time is also imperative and try to be polite, positive and professional throughout the interview. For more information on Student Job Search services, go to their website at http://www.studentjobsearch.co.nz.

Racial harassment is illegal. If it happens to you at work you may have a personal grievance claim against your employer.

Racial harassment includes language, behaviour, or visual material that is hurtful or offensive, which impacts on your work, and which expresses hostility against you, or causes contempt or ridicule because of your race, colour, ethnic origin or national origin. Examples could include someone circulating offensive jokes or cartoons, books or posters which are offensive, name calling, deliberately mispronouncing someone’s name or singling someone out for bad treatment because of their race.

If the offensive actions come from the employer, or someone in the workplace in a position of authority, you will usually have a personal grievance claim available to you straight away. If the actions come from another employee, a customer or a client, usually you will have to make a complaint to the employer and give them a chance to deal with it. If they fail to deal with the issues then you may have a personal grievance complaint available to you against the employer.

If you are being harassed it is important to keep records of what happened. Keep a note of the time and date and what happened. If you can get a copy of what was said or of any visual materials this will also be helpful.

We have had clients, who have experience racial harassment for all kinds of reasons, including being: South African, American, Maori, white, black, Jewish, Arab etc. Racial harassment is not only illegal it is unacceptable. Everyone has the right to feel safe, and to be treated with respect, at work. If you have any issues we can help.

We have also had employee clients who have had complaints made against them. Sometimes the employer has failed to conduct a fair investigation and an accused employee is not fairly treated. If you are in this situation we can help.

For employers it is essential that you have policies both to prevent harassment from happening, and to ensure that they are promptly advised of any concerns. If you are advised of any concerns it is essential that you have robust policies in place to deal fairly with those concerns. You must be fair both to the person making the complaint and to the person against whom the complaint is made.

Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

BusinessNZ has greeted the latest employment survey with cautious optimism.

The Household Labour Force Survey for the March quarter shows employment up 1.7 percent, with 38,000 more people employed since the last quarter.

The unemployment rate is down from 6.8 percent to 6.2 percent.

BusinessNZ Chief Executive Phil O’Reilly says the results should be treated with caution as the figures can bounce around between quarters, but the underlying trend is positive.

Canterbury is showing strong growth in employment as expected, and most regions outside Canterbury are also recording increases.

The trend for youth employment is also positive, with a 2 percent increase in employment; however the overall numbers of young people not in employment, education or training is still far too high, Mr O’Reilly said.

“The figures overall send a message that it is important to continue to focus on policies that promote a strong economy and business confidence, so businesses - in particular small and medium businesses - continue to create jobs.

“With regard to youth employment, the need for a focus on young people gaining employable skills is paramount.  It is critically important for our schools, families and education and training systems to make this our highest priority,” Mr O’Reilly said.

We have had several cases recently where our client (the employee) has been off work as a result of work related stress, often caused by a difficult manager and an organisation (including the human resources department) which backs the manager over the employee.

The employee is unable to cope with the thought of any return to a toxic work environment. Usually the fault lies with the employer or a work environment made toxic because of unrealistic demands or a manager with an unpleasant way of managing staff. Even where there are faults on the employee’s part, it is almost always possible for us to get the employee out of the situation with their reputation protected and a financial payout (including a tax free amount).

No matter how bad your situation seems please talk to us before you decide to simply resign and walk away. We really can help.

Recently we were asked to represent a man who had been dismissed. Our client had a good case. Normally an employer in that situation will respond to direct negotiations so that a deal can be done and the parties can get on with their lives.

Sometimes an employer will respond by refusing to enter into direct negotiations but agreeing to go to mediation. It is very rare in such cases that a settlement would not be reached at mediation. In this situation the employer put its head in the sand and didn’t respond at all. Presumably the employer thought that the employee would give up and go away. Bad employers like this are rare but there is a way to deal with them.

The employee needs to file a straight forward claim in the Employment Relations Authority. The ERA will serve the employer with the claim. This is usually enough to make even the most difficult employer do the right thing and respond to the claim. Once the employer responds to the claim the ERA will order that the parties attend mediation as the next step, where, usually, the case will be settled. Having to take the claim to the ERA doesn’t cost much more (about $200 for our client), however, the employer risks that the employee’s attitude will harden and that a greater settlement will be required in order to resolve the matter.

Our message to bad employers is to do the right thing when dealing with employment disputes. Otherwise, remember, that in terms of the employee’s rights, you can run but you can’t hide.

We were asked to attend an employment meeting with our client, the employee. The family owned company indicated that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss a restructure/redundancy that “might” affect our client.

Our client had had a very good relationship with the owners of the company and they had been like family to each other; however, she had sensed that something had changed a couple of months earlier. It was hard for her to define what had changed as the change was subtle. One result was that she was convinced that the employer was using the possible redundancy as a means to force her out.

At the meeting we were professional but frank about the employee’s perception that there had been a change in the relationship and that there was suspicion about the redundancy process. The employer responded by asking what our offer was in order to settle the issues between the parties. While there weren’t any real, tangible issues, there was an underlying feeling and the employee was quite clear that she could not continue to work there. About half an hour after the meeting started we had agreement on an exit package. It was agreed that the employer would within two days pay a reasonable sum to the employee, and that the employee would finish work that day. The employer and employee hugged and the only remaining thing to do was paperwork, which we took care of.

It was satisfying to be able to quickly obtain a good offer for our client, while maintaining the good feelings that the parties had had for each other before the recent blip in their relationship.

National’s proposed changes to the Employment Relations Act will cut the pay of every working New Zealander, says the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union.

The changes allow employers to refuse to settle a collective agreement, opt out of industry agreements in order to undercut their competitors on wages, pay new workers less than the rate in the collective agreement and deny workers meal and rest breaks.

The Bill also removes the protections that guarantee some vulnerable workers their wages and conditions if a new employer takes over their contract.

EPMU national secretary Bill Newson says the changes are a radical attack on the right of Kiwi workers to negotiate for better wages and conditions.

“This is a charter for bad employers and its effect will be to lower the wages of all New Zealanders.

“National is trying its best to paint these changes as technical but workers won’t be fooled. This is a return to the failed Employment Contracts Act of the 1990s that led to an unprecedented drop in Kiwis’ wages and created the wage gap with Australia.

“These changes are a sign of National’s failure to create jobs, lift wages and grow the economy. On every count this Government has failed and now it is making working families pay the price.

“New Zealand’s union movement stands for fair employment laws that give all workers a living wage, safer workplaces and a say over their working conditions. These changes take New Zealand in exactly the wrong direction and our union will campaign to stop them.”

Resolving employment disputes more quickly is one of the improvements proposed in the Employment Relations Amendment Bill introduced to Parliament today.

Labour Minister Simon Bridges says the Bill is aimed at improving fairness and flexibility in workplace relations.

“While most of the proposed changes have already been announced, an additional change aimed at speeding up Employment Relations Authority processes is also proposed,” says Mr Bridges.

“This should be welcomed by employers and workers alike. It will ensure parties who are in dispute get a resolution more quickly from the Authority.”

Under the change, the Authority will have to either provide an oral determination at the end of its hearing, followed by a written record within three months; or at the end of the hearing provide an oral indication to the parties, subject to additional information being received. Again a three-month deadline would apply from when the additional information is received.

“An immediate oral determination will provide the parties with an opportunity to consider their respective positions and whether they may wish to settle their dispute between themselves, without waiting for the Authority to issue the final written record. This makes good sense,” says Mr Bridges.

“All in all, the Employment Relations Amendment Bill proposes changes to employment relations law that are pragmatic and aimed at giving employers and employees more certainty, fairness and flexibility.

“These are all important ingredients in lifting productivity and helping businesses to grow and create jobs.” Mr Bridges says.

Other changes include:

• The extension of flexible working arrangements so any employee, not just caregivers, can ask for flexible work. Employees will also be able to ask for flexible work arrangements from the start of their employment.
• A return to the original position in the Employment Relations Act where the duty of good faith does not require the parties to conclude a collective agreement. Instead, the Employment Relations Authority may declare whether collective bargaining has concluded.
• Allowing employers to opt out of multi-employer bargaining.
• Allowing for partial pay reductions in cases of partial strike action.
• Removing the 30-day rule that forces non-union members to take union terms and conditions.
• Changes to Part 6A so employers have greater certainty over the transfer of employees in certain industries such as cleaning, catering, orderly and laundry – if there is a restructuring or change in the contracted service provider. Small to medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 20 employees will also be exempt.
• Greater clarity as to what confidential information employers are required to provide to affected workers in situations such as dismissal or redundancy.
• Parties will be required to provide notice of a strike or lock-out.

Further information: http://dol.govt.nz/er/services/law/legislationreviews/er-amendment-bill.asp

Workers need to carefully examine their payslips as the KiwiSaver employer and employee contribution rate increases from 2% to 3% from today says Labour’s spokesperson, for Labour Issues Darien Fenton.

“The National Government changed the law in 2008 to enable employment agreements to include a ‘total remuneration’ scheme, where the employer’s contribution to KiwiSaver can be deducted from salaries. This has resulted in some dodgy practices and some workers being caught unawares as their pay reduced by the KiwiSaver contribution amount, or pay increases were offset.

“The worst cases include employers who have tried to apply a total remuneration approach to the minimum wage, effectively reducing the minimum wage payable by law.

“This has recently been challenged in the Employment Court where workers had their employer contributions included in the minimum wage of $13.50 an hour. The court found that the employers concerned were in breach of section 6 of the Minimum Wage Act 1983, and ruled that their compulsory contributions must be paid in addition to the employees’ hourly rate of pay.

"While I'm pleased that the court has clarified this for minimum wage workers, this doesn't apply to other workers, including those who are receiving just above minimum wage.

"Many workers could find they are effectively paying both their own KiwiSaver contribution and that of the employer thanks to the 2008 changes made by National.

"With today's 1% increase in both employer and worker contributions, it's a good time to check up on your KiwiSaver account,” Darien Fenton said.

Labour Minister Simon Bridges today announced the minimum wage is to rise to $13.75.

The current wage rate is $13.50.

The training and new entrants’ minimum wages will increase from $10.80 to $11, which is 80 per cent of the adult minimum wage.

“Setting these wage rates represents a careful balance between protecting low paid workers and ensuring jobs are not lost as the economic recovery gains pace,” says Mr Bridges.

“The Government is firmly focussed on growing the economy and boosting incomes.  Through our Business Growth Agenda we are creating opportunities to help grow more jobs in New Zealand, for New Zealanders.”

The new minimum wage rates will come into effect on 1 April.