90 Day Probationary Bill proved redundant - again
Labour Minister Ruth Dyson welcomes the admission by the Employers and Manufacturers Association that Wayne Mapp's
Probationary Period Bill is redundant. She is commenting on the statement from the Employers and Manufacturers
Association that the proposed three-month probationary period for new employees would not be mandatory and would not
occur unless both employer and employee chose to opt in.
"This admission is a wonderful vote of confidence in this Government's employment law which already allows for
probationary periods to be entered into, but does not take away an employee's right to seek mediation or arbitration if
they consider themselves unfairly dismissed, as Wayne Mapp's punitive bill would."
"Why do we need Wayne Mapp's Bill to reconfirm what is already provided for in the Employment Relations Act? Perhaps the
National Party should spend more effort encouraging employers to use the provisions available to them currently, instead
of championing superfluous and redundant legislation."
This vote of confidence coupled with the commendable OECD ranking of 4th place out of 155 countries for ease of
employers starting or ending an employment relationship is a good reminder that in New Zealand we have stuck a good
balance between fairness in employment relationships whilst ensuring high levels of flexibility in the labour market.
"Again I call on Wayne Mapp to stop wasting Parliament's time and taxpayers money by withdrawing his redundant bill,
before he finds himself redundant."
ENDS