November 2018 Update
20 November 2018
November 2018 update
Business continuity
The 6.2 earthquake that rocked a large part of NZ last week is another timely reminder that we all need to be prepared and our disaster recovery and business continuity plans should be reviewed regularly.
If you had a change of staff in the last 12 months, have you updated the emergency contact details? How long is it since you changed your stored water, or checked the expiry dates on your food supplies?
Encourage your staff to have a family plan, and the Civil Defence website has plenty of good information to help families plan where they will meet, who will collect children from school or day care, and what they should include in their emergency supplies.
Domestic Violence - Victim Protection Act
The Domestic Violence – Victim Protection Act will come into effect on 1 April 2019. The purpose of the Act is to provide people affected by domestic violence a minimum entitlement to paid leave to assist with dealing with the effects.
The legislation will allow employees affected by domestic violence
- an additional 10 days leave per entitlement year (after the initial 6-month criteria)
- to request short term variation to their working arrangements for not longer than 2 months. Requests must be dealt with in the same way as any request under the Flexible Working arrangements
Domestic violence leave can be requested if the employee has been affected by domestic violence, regardless of how long ago the violence occurred, even if it is prior to the current employment.
Other recent articles
15 October 2026
Timing restructures & Christmas party H&S
Planning a structure change before the summer break? While change is often inevitable, consider the timing of the process and whether it could be delayed until after the holiday period. Running a consultation over this time may affect employees' ability to relax, switch off, and enjoy a well-deserved break. A consultation should be meaningful, not rushed. If change cannot wait, communicate clearly, allow realistic time for feedback, and ensure appropriate support is available throughout any closure period. Before any change processes, please reach out to the HealthyPractice team – we have practical tools, templates and advice to help guide you through the process.
16 September 2026
Christmas Closedown Periods
Now is a good time to start planning for the end of year festive season. If your practice normally closes each year, this is considered an annual closedown under the Holidays Act. Your employment agreements should include a clause outlining your obligations, including: - The required notice period for closedown - How annual leave entitlements are applied - What happens if an employee has insufficient or no annual leave available
13 August 2026
21 years of HealthyPractice!
A lot has changed since the early days and HealthyPractice has transformed along the way to keep supporting practices in ways that are useful, practical and easy to work with. What has not changed is the heart of the service. It is still going strong. Most importantly, we would like to thank our Subscribers. Your support, feedback and trust over the past 21 years have helped shape HealthyPractice into what it is today, and we are so grateful to have been part of your journey while you have been part of ours.
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