News
Government Improving Protections for Consumers and Workers when businesses fail
On Monday 4 November 2019, Minister Kris Faafoi released a statement announcing changes that will favourably affect consumers and workers of failed businesses. Changes to insolvency law announced by the Government on 4 November will include requirements to honour up to 50 per cent of the value of gift cards or vouchers held by consumers. "When a business is insolvent, these consumers ...
Investment Income - what's changing in April 2020
From 1 April 2020, Inland Revenue is making changes that will affect investment income payers and recipients. Investment income includes interest, dividends, PIE income, taxable Maori authority distributions and royalties paid to non-residents. For payers this means More frequent reporting of investment income becomes mandatory and must be done electronically. Investment income returns will generally be due by the 20th of the ...
Your guide to working Multiple Jobs
From claiming expenses to paying tax and ACC levies, here’s what you need to know if you’re a freelancer or contractor working in temporary jobs. Are you a gig worker? Gig workers are part of a flexible and on-demand workforce who do multiple short-term jobs (gigs), and can be anyone from part-timers looking to make extra money from a second or side ...
What New Zealanders don’t know about cancer
Annually, an estimated 750-900 people die from work-related health issues in New Zealand. Approximately 250 deaths are work-related lung cancers, 90 deaths are from asbestos-related mesothelioma, and 25 breast cancer deaths can be linked to the ill effects of shift work. A recent study by The Lancet Oncology highlights concerns around the standard of diagnosis and treatment being offered in New ...
Get ready for upcoming Privacy Law changes
Changes to the Privacy Act are coming. If you collect, store or use personal information about your employees and/or customers, here’s what you need to do. What you need to know When: The Privacy Bill is making its way through Parliament and will most likely become law before the end of 2019. What: Privacy changes include the following: Businesses will need to report serious ...
Watch Christopher Luxon speaking on Sustainability etc
Work Safe Chief Executive Nicole Rosie recently caught up with Christopher Luxon, Air New Zealand’s Chief Executive, to talk about leading a large business, the importance of sustainability and how to look after, and get the most out of, your people. Head over to Worksafe website to watch the video now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi3qS-JWrxw#action=share Source: www.worksafe.govt.nz ...
Calling time on cheques
Earlier this month, you may have seen our announcement that Inland Revenue will be moving away from cheques as we become increasingly digital in the way we work. From 1 March 2020, we will no longer be accepting cheques, including post-dated cheques (dated after 1 March 2020) from customers who are able to use alternative payment options. With cheque usage declining ...
Protect your business from this common cyber scam
It’s easy to fall for and can go unnoticed. But if you know what to look for and put these four security measures in place, you’ll be in a good position to keep you and your business safe. The scamLast year, CERT NZ received a report from a small business that was receiving emails from an attacker pretending to be a ...
Company fined $500,000 after elderly man’s death
More than two years after an elderly man died after falling from a mobility scooter on a damaged footpath one of the companies responsible for his health and safety has been fined $500,000. WorkSafe Chief Investigator Hayden Mander said after the sentencing in the Manukau District Court today that the company had obstructed the WorkSafe investigation, and didn’t turn up at ...
Use-of-money interest (UOMI) rate change
From 29 August 2019 the UOMI rates on underpayments and overpayments of tax changed. The new rates are: underpayment rate: 8.35% (previously 8.22%) overpayment rate: 0.81% (previously 1.02%) Source: www.ird.govt.nz ...