HOLIDAYS ACT CHANGES WILL REMOVE PAIN POINTS

BUSINESSES WILL welcome any changes to the Holiday Act that make it easier to administer says payroll provider MYOB.

The Government is establishing a tripartite taskforce to recommend changes to the Holidays Act, noting the labour market has changed considerably since the legislation’s introduction in 2003.

“Businesses have been tearing their hair out trying to comply with the Holidays Act. Owners will be hoping the taskforce’s proposals take the pain out of administering leave entitlements,” says MYOB general manager Carolyn Luey.

“There have been several high-profile examples of both big and small employers being caught out by the Act’s complexity. Business owners will be looking for changes that make it easier to determine exactly what an employee is owed.” “Reforming the Act to make it easier to administer will be good for everyone. It’ll make payroll time less stressful for business owners and mean employees less likely to miss out on entitlements.” MYOB’s Business Monitor survey of SMB owners found 68 percent support reforming the Act to simplify how leave entitlements are calculated, while almost one-in-five (18 percent) say calculating and tracking leave entitlements and balances is a key pain point for their business. “Technology can take the stress out of administering payroll, if the legislation is easy to interpret and implement. We need a Holidays Act that reflects modern ways of working for New Zealand businesses and employees,” says Luey.