New Zealand takes a different approach to working time than most developed economies. The law sets a floor and leaves significant flexibility for employers and employees to negotiate the rest.

No statutory maximum hours

The Employment Relations Act 2000 sets no maximum weekly hours for adult employees. That absence is not an oversight. The Act requires only that hours be "reasonable" given the nature of the role and the compensation. A salaried manager working 50 hours per week may be fine under the Act. A warehouse worker on minimum wage working the same hours probably is not. Courts and the Employment Relations Authority assess reasonableness on a case-by-case basis.

No statutory overtime premium

New Zealand law sets no minimum overtime rate. The rate an employee receives for overtime hours comes from their individual employment agreement or a collective agreement. Most agreements in hospitality, retail, and manufacturing specify time-and-a-half for overtime hours - but that is a contract term, not a legal requirement.

If an employment agreement is silent on overtime, the employer and employee must negotiate terms in good faith.

Rest and meal breaks

The Breaks, Holidays and Minimum Wages Act specifies mandatory break entitlements:

  • Shifts of 2 to 4 hours: one 10-minute paid rest break
  • Shifts of 4 to 8 hours: two 10-minute paid rest breaks plus one 30-minute meal break (unpaid)
  • Shifts over 8 hours: additional breaks at the same proportional rate

These breaks are non-negotiable. An employment agreement cannot waive them.

Public holidays

Employees who work on a public holiday receive time-and-a-half for the hours worked, plus an "alternative holiday" - a full paid day off to be taken later. New Zealand has 12 public holidays per year. Waitangi Day (6 February) and ANZAC Day (25 April) shift to the following Monday when they fall on a weekend.

Annual leave

After 12 months of employment, each employee earns 4 weeks of annual leave. Leave accrues from the first day of employment but is not accessible until the 12-month mark. At that point, the full 4 weeks becomes available at once.

Parental leave

The primary carer - birth parent or adoptive parent - receives up to 26 weeks of paid parental leave funded by the government (paid at 100% of salary up to a weekly cap). Partners receive up to 2 weeks. Employment agreements can extend these minimums.

Record-keeping and enforcement

The Employment Relations Act requires written employment agreements for every employee and requires employers to retain time and wage records for 6 years. The Labour Inspectorate has powers to audit, access records, and issue improvement notices. Failure to maintain records or pay correct entitlements carries fines. The Inspectorate also publishes the names of non-compliant employers.

Rezano stores time records with full entry history, exportable in formats suitable for Labour Inspectorate review.