26 November - Auckland (Eden Park) and LIVESTREAM

27 November - Christchurch (Christchurch Town Hall)

Get up to speed on the latest employment legislation, compliance and case law at the annual Thomson Reuters' Employment Law & Policy Conference

Delivered in Auckland and Christchurch, this one-day conference will address the most topical employment law issues affecting both HR practitioners and lawyers.

Expect a day of lively discussion and the valuable opportunity to network with your peers and arm yourself with the knowledge you need for a productive 2026.

A livestream option is available on 26 November if you are unable to attend in person.

We look forward to welcoming you to the conference.

Agenda

8.30AM Registration and coffee

9.00AM Welcome and opening remarks

India Townsend, Senior Associate, Simpson Grierson

9.10AM

Beyond the hype: Legal and practical risks of AI in the workplace

This session will explore how AI is being used in the workplace and the legal and practical implications of new technologies, including biometrics and generative AI.

Rosemary Wooders, Partner, Bell Gully (Akl/Chc) and Olivia Faulds, Associate, Bell Gully (Akl)

 9.50AM

Unpacking the reform agenda

It has been a busy 12 months in employment law. This session discusses the key legal and regulatory changes and looks at what's on the horizon.

Daniel Erickson, Partner, Tompkins Wake

10.40AM Morning break

11.00AM

Illness in the workplace - long term and short term

Employers are becoming increasingly aware that length of time is only one factor when determining whether it is justified to terminate an employee for long term injury or illness. However, for many employers it is actually easier to manage the situation when an employee is going to be away for a period of time as opposed to managing high levels of genuine sick leave. This session will cover termination for medical incapacity, managing absenteeism and steps to be taken when you believe an employee's sick leave is not genuine.

Fiona McMillan, Partner, Lane Neave

11.40AM

Restructuring and redundancy

Vonda Engels, Partner, Chapman Tripp

12.20PM Lunch

1.00PM

Psychosocial harm and where to from here

• Health and safety refresher - what are employers', directors' and senior leaders' obligations.
• Update on psychosocial harm in light of the new 'Managing psychosocial risks at work guidelines', published by WorkSafe this year.
• How to take a proactive approach in light of psychosocial harm arising in Australia, including recent case law.
• Uptick in personal grievances for failure to provide a psychosocial safe workplace and how best to respond to these. 

India Townsend, Senior Associate, Simpson Grierson

1.40PM

Privacy and employment - rules, boundaries, and guidelines

This session will discuss key policies and practices organisations should consider implementing to ensure compliance with their privacy obligations; and emerging issues such as DEI data, workplace surveillance, and AI.

June Hardacre, Partner, MinterEllisonRuddWatts

2.20PM Afternoon break

2.40PM

Evolving role of Tikanga in employment law

This session will explore how Tikanga is currently applied in the employment law context and what the future might hold with consideration to performance, investigations and disputes.

Mark Lawlor, Partner, Duncan Cotterill (Akl)

Madeleine Hawkesby, Partner, Duncan Cotterill (Chc)

3.20PM

Post-employment obligations and protection of proprietary interests

Disputes over restraints of trade continue to feature prominently with recent cases testing the limits of enforceability and showing employers' continued needs to protect their interests from former employees. This session will examine recent case law, consider the types of interests capable of protection, highlight practical issues in drafting and enforcing restraints.

Hannah King, Partner, Kiely Thompson Caisley

4.00PM Final remarks from the chair and conference close

India Townsend, Senior Associate, Simpson Grierson