Employment Law & Policy Conference 2026

17 November (Christchurch) / 18 November (Auckland and LIVESTREAM)

Stay ahead of the changes reshaping employment law in NZ

Employment law moved fast in 2026, but the everyday challenges facing HR practitioners, people managers and legal counsel haven't gone away. Join us at the Employment Law & Policy Conference for a practical, one-day briefing on the legislation, compliance obligations and case law you need to know.

Delivered in Auckland and Christchurch, the conference will cover key issues arising in workplaces right now including the Employment Leave Act 2026, the Employment Relations Amendment Act 2026, workplace investigations, protected disclosures, conduct outside work, and remedies and serious misconduct.

Hear directly from some of New Zealand's leading employment lawyers, join the discussion, and connect with peers facing the same questions. You'll leave with clear, actionable insight to help you head into 2027 with confidence.

Can't make it in person? Join us online via livestream on 18 November.

We look forward to welcoming you to the conference.

(5.5 CPD hours)

08.30 Registration and coffee

09.00 Welcome and opening remarks from the chair

09.10 Getting up to speed: The new employment relations landscape

This session will provide an overview of the Employment Relations Amendment Act 2026 - what's changed, why it matters and implications for employment practice in NZ. It will also cover the developments on these changes since enacted in February 2026.

Fiona McMillan, Partner, Lane Neave 

09.50 Navigating the Employment Leave Act: What you need to know

Big changes are coming to how New Zealand handles leave. The Employment Leave Act 2026 will replace the Holidays Act with a simpler, hours-based system, but employers have until August 2028 before it takes effect. This session unpacks what's changing, what stays the same in the meantime, and how you can start preparing with confidence.

Julia MacGibbon, Senior Associate, Tompkins Wake

10.30 Table talk

10.40 Morning break

11.00 From policy to practice: Managing protected disclosures with confidence

Whistleblower complaints are increasingly being used alongside broader employment disputes, creating complex issues for employers and decision-makers. This session examines the protections and obligations under the Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Act 2022, with a focus on good process, effective investigations, and addressing retaliation concerns.

Jessica Greenheld, Senior Associate, Simpson Grierson

11.40 State of play: Trends and remedies

What trends are appearing in cases before the ERA and the Employment Court? This session will discuss this along with commentary on how the new laws around remedies/serious misconduct are being applied in practice.

Anne Wilson, Partner, Anthony Harper 

12.20 Table talk

12.30 Lunch

1.10 Anywhere, anyhow: managing the diversity of modern working arrangements

Work no longer happens in one place or through one type of relationship, and HR practitioners are being asked to manage everything from return-to-office mandates and long-standing home-office arrangements, to internationally mobile itinerant employees.  Engagements can be with employees, gig workers, independent contractors or through employer of record (EOR) and professional employer organisation (PEO) models.  This session will provide a framework for considering the full range of potential arrangements, and offer practical guidance on minimising the legal risks, including in relation to health and safety obligations, tax and immigration exposure, employment status claims, and flexible working requests.

James Warren, Partner, Dentons

 1.50 Emerging trends and practical challenges with workplace investigations

This session explores the broader trends currently reshaping workplace investigations, touching on shifts in how complaints arise, how evidence is presented, and how employee and employer expectations around process are changing.

Hannah King, Partner, Kiely Thompson Caisley

2.30 Table talk

2.40 Afternoon break

3.00 Off the clock, on the hook: Employee conduct outside work

What can employers actually do when an employee's conduct outside work, on social media, in their personal life, or through a criminal conviction, starts to affect the workplace? This session will explore when private conduct crosses into legitimate employer concern, using the "sufficient connection" test; key ERA and Employment Court decisions shaping this area; and practical guidance for drafting codes of conduct and social media policies.

Marie Wisker, Partner, Chapman Tripp

3.50 Closing remarks from the chair

4.00 Conference close

Anne Wilson, Partner, Anthony Harper

Anne Wilson is a Partner at Anthony Harper and leads the Employment team in Ōtautahi. She joined the firm in 2021 after practising employment law, primarily in private practice, and in-house at Vodafone and the Employers and Manufacturers Association. Anne advises employers on all aspects of the employment relationship, including the people issues that sit alongside the legal ones. Her in-house background informs how she approaches the practical needs of clients.

Fiona McMillan, Partner, Lane Neave

Fiona is the Auckland Partner of the Employment Law team and commenced her career with Lane Neave in 2007. Fiona and her team act for both employees and employers in matters involving employment relations, health and safety, human rights, privacy and ACC. Fiona advises on all aspects of termination including performance management, misconduct, serious misconduct, medical incapacity, restructurings and redundancies and negotiated exits. She also specialises in collective bargaining; human rights commission matters; and independent external investigations. She acted as counsel in the leading case on penalties – Borsboom v PVT Limited and the leading case on union discrimination – Lamont and Others v Ritchies Transport Holdings Limited.

Hannah King, Partner, Kiely Thompson Caisley

Hannah’s practice spans the full range of contentious and advisory employment law issues, including privacy, health and safety and human rights matters arising in the workplace. Hannah frequently represents clients at mediation and in litigation. She has a wealth of experience advising on personal grievance claims, as well as matters relating to the protection of confidential information, restraints of trade, complex entitlements and Holidays Act issues.  Hannah conducts workplace investigations, and regularly provides advice to employers on disciplinary, performance management, restructuring and medical capacity processes and managing bullying, harassment and discrimination issues.

James Warren, Partner, Dentons

James is a partner in Dentons’ employment and workplace health & safety team based in Auckland with extensive experience working in both the UK and New Zealand. James is experienced in supporting organisations with workforce change, employee relations and disputes, and the employment issues arising out of commercial transactions. He advises clients on the full range of employment issues, including restructurings, investigations, dismissals and disciplinary issues, personal grievances, and contractual and collective issues. He also advises on health and safety matters, including representing clients in serious harm investigations. He advises clients in numerous industries with both domestic and international footprints, having a particular interest in the technology, media and finance sectors. He is published widely and is regularly asked to speak at conferences and seminars.

Jessica Greenheld, Senior Associate,

Jess is an accomplished employment lawyer with expertise spanning personal grievances, restructures, privacy and human rights. Jess advises employers on a broad range of workplace issues, including employee performance and conduct, workforce change processes, negotiated exits, restraints of trade, and managing legal risk in the employment relationship. Jess delivers comprehensive legal solutions to clients across various industries. She regularly represents clients at mediations and has appeared in the Employment Relations Authority and Employment Court. Jess also has a keen interest in emerging areas of employment law, such as the right to disconnect and the impact of artificial intelligence in the workplace. Prior to joining Simpson Grierson, Jess worked for specialist employment law teams in Auckland and London.

Julia MacGibbon, Senior Associate, Tompkins Wake

Julia is an experienced litigator, having assisted both local and international clients with all aspects of dispute resolution in both health and safety and employment matters. Julia regularly advises clients on Holidays Act 2003 issues and audits, disciplinary processes, and organisational restructuring. Her experience extends to acting as an independent investigator. 

Marie Wisker, Partner, Chapman Tripp

Marie leads the Chapman Tripp national employment and health and safety team. She advises clients on issues regarding minimum entitlements, restructurings, restraints of trade, employment grievances and disputes, performance and misconduct matters, work-related investigations and protected disclosures and union-related matters (including bargaining). Marie has represented clients in numerous mediations and hearings, has experience in acting for employers on health and safety investigations and prosecutions and works alongside clients to help them understand their obligations under the health and safety regime. Marie also provides front-end advice during due diligence and implementation phases of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions and restructurings.