Sunday, March 01, 2009



"Fire at will" starts today

The government's Employment Relations Amendment Act comes into force today. That means that if you start a new job with a small business after today, you can be fired within the first 90 days with no process and no reason. Refuse overtime? You can be fired. Get sick? You can be fired. Complain about workplace discrimination? You can be fired. It's a license for bad bosses to abuse their employees. Which is, in a real sense, what the National Party is all about.

If you have any sort of choice at all, I suggest not working for a small business, and refusing to sign any contract which includes a fire-at-will clause. Unfortunately, many people don't have a choice, and are forced to take whatever one-sided deal they are offered. And for them, this "reform" means uncertainty, stress, and insecurity, while their bosses laugh all the way to the bank.