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So you’ve got a job…
SavY Girls: Working, working, working - Part One
Hey girls!
So many people, especially around our age, simply don’t know their rights in the workplace and don’t know basic things like what tax code they should be. Now I know this stuff is about as entertaining as watching two snails race in a marathon, but sadly it’s of the utmost importance. Kind of how broccoli and brussels sprouts are my least favourite veggies, yet I know they’re probably the best two for me! So strap yourself in for your dose of financial goodness.
So I’ve got this job ... what next?
Well before we can understand our rights we are going to need to understand what is required of us! You need to know what tax code you belong to, you will need an IRD number, and you will need to sign an employment contract.
Tax tips:
For an easy guide to figure out your tax code go to http://www.ird.govt.nz/how-to/taxrates-codes/workout/ - having the right tax code can save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars over the course of a year!
If you’ve never had an IRD number and need to apply for one, go to http://www.ird.govt.nz/how-to/irdnumbers/ and if you’ve lost your IRD number call 0800 377 774
When signing your employment contract, you can virtually NEVER agree to anything less than the minimum rights set out in NZ law. So if your employer gets you to sign to a wage lower than the minimum wage, or to do work which is dangerous, none of this is binding on you. And if your employer does behave by this illegal contract then they will be breaking the law. This would be like a bank signing a contract with a robber that lets him rob the bank – stealing is still against the law and therefore the robber will still go to jail as he has broken the law regardless of the contract!
Pay me!
It sounds simple enough; you work for a week, and then get given some cash at the end of it for your troubles. But trust me, it’s never quite as black and white as this.
The first thing you need to know is that the minimum wage for people 18+ will be $12.75 as of April the 1st, and $10.20 for 16-17 year olds as of the same date.
Secondly, you need to understand the holiday system in NZ. If a holiday falls on a weekend (let’s say that Queens Birthday fell on a Saturday), getting that day as a holiday depends on whether or not you would usually have worked that Saturday. If you are rostered on to work that Saturday, then the public holiday falls on the Saturday for you. But if you weren’t, then the public holiday will fall for you on the Monday – which could be a bonus if you were working Monday!
So do you have to work on a holiday?
The golden rule is that if you work on the day a statutory holiday is observed, and that day is a normal working day for you, you are entitled to be paid at least your ordinary pay for working that day plus get another whole paid day off as well (this is called ‘a day in lieu’). If you take this day off however, you simply receive your normal pay for that day.
What if I’m just filling in?
If you are a temporary worker filling in for the holiday, you won’t receive the day in lieu, because you wouldn’t have usually worked that day – you are temporary and therefore by definition would not “usually” have worked any days. This is only the case for temps though. Despite the fact that most employers claim that part-time staff do not receive a day in lieu, most legal opinion in NZ says that if you have been working for a few months and have a regular roster then you should get a day in lieu if you work on a public holiday which falls on a day you would usually work (whew! that’s a mouth full!) - just like everyone else!
Check back in a couple of weeks when I’ll be talking about dispute resolution and tax returns in part two. Now go enjoy the sun!
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Who is SavY? SavY was set up by a group of Auckland University Business School students to help young Kiwis like us get a
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