Leading employment lawyer reveals the most pressing issues for NZ employers going into 2022
HRD speaks to Kathryn McKinney, employment partner at Anthony Harper who is speaking at HRD’s employment law masterclass, New Zealand to be held in Auckland on 22 March 2022.
Kathryn McKinney has seen a rise in the number of complaints of sexual harassment and misconduct that employers are dealing with in the past 24 months, which she attributes to the knock-on effects of the “Me Too” movement - and cases being publicised in New Zealand’s media.
“I think victims of sexual harassment or bullying have found a voice, and are more willing to make complaints,” she told HRD. “Perhaps it's because people feel it's more important to raise it, so that it’s not repeated in their workplace.
“There’s an expectation that this type of conduct should be dealt with and that employees should be safe and protected and be able to work without having to deal with the negative impacts of it.”
As well as seeing a rise in the number of complaints of sexual harassment and misconduct that employers are dealing with in the last 24 months, McKinney has also seen an increase in cases where an employee is charged or found guilty of sexual assault outside the workplace and are seeking legal advice on whether it’s grounds for dismissal.
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