A deceased person’s will can be challenged for a number of different reasons. In this article, we look briefly at challenges to a will based on the grounds that the will maker did not have testamentary capacity at the time they made their will.
In this article we set out the fundamental aspects of the draft Cannabis Legislation and Control Bill (the Bill) to ensure that you are fully informed to make a decision on the ‘Cannabis’ referendum on 17 October 2020.
In this second article of three, we look at the proposed Strategic Planning Act (SPA). The SPA is the second major piece of legislation that the Resource Management Review Panel (Panel) has recommended should replace the often highly criticised, Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). The SPA would set the long-term strategic goals in resource management and would also focus on regional spatial planning.
The Resource Management Review Panel (Panel) has recommended a statutory framework for resource management in New Zealand which involves the repeal and replacement of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). In the first of a series of three articles, we discuss what can be expected under the primary Act that the Panel proposes should replace RMA, the proposed Natural Built and Environment Act (NBEA).
The Employment Relations (Triangular Employment) Amendment Act 2019 (new law) came into effect on 28 June 2020. This means a third party who has day to day control of an employee’s work, but is not the employer of the employee, could be exposed to a personal grievance claim from the employee.
Workplace investigations previously have been carried out by different persons, in various different capacities. However, a recent case has brought into question the legitimacy and legality of such investigations and who is legally entitled to conduct a workplace investigation. In this article, we set out the recent legal developments in this area and the potential implications that flow from these.
Enduring powers of attorney are an important step in ensuring your personal affairs are in order. Having signed documents in place gives you and your family certainty as to who will look after you and your assets if you cannot. This article discusses the importance of signing enduring powers of attorney and what happens if a person becomes mentally incapable without them.
Getting married or entering into a civil union may have the unintended consequence of revoking a will, while the end of a marriage or civil union may prevent a former spouse or partner from being able to act as an executor of or receive a benefit from a deceased estate. The age at which a person is able to make a will depends upon whether or not the will-maker is or has been married or in a civil union.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant financial and operational consequences for employers and this looks set to continue . Unfortunately, as a result, we also expect to see a continued increase in restructure proposals and redundancies. This article serves as a timely reminder as to what employers must demonstrate before undergoing a restructure or redundancy process.
As COVID 19 spreads in New Zealand, it can be daunting keeping up with information and making decisions quickly about how businesses and workers jobs can be saved. In this update we answer questions that have come across our desks about the impact on employment of New Zealanders in these extraordinary times. Our aim is to keep you informed and to answer your questions about what it means for you.