No Win No Fee is not Free

If we accept your case on a no win no fee basis, and if we are successful in winning you a financial outcome there will be fees payable, either by your employer or by yourself as a percentage of the settlement.

If you lose you will not have to pay a fee. Because we don’t get paid for our time and efforts if we don’t win we don’t take on a case if we don’t think it will be successful.

All our Employment Advocates are Employment Law specialists. Some have Law Degrees and some come from an HR background.  All are experts in Employment Law.

An Employment Advocate is like an Employment Lawyer.

We are legal and human resources experts who know employment law like the back of our hands.

We can defend you in your workplace and all the way to the employment court if necessary.

Employment Advocates either hold law degrees or HR qualifications.  Our Advocates are ALL specialists in Employment Law.  We are fully equipped to help with any Employment Relationship Problem you are facing.

No we are not funded  

We are careful what cases we do which is why we give a free consultation over the phone as our first point of contact.  We carefully consider the facts before we agree to take your case on a no win no fee basis.  Sometimes we need to charge an hourly rate but we always let you know straight away whether it is no-win-no-fee or hourly rate so there won’t be any surprises.  Most of the time we can get your employer to contribute to your costs, and what we can’t get your employer to cover we take as a percentage of what we win for you. More details on our fees page.

A lot of behaviour by our boss or colleagues may feel like bullying.  A lot of this “bullying” could also be described as unpleasant behaviour, this can cause a lot of stress and even anxiety but it might not be bullying.

Bullying is:

• Repeated
• Unreasonable, including: humiliating, intimidating or threatening a person
• Harassment, discrimination or violence

Bullying is not:

• Occasional rudeness or one off incidents of unreasonable behaviour
• High performance standards
• Constructive feedback or advice
• Requests for extra work to be done\Warning or disciplining workers according to the code of conduct
• An argument or difference of opinion (as long as it doesn’t become aggressive)

You should find out if there are any workplace policies or processes for reporting bullying and follow these. There may be specific and trained people in your workplace who know how to deal with these issues in a sensitive way.

If there is no set process or procedure you should do the following:

Make a note every time something happens. Notes should record dates and times, and what was said or done, who was there, and how it made you feel.

You will then need to make your employer aware of the situation
Ideally you would raise the issue in writing.

Who do I raise it with?
It depends on who is bullying you. If it is another employee, you should first raise the matter with your manager or supervisor, or the next level of management if the offender is your manager.

If the person who is bullying you is the Owner of the company, or the manager and there is nobody else to tell you can call us on 0800NOWINNOFEE and we will advise you or assist you.

After receiving your complaint the business should:

• Support you and the person you have complained about
• Decide on a plan for investigation, including possibly suspending the person who is being investigated
• Give guidance on how to continue to work with the person
• Report back to you about the steps that have been taken

Sadly this is what sometimes happens.  You have done the right thing by reporting the issues because that makes it easier for us to help you.  Give us a call as soon as possible and tell us what’s happening and we will try to help.

You can be assured that No Win No Fee Lawyers or Advocates will be putting in the work to ensure your case is successful because if you are not successful, they will not be paid for any of the time spent on your case.

The team at Work Law have an excellent reputation in the employment law community, along with a genuine interest in helping their clients get a fair outcome.

No, No Win No Fee is not a con.  Some employment lawyers speak badly of employment law advocates.  As in most industries, some employment advocates are cowboys and opportunists. Some are unprofessional and can harm your case by being too arrogant or aggressive.  It is important to shop around, read reviews and look for recommendations.  We are in direct competition with employment lawyers.  Employment lawyers want you to use them because they charge an hourly rate, which can really add up. Employment lawyers say it’s unethical to charge a percentage of a settlement. A New Zealand employment lawyer who holds a current practising certificate is prohibited from charging a percentage.  As with employment lawyers, our Advocates are qualified to practise employment law, many holding law degrees and HR qualifications. Wherever possible, we have your employer contribute to the costs. More often than not, we get our entire fees paid by your employer, so we don’t take a percentage of your win at all.

1. Contact Us When you email us you will receive a confirmation email. Reply to that email with a full timeline of events, and attach any letters you have received from your employer.  If you have been unfairly dismissed we can help you.
2. If you have just been fired or dismissed and you have no secured future income there are a few steps that you should take immediately to reduce your stress both financially and emotionally. If you have no money in the bank, ring the bank and stop all automatic payments, if there is no money in the bank you could incur fees.
3. Contact the people that these payments go to and explain your situation.
4. Contact your landlord and explain your situation.
5. Book an appointment with your doctor if you are extremely distressed or have any symptoms such as; Difficulty sleeping, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, etc. Please get a letter from your doctor explaining what you have visited him for, this will be added to your case file and will become part of your stress and distress claim.
6. Contact Work and Income NZ, the sooner you register for unemployment benefits, the sooner you will be eligible for payment. If we achieve compensation for unfair dismissal we will usually settle under a tax-free and tax-exempt section of the act, this will not, in this case, have any effect on your benefit.
7. Cancel any unnecessary luxuries that will get you further into debt.
8. Keep any evidence of attempts to look for work, loss of earnings can only be claimed (Unless you are unwell) if you have been actively looking for work.
9. Contact friends or family for support to help get you through.
10. Exercise even if you don’t feel like it, you will feel better and exercise will help you think more clearly.

Employment Lawyers usually charge an hourly rate, so they get paid whether they are successful or not. You can be sure Employment Advocates who offer their services as no win no fee will be putting in the work to ensure your case is a success because their fee only gets paid if they are successful.

No Win No Fee literally means if we don’t win you don’t pay a fee. When you have lost your job or are faced with the prospect of losing your job because of a situation that has arisen with your employer it’s the least likely time you will be able to afford a lawyer.

If there are occasions that we will charge you an hourly rate we will let you know.  For example, If we need to attend your disciplinary meeting if you are wanting to save your job we do charge a meeting fee of $300+gst per hour.

No Win No Fee is not Free

If we accept your case on a no win no fee basis, and if we are successful in winning you a financial outcome there will be fees payable, either by your employer or by yourself as a percentage of the settlement.

If you lose you will not have to pay a fee. Because we don’t get paid for our time and efforts if we don’t win we don’t take on a case if we don’t think it will be successful.

A personal grievance is when an employee brings a formal complaint against their current or former employer.  An employee has 90 days to raise a personal grievance.
To raise a personal grievance after the 90 days there would need to be exceptional circumstances.

Employees can bring a personal grievance for the following complaints:

• Unjustifiable dismissal (unless the dismissal took place while the employee was on a valid 90 day trial period)
• Discrimination
• Sexual harassment
• Age discrimination
• Racial harassment
• Constructive Dismissal or Forced Resignation
• Bullying where the employee has raised the issue and not received a response or adequate action
• Restructuring causing redundancy without correct process
• Disadvantage to an employee due to the employment agreement not meeting legal requirements for:
  • agreed hours of work
  • availability provisions
  • reasonable notice periods to be given before cancellation of a shift
  • reasonable compensation to be paid if a shift is cancelled
  • secondary employment provisions.
• Unfair treatment of an employee who has lawfully refused work
• Where an employer forces or persuades an employee not to perform a function, exercise a power or undertake a role under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
• Where an employer compels a shop employee to work on Easter Sunday or treats a shop employee adversely because they refuse to work on Easter Sunday.

If possible you should first discuss the problem with your employer.  Your employer should be aware there is an issue and be given an opportunity to fix it.  You should communicate the issue in writing and ask for a response within a set time frame, eg 3 days.

You should clearly describe the issues and the events that have led to the problem.  You should provide details and names and dates of who was present when there was a problem.  Email the letter to your employer and keep a copy.

If the employer is unwilling or unable to resolve the issue you can request a mediation. It’s helpful to seek legal advice from an employment lawyer or employment advocate at this stage.

There are big differences between a trial period and a probationary period.  The most important difference is that an employee cannot be dismissed for no reason when on a probation period.

Yes. Previously, 90-day trial periods only applied to employers with fewer than 20 employees. This provision has been extended and is available to all employers.

Any employer can provide a new employee with an offer of employment which includes a trial period. A trial period must be agreed to by the employer and employee in writing, and in good faith, before the employee starts work, as part of an employment agreement. see: trial period.

No, you cannot extend a trial period beyond what was stated in your employment contract.

Yes if your trial is for 90 days weekend days are counted as part of the 90 days.

If your trial is for 90 days you can find out your end date using this calculator:

A 90 day trial period is a clause an employer may put in your employment contract which, when used correctly, enables the employer to take on a new employee on a trial basis for a period of 90 days.  If, for any reason, the employment relationship does not work out within the first 90 days the employer may end the employment relationship without the risk of the employee raising a personal grievance.

Watch our simple explainer video on ‘What is a 90 Day Trial’

There should be a clause in your employment agreement which states how much notice you will be given if you are dismissed during your trial. In general this means that if the employer wants you to leave straight away (rather than working through your notice period), then they must pay you for the notice period.

The notice period for your trial period can be different from the notice period once you are finished the trial period, as long as the notice period for the trial is specified in the employment agreement. If the notice is not specified for the trial then your employer should adhere to the notice period in the employment contract.

If you are confused about your notice period, or have been dismissed on the spot without any notice you can call us free to find out if there is a case for unfair dismissal.

If the 90 day trial clause is not used correctly, an employer may be shocked to find out that the employee can still raise a personal grievance or claim unfair dismissal despite the 90 day trial clause being present in the employment contract.

A trial period can be less than 90 days
We refer to the 90 day trial clause, but the number of days can be less than 90 days, and the exact number of days must be specified on the employment agreement.

The 90 day trial clause may be invalid if:

• You were not informed in writing that your employment contract contained a 90 day trial period before you started work. Or if you signed the employment agreement after you had already started work (even by a few hours)
• You have previously worked for the employer
• You were not advised that you had the right to seek independent legal advice or given time to seek advice before signing the contract

The clause didn’t include the correct wording of the Employment Relations Act 2000 Section 67A :

67A When employment agreement may contain a provision for a trial period for 90 days or less

Every employment agreement requires that the parties give each other notice to end the relationship.

The notice you give should be the same as the notice that your employer would have to give you according to the trial period clause in your agreement. As the employee you also should act in good faith.  If you are unhappy in your new job we would encourage you to have a conversation with your employer.  If you leave without giving the notice period that is set out in your employment agreement the employer may deduct wages in lieu of notice. In the event that the employer suffers a financial loss as a result of you failing to give notice the employer may take action in the Employment Relations Authority to recover those losses and to seek a penalty.    If you find yourself in the position of wanting to leave and are unable or unwilling to give notice you should seek legal advice from an employment lawyer or advocate.   It’s free to call us to discuss your situation with us.

An exit package is when both the employer and employee come to a mutual agreement for the employment agreement to come to an end quickly and without a lot of delay or expense.

Typically, an exit package will contain some type of financial benefit for the employee, sometimes including a reference.

We can assist with ensuring the process is dealt with on a professional level and the agreed terms will be recorded in a record of settlement.

The cost of an exit package will depend on the length of time it takes to reach the final decision between employee and employer.

We can usually get your fees paid for by the employer, this is part of the negotiation process.

To be made redundant from your job position means that your position is no longer needed in the company. Redundancy is a type of dismissal. This may be due to a company re-structure or shifts in the economy or job industry.

Throughout the redundancy process as an employee, you are entitled to seek legal advice, negotiate and provide feedback to the employer.

It is important that you have read and fully understood your employment agreement. Your notice period will be outlined in this agreement along with information regarding final pays. Generally, an employee will be paid our their annual leave once the redundancy has been finalised.

Your employer must notify you in writing that your position may be up for redundancy. You should be supplied with a letter/notice of redundancy that asks you to attend a meeting with your employer.

The employer must explain the situation to you and give you adequate time to process the news, seek legal advice and provide feedback. Feedback can be where the employee offers a reduction in hours, pay or other factors of your role. Although this may not save your job, it is a good chance to negotiate your redundancy in the case these offers change anything on the employers’ end.

Once you (the employee) has had the opportunity to provide feedback and seek legal advice the decision now sits with the employer. You will receive confirmation of your redundancy and you will start working out your notice period (check your employment agreement).

1. Contact Us When you email us you will receive a confirmation email. Reply to that email with a full timeline of events, and attach any letters you have received from your employer.  If you have been unfairly dismissed we can help you.
2. If you have just been fired or dismissed and you have no secured future income there are a few steps that you should take immediately to reduce your stress both financially and emotionally. If you have no money in the bank, ring the bank and stop all automatic payments, if there is no money in the bank you could incur fees.
3. Contact the people that these payments go to and explain your situation.
4. Contact your landlord and explain your situation.
5. Book an appointment with your doctor if you are extremely distressed or have any symptoms such as; Difficulty sleeping, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, etc. Please get a letter from your doctor explaining what you have visited him for, this will be added to your case file and will become part of your stress and distress claim.
6. Contact Work and Income NZ, the sooner you register for unemployment benefits, the sooner you will be eligible for payment. If we achieve compensation for unfair dismissal we will usually settle under a tax-free and tax-exempt section of the act, this will not, in this case, have any effect on your benefit.
7. Cancel any unnecessary luxuries that will get you further into debt.
8. Keep any evidence of attempts to look for work, loss of earnings can only be claimed (Unless you are unwell) if you have been actively looking for work.
9. Contact friends or family for support to help get you through.
10. Exercise even if you don’t feel like it, you will feel better and exercise will help you think more clearly.

It is important that you seek legal advice if you believe that you have been fired or unfairly dismissed. You have up to 90 calendar days to act on the situation including raising a personal grievance. You must take these steps as soon as you have been notified that you are being fired or dismissed.

You must read and fully understand your employment agreement. Being aware of your rights is the first key step in knowing what you can and cannot do about being fired or dismissed from your position.

Read more information about how we can help with unfair dismissal here: https://nowinnofee.co.nz/unfair-dismissal/

Unjustified dismissal, or unfair dismissal is when an employee is dismissed from their job in a harsh, unjust or unreasonable manner.

A disciplinary meeting is an opportunity for you to explain your version of the events that have led to an investigation of misconduct at work.  There should be a good reason for a disciplinary meeting and the process of the disciplinary action should follow what is outlined in your employment agreement or your workplace’s policies.

Before the meeting, your employer should give you a letter explaining what the disciplinary meeting is for. If the outcome of the disciplinary meeting could be that you lose your job it should say that in the letter. You should have time to find an employment lawyer or employment advocate to get legal advice, and you should be aware that you can bring a support person. At the meeting, you will be given an opportunity to explain your side of the story. Your support person, employment lawyer or employment advocate can speak on your behalf.  You will be able to provide evidence to support your side of the story.  Your employer should carefully consider your responses before making any decision. The outcome should not be pre-decided. Click here for more info on what to expect at a disciplinary meeting.

A disciplinary meeting or hearing is your opportunity to put your side of the story forward.  You should be told before the meeting what the problem your employer wishes to discuss is. It’s a good idea to prepare your responses in writing. You can ask your support person to speak for you. If you have any questions about what you are accused of doing you can ask them. You can ask to see the evidence or witness statements. You can provide your own evidence or witness statements to show your side of the story. Remain polite and calm.

The law protects you from discrimination in the workplace.

Do you think you are experiencing workplace discrimination? We can help you on the following grounds;

• colour
• race
• ethnic or national origins
• sex (including pregnancy or childbirth)
• marital or family status
• age
• disability
• religious or ethical belief
• political opinion
• employment status
• sexual orientation
• involvement in union activities, which includes claiming or helping others to claim a benefit under an employment agreement, or taking or intending to take employment relations education leave.

These grounds are the same as the grounds in the Human Rights Act. In some circumstances, different treatment of employees on these grounds is acceptable.

If you believe your employer is discriminating against you on one or more of the prohibited grounds listed above – it is important to seek assistance at an early stage. Our company can provide representation to ensure that your rights are upheld.

You cannot legally be dismissed for refusing to work under unsafe working conditions. We suggest raising the concern with your employer in writing if you feel the conditions are unsafe for work. If you are being disciplined, punished or dismissed for refusing to work in unsafe conditions or for raising an issue with your employer you can contact us for advice.

If you have concerns for your own safety or the safety of others we urge you to contact WorkSafe New Zealand.

1. Contact Us When you email us you will receive a confirmation email. Reply to that email with a full timeline of events, and attach any letters you have received from your employer.  If you have been unfairly dismissed we can help you.
2. If you have just been fired or dismissed and you have no secured future income there are a few steps that you should take immediately to reduce your stress both financially and emotionally. If you have no money in the bank, ring the bank and stop all automatic payments, if there is no money in the bank you could incur fees.
3. Contact the people that these payments go to and explain your situation.
4. Contact your landlord and explain your situation.
5. Book an appointment with your doctor if you are extremely distressed or have any symptoms such as; Difficulty sleeping, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, etc. Please get a letter from your doctor explaining what you have visited him for, this will be added to your case file and will become part of your stress and distress claim.
6. Contact Work and Income NZ, the sooner you register for unemployment benefits, the sooner you will be eligible for payment. If we achieve compensation for unfair dismissal we will usually settle under a tax-free and tax-exempt section of the act, this will not, in this case, have any effect on your benefit.
7. Cancel any unnecessary luxuries that will get you further into debt.
8. Keep any evidence of attempts to look for work, loss of earnings can only be claimed (Unless you are unwell) if you have been actively looking for work.
9. Contact friends or family for support to help get you through.
10. Exercise even if you don’t feel like it, you will feel better and exercise will help you think more clearly.