Take an Employment Advocate to your mediation
If you have raised a Personal Grievance with your Employer or previous employer (within the 90-day deadline), and you have not received a satisfactory response you can take the grievance to mediation.
What is mediation?
Mediation services are available to Employees as a method of solving employment problems before they go to the Employment Court (the ERA). When needing to identify the issues, resolve disputes and reach an overall outcome a third party called a ‘Mediator’ is available to help.
A successful mediation aims to save time, energy and potential costs & losses. This is a semi-formal, confidential option that allows parties to negotiate and focus on interests, agendas and opportunities to move beyond the issue at hand.
We wouldn’t take you to mediation without first assessing you have a good case and being confident that we can get you your desired outcome.
Why should you take an Employment Law Advocate to mediation?
We are experts in New Zealand Employment Law. We know your rights, we have a lot of experience with these matters, and we know what financial (and other) compensations are appropriate.
Most often the employer will bring an Employment Lawyer or Employment Advocate themselves and if you are representing yourself this can put you at a disadvantage both emotionally and intellectually. You can represent yourself, but knowing your rights and being able to stay calm and open-minded during the process is important.
To ensure the best outcome we recommend you seek representation by someone who has legal experience such as an employment advocate, employment lawyer or even a community leader. Employment Lawyers usually charge by the hour. Because the mediation process can be time-consuming it can be very expensive to hire an Employment Lawyer. Work Law Employment Advocates offer a No Win No Fee option for cases that meet our criteria. It’s free to discuss your case with us for a free and confidential evaluation.
Our Employment Advocates are legal experts, with specialised knowledge of employment law. We can represent you all the way to the Employment Court if necessary. Our fees are much less than it would cost to use an employment lawyer. We will take your case to mediation if we think we can get you a financial outcome. You don’t pay us unless we do.
Our Employment Advocates will:
- help you prepare for mediation,
- gather facts,
- set out the law
- identify the most appropriate solution for the issue,
We attempt to obtain fair compensation based on the facts presented and the ways in which your employer may have breached your rights under NZ Employment Law.
Having an Advocate represent you does not mean that you will not be involved. Keeping involved in the process will be beneficial to voice any concerns you may have, and give the other party a chance to consider what you are saying. This can be one of the most important parts of your mediation.
You are also able to bring along a support person to your mediation should you wish. The role of a support person is to provide you with emotional support throughout the process.
At a successful mediation, both sides get to agree on the outcome.
Unsuccessful Mediation;
Most of the time mediation is successful. But occasionally things take a little longer.
If no agreement is reached the case may be escalated to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA).
Sometimes the ERA Member will direct you back to mediation.
At the ERA the final outcome is decided by the authority member (Judge) and neither party will have a say in the settlement. The danger in taking disputes to the ERA is the chance of loss and that you may be ruled against. In some cases, costs may be awarded against you, if you are seen to be the person that is in the wrong.
See our page on ERA to get further information on this option.
What our clients are saying
I am incredibly grateful for the support and guidance I received from Hilary and the team at Work Law.
I found myself dealing with a very stressful employment situation and felt completely out of my depth. From my first conversation with Hilary, I felt heard, supported, and reassured that I didn’t have to navigate everything on my own. Throughout the process, Hilary was professional, knowledgeable, patient, and always willing to answer my questions. She explained things clearly, kept me informed, and provided support during what was a very difficult period. What impressed me most was the genuine care she showed. I never felt like just another case file. She took the time to understand my situation and worked hard to achieve a fair resolution. I cannot thank Hilary enough for her dedication, expertise, and advocacy. The outcome has allowed me to move forward and focus on the future. I would highly recommend Hilary and Work Law to anyone needing help with an employment matter. Thank you again for everything.
I would highly recommend Sandy to anyone needing an employment advocate
I had a truly positive experience working with Sandy Ward during a very challenging and stressful period, and I am so glad I contacted Work Law before resigning out of exhaustion. From our first conversation, Sandy was calm, compassionate and genuinely took the time to understand my situation. She balanced empathy with professionalism, providing thoughtful, measured advice throughout the process. She made a difficult situation feel manageable and gave me confidence when I needed it most. Sandy’s communication was outstanding—clear, pragmatic and outcome focused. She combines genuine warmth with strong resolve and is clearly an exceptionally skilled & experienced advocate who is not going to be intimidated while negotiating! I felt I had someone firmly in my corner who was both compassionate and highly effective. I would highly recommend Sandy to anyone needing an employment advocate, she combines exceptional expertise with kindness, integrity and genuine care for her clients. Thank you Sandy.
Aston is knowledgeable, professional, and genuinely committed to helping his clients.
I highly recommend Aston for employment law matters.
From the beginning, Aston took the time to understand my situation, provided honest and practical advice, and guided me through a very stressful employment dispute with professionalism and care.
What I appreciated most was his straightforward approach and willingness to explain the process clearly. He worked hard to achieve a fair outcome and was always focused on finding a practical resolution rather than creating unnecessary conflict.
I was particularly grateful for his support during a difficult period and for his efforts in negotiating a settlement that allowed me to move forward positively.
If you are looking for an employment lawyer who is knowledgeable, professional, and genuinely committed to helping his clients, I would not hesitate to recommend Aston.
Thank you again for all your assistance.
I recommend Sandy.
Sandy is amazing! Very fast to respond and does a thorough job, trust her a lot and highly recommend her!
I would highly recommend Hilary and Work Law to anyone needing employment advocacy assistance.
I cannot thank Hilary enough for her support during a very difficult and stressful employment matter.
From the very beginning, Hilary was professional, knowledgeable, approachable, and genuinely cared about achieving the best possible outcome for me. She took the time to explain every step of the process, answered my many questions with patience, and provided reassurance whenever things felt uncertain or overwhelming.
What stood out most was that I never felt like just another client. Hilary was always responsive, supportive, and willing to go the extra mile to help me navigate what was a challenging period in my life.
Thanks to her hard work, dedication, and expertise, my matter was successfully resolved, allowing me to move forward with confidence.
I would highly recommend Hilary and Work Law to anyone needing employment advocacy assistance. If you are looking for someone who is knowledgeable, compassionate, and genuinely committed to helping their clients, you will be in excellent hands.
Thank you again, Hilary.
CONTACT US FOR A FREE CASE EVALUATION
You can trust us to listen
Statistics prove that legal representation for employees by an employment lawyer or employment law advocate improves your chance of a successful outcome.
You have nothing to lose by having a free consultation with an Employment Law Advocate.
You can email us using the form below. When you receive the automated reply to your email please reply and attach any correspondence you have received from your employer.