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To-do list before your employee starts

Now that you’ve found your new employee and they’ve signed on, you need to make sure you’re set up and ready for them to start.

A few simple steps will smooth their transition and get them working for you quicker.

The Employment Relations Act has changed. This page has been updated with those changes.

Everyone you employ needs a written employment agreement.

You must do it by law, and it’s a great foundation for an employment relationship. Our new Employment Agreement Builder (external link) will help guide you through the steps to create a proper agreement.

Complete all the pre-start paperwork

By the time your new employee is ready to start work, you must have given them an employment agreement. Include a timeframe for them to confirm their acceptance. You can do this in a letter formally offering them the job and send it with the employment agreement. There are different requirements if your workplace has a collective agreement.

Employment agreements (external link) — Employment New Zealand

You must also have:

received back a signed employment agreement
checked they’re entitled to work in New Zealand, eg with the VisaView tool
registered as an employer with Inland Revenue, if it’s your first time employing someone.

VisaView: Check if someone can work in NZ (external link) — Immigration New Zealand

How to register as an employer (external link) — Inland Revenue

You should also:

let your other staff know they’re starting
set aside some time to introduce them
prepare an induction process, covering all the things they need to know
schedule any training they’ll need, eg how to assess risk at work.

Your employee's first day or week

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In association with

To-do list before your employee starts

The Employment Relations Act has changed. This page has been updated with those changes.

Everyone you employ needs a written employment agreement.

Complete all the pre-start paperwork