For Employees

We are a multi award winning employment practice, and we are taken seriously in the New Zealand marketplace.

We have extensive experience in representing employees in personal grievances and disputes. This includes performance management and disciplinary issues, bullying and harassment claims, employment investigations and redundancies.

We are fierce advocates for our clients but also provide balanced and solutions focused advice. We will listen to you to understand what your key drivers are, then guide you towards a practical outcome.

Our team has the depth and scale to ensure that you will get the advice you need, when you need it, at a fair price.

We act for some of New Zealand's largest unions, including the New Zealand Police Association and New Zealand Nurses Organisation.

This work typically involves contract disputes and litigation, when matters have not been resolved directly at the employer - employee level.

Examples of our work include a successful Employment Relations Authority case for a Police employee who was unjustifiably demoted, and a contract interpretation case relating to payment of motor vehicle expenses to employees.

If you are presented with a change proposal that does not feel legitimate, you should seek advice early. Once decisions have been made and implemented, they are often more difficult to unpick.

We can advise you of your rights in restructuring processes, including what information you are entitled to and in relation to redeployment opportunities.

We can also address any concerns you have about payment of redundancy compensation and notice.

Employers are required to follow fair and reasonable processes when performance managing or disciplining staff.

When these processes seem rushed and not supported by adequate information and evidence, employees may become concerned that they are pre determined.

If you have concerns about any such process, you should seek advice at an early stage, and before it is too late to get things back on track.

We will work with you to understand the process that is being followed and whether this is legally fair and reasonable. We will also provide practical advice as to how to engage constructively in the process, whilst preserving your legal rights.

A large number of employment relationship problems are resolved through the mediation process. As an employee, you are entitled to request that your employer attend mediation if you have an employment issue or dispute.

Our lawyers are skilled negotiators and have significant mediation experience. We know how to assist our clients to achieve pragmatic and constructive solutions, ensuring they are well supported throughout the process.

If you turn up with a lawyer from Dundas Street, you will be taken seriously.

Dundas Street has acted in some of the leading cases in New Zealand, right up to the Court of Appeal level.

We are skilled litigators and have a very strong track record in the Employment Relations Authority and Employment Court. We are not afraid to take on major employers and have won cases for employees against the likes of Air New Zealand and MSD.

But we will also give you an honest assessment of the merits of your case, and the costs - both emotional and financial - of litigation.