Work & Employment • Workplace Rights & Employment Guidance

Employment Contracts & Agreements

Employment agreements can feel formal, dense or overwhelming. This page breaks the important parts into manageable pieces so you can understand what you are agreeing to, identify questions and know where to find reliable help.

What Is an Employment Agreement?

An employment agreement is the written document that sets out the terms and conditions agreed between an employer and employee. In New Zealand, every employee must have a written employment agreement.

You do not have to understand the whole agreement in one sitting.

Read it in sections. Highlight unfamiliar words. Write down questions. Ask for clarification and seek independent advice if you want it.

Minimum rights still apply. An employment agreement cannot lawfully take away minimum employment rights simply because a clause has been written down or signed.

Before You Sign

1

Read

Work through the agreement at a pace that works for you.

2

Mark

Highlight anything unclear, unexpected or important.

3

Ask

Request explanations or proposed changes where needed.

4

Get Advice

You may seek independent advice before agreeing.

5

Keep

Keep your own copy of the final agreement.

New Zealand: Employment New Zealand says an employer should provide the intended agreement, give the employee time to read it and get advice, discuss terms they are unhappy with, and make sure the conditions are agreed before work starts.

What Should Be in an Individual Employment Agreement?

New Zealand law requires certain information. Other agreed conditions may also be included.

Who & What

The employer and employee names and a description of the work to be performed.

Where & When

An indication of the place of work and the agreed hours or an indication of the hours to be worked.

Pay

The wage rate or salary and how it will be paid, plus legally required public-holiday payment wording.

Employment Type

Where relevant, fixed-term details and other agreed matters such as trial, probation or availability provisions.

Workplace Change Protection

Relevant employees require an employment-protection provision for certain business sales, transfers or contracting situations.

Resolving Problems

A clear, plain-language explanation of how employment relationship problems can be resolved, including applicable personal-grievance timeframes.

Individual vs Collective Employment Agreements

Individual Agreement

Negotiated between an employer and an individual employee. It applies to that employee and records their agreed terms and conditions.

Collective Agreement

Negotiated between an employer and a registered union and covers union members whose work falls within the agreement's coverage.

Current NZ note: Employment Relations Act changes took effect in February 2026, including removal of the previous 30-day collective-agreement rule. Use current Employment New Zealand guidance when making decisions about individual or collective coverage.

Permanent, Fixed-Term, Casual & Other Arrangements

The label used for a job can affect expectations, but the real working relationship and legal requirements also matter.

Permanent

Employment continues until the employee or employer lawfully ends it. It may be full-time or part-time.

Fixed-Term

Ends at an agreed time or event. In New Zealand there must be a genuine reason, and the agreement must record how and why the employment will end.

Casual

Casual work generally has no guaranteed ongoing pattern of work. If work becomes regular and predictable, the actual relationship may need closer consideration.

Understanding Pay & Hours

Check the Money

  • Hourly wage or salary
  • How and when you will be paid
  • Allowances, bonuses, commission or other agreed payments
  • Any relevant overtime or penal rates
  • Public-holiday provisions

Check the Time

  • Expected number of hours
  • Days of work
  • Start and finish times where agreed
  • Flexibility or availability expectations
  • Break arrangements and scheduling expectations

Leave & Holidays

Some minimum leave rights apply by law even when every detail is not written into the employment agreement. An agreement can also provide terms that are better than the legal minimum.

Coming in this section: our dedicated Leave & Holidays page will explain annual holidays, public holidays, sick leave and related pathways in more detail. Its button will be added here once that page is live.

Trial Periods & Probationary Periods Are Not the Same

Trial Period

A New Zealand trial period can be up to 90 calendar days, has specific legal requirements and can only be used where the employee has not worked for that employer before.

Probationary Period

A probationary period is an agreed period for assessing suitability. Its timeframe must be reasonable, it must be included in the employment agreement, and different dismissal rules apply.

Check current rules before relying on either clause. These provisions have technical legal requirements, so use Employment New Zealand guidance or independent advice for your circumstances.

Job Duties & Expectations

Try to understand what the written terms will mean in everyday working life.

My Role

What work am I expected to do? Are the duties clear enough to understand?

My Working Pattern

Where will I work? When? Is travel expected? Can the schedule change?

How Work Is Managed

Who do I report to? How are instructions, feedback, changes and performance expectations communicated?

Workplace Adjustments, Accessibility & Support

If an agreed adjustment or working arrangement is important to your ability to do the job, consider whether it should be clearly documented rather than relying only on memory or an informal conversation.

Explore Workplace Adjustments Explore Disclosure at Work

Before I Sign — Quick Checklist

  • I know who my employer is.
  • I understand my job and main duties.
  • I understand where I will work.
  • I understand my usual hours or working pattern.
  • I know my wage or salary and how I will be paid.
  • I have checked the employment type and any fixed-term reason.
  • I have noticed any trial or probation clause.
  • I have written down anything I do not understand.
  • I have asked about conditions or support important to me.
  • I will keep my own copy of the final agreement.

Questions You Can Ask

You are allowed to need clarification. You do not have to know the perfect legal wording before asking a question.

“Could you explain what this clause would mean in my day-to-day work?”
“Could I have some time to read the agreement and get advice before I respond?”
“Can you confirm what my usual working hours and days will be?”
“Is this role permanent, fixed-term or casual, and what does that mean in practice?”
“Could we put that agreed arrangement in writing so we both have the same understanding?”

If Something Doesn't Look Right

1

Pause

You do not need to pretend you understand.

2

Mark It

Identify the exact clause or missing information.

3

Ask

Request clarification or a proposed change.

4

Check

Compare it with current official guidance.

5

Get Help

Seek independent advice when the issue matters or remains unclear.

Changing an Employment Agreement

Employment terms can change over time, but changes should not simply be assumed. Important changes should be discussed, agreed where required, and documented in writing.

Keep the paper trail. If your hours, duties, pay, work location or another important condition changes, keep the written variation or correspondence with your employment records.

Keep Your Employment Records

Your Agreement

Keep the final version you agreed to.

Changes

Keep written variations and important emails about changed terms.

Support Arrangements

Keep relevant written agreements about adjustments, flexibility or other important arrangements.

Official New Zealand Guidance

Employment Agreements

Employment New Zealand's main pathway for written employment agreements.

Employment agreements

Negotiating as an Employee

Official guidance about reviewing, discussing and accepting an intended employment agreement.

Negotiating & accepting

Permanent or Fixed-Term

Official information about fixed-term requirements and genuine reasons.

Permanent & fixed-term

This Aspie Answers page is general educational information, not individual legal advice. Employment rules can change, so use current official guidance for decisions about your own agreement.

Employment Contracts Around the World

Employment-contract rules, minimum terms, unions, probation, notice and worker classifications vary between countries and regions.

International pathway banked: during the Work & Employment international audit, this page can be expanded with clearly separated official country and regional employment-law pathways. New Zealand guidance will remain clearly identified as New Zealand guidance rather than being presented as universal law.

Practical Tools & Resources

These are strong candidates for the Work & Employment collection inside the wider Aspie Answers Resources & Downloads Library.

Employment Agreement Checklist

A step-by-step check of the important parts of an agreement.

Before I Sign Worksheet

Record what you understand, what needs clarification and what you want to ask.

Questions About My Agreement

A structured page for clauses, questions, answers and follow-up.

My Job Conditions Summary

Turn a long agreement into a simple personal reference for pay, hours, role, location and key conditions.

Employment Agreement Notes

Keep important explanations and discussions together.

New Job Documents Checklist

Track the agreement and other documents you need to receive, read, return or keep.

Related Workplace Rights Pages

Workplace Adjustments

Explore practical adjustments and accessibility supports that may matter in your working arrangements.

Explore Workplace Adjustments

Disclosure at Work

Think through whether, when and how to share disability, neurodivergence, health or support needs at work.

Explore Disclosure at Work

Read It. Understand It. Ask Questions. Keep a Copy.

An employment agreement should help create a shared understanding of the job. Taking time to read, ask questions and keep good records can make the beginning of employment clearer and more manageable.