Fetured

  -By EMA senior policy analyst Michael Burgess Despite the economic predictions, manufacturers have concerns with finding skilled workers, the bewildering speed of technological change, and how to make investment decisions in light of low business confidence.  Internationally and domestically, a number of factors have put the brakes on the New Zealand economy in 2019. Domestically, the feeling is downbeat, with low levels of business confidence appearing relatively deep-seated. A number of key indexes that the EMA monitors continues to highlight that slowdown, with GDP also slowing to just over 2.1 per cent year-on-year. The Performance of Manufacturing Index is at levels not seen since the Global Financial Crisis, with forward orders also at their lowest levels since 2019. The October PMI result raises the prospect of the manufacturing sector’s recent negative results coming to an end in the final quarter of the year. However, most international economic agencies have downgraded their growth forecasts. The latest J P Morgan Global Manufacturing Survey is also in negative territory, with optimism dropping to its lowest level since first tracked in 2012. Despite the economic predictions, manufacturers have concerns with finding skilled workers, the bewildering speed of technological change, and how to make investment decisions in light of low business confidence. The Employment Relations Amendment Act introduced new duties on employers.  Employers with more than 19 staff can no longer use the 90-day trial provisions and must now use probationary periods. The Employment Relations (Triangular Employment Act 2019 will take effect in June 2020. This affects triangular relationships where an employee is employed by an employer, but performs their work for another organization which controls the employer’s day-to-day work. The Holidays Act review is ongoing, any substantive overhaul has been delayed because the government taskforce needs more time to run tests. It is […]