Your legal rights as a worker: Where they come from
Overview
Your rights and obligations as an employee come from several different places:
- your agreement – the terms of your employment agreement your contract, which you should have in writing from your employer
- guaranteed minimum rights – legislation that sets out your minimum rights at work around things like pay, hours, and leave (for more on these minimum rights, see: “Employment conditions and protections”).
What does “good faith” mean?
Employment Relations Act 2000, s 4
“Good faith” is a central part of employment law. This means employers, employees and unions must deal with each other openly, honestly and constructively.
The duty of good faith applies when unions and employers are negotiating collective agreements and when existing employees are negotiating new individual agreements. But it also applies to the ongoing relationship between employers, employees and their unions after an agreement is made.
