The issue of holiday pay is a thorny one for the film and television industries. There is a tradition of engaging freelancers, who are not employees of the production company, and having their agreed rates include an element of holiday pay. It is tempting for production companies to continue this practice and provide for ‘rolled … Read more
The Employment Act received Royal Assent on 8 July 2002. The key areas on which it focuses are maternity, paternity and adoption, tribunal reform and dispute resolution. The introduction of statutory disciplinary and grievance procedures was generally considered to be the biggest change in employment practice in the Act. Originally it was thought that these … Read more
The last format rights dispute to go to trial was some 15 years ago, when Hughie Green sued the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation over his huge hit programme, ‘Opportunity Knocks’. Despite the fact that the programme broadcast by the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation was virtually identical to the one created by Hughie Green, he lost … Read more
