The Holidays (Increasing Sick Leave) Amendment Act 2021 comes into effect tomorrow (24 July 2021) increasing the statutory minimum of 5 day’s sick leave to 10 days per year.   Affected employees will get the additional 5 days when they reach their next leave entitlement date.  Employees who already get 10 days or more sick leave are not affected by this legislative change. 

Under the current FENZ NZPFU collective agreement the following applies:

Part 2 - Firefighters and Officers

• This section is not affected by this legislative change as the entitlement is above the minimum entitlement.

Part 3 - Communicators/Dispatchers and Shift Managers in Comms Centres 

• This section is not affected by this legislative change as the entitlement is above the minimum entitlement.

Part 4 - FRMOs, Senior FRMOs, VSOs, Trainers and Senior Trainers

• Clause 4.8.1 is affected.
• For new employees the entitlement would now be that during their first six months of employment with FENZ they will now be entitled to ten (10) days leave for occasions when they, their spouse and/or dependent(s) is sick or injured. 
• The sick leave entitlement after the completion of six months’ continuous service is not affected by this legislative change.
• All Part 4 employees they will now get 10 days leave per annum for caring for sick or injured dependants, and that leave may be accumulated to a maximum of twenty (20) days per annum. 

The NZPFU has included reference to the legislative changes in bargaining claims, and we are seeking other sick leave enhancements in the current collective agreement negotiations.

In unity,
Wattie Watson
National Secretary