Protect your people, protect your business, protect yourself - essential employment law training
When you’re running a business or managing people, you wear many hats. And here’s the truth: not knowing the basics of employment law can cost you dearly—in money, in time, and in your reputation. From leave entitlements to restructuring, from flexible working requests to dismissals, even the smallest mistake can put your business at risk. Our essential employment law training course could save you time and money in the long run.
Our virtual classrooms bring the training to you, wherever you are in New Zealand.
Next course: 11 February 2026. Contact us if you’d like to bring the course in-house before then.
Who this training is for
Our essential employment law training is for anyone who hires or manages staff.
This course is specifically designed for small business owners, managers, team leaders, and HR professionals who need a practical understanding of fundamental employment law to effectively manage staff and their business.
Who this training is not for
This employment law training is probably not for you if …
You’re looking for a quick way to remove someone from your organisation.
You want to cut corners by finding ways to get around employment law requirements.
Why understanding employment law matters
Failing to follow procedures set out in employment law can be an expensive mistake.
Navigating employment law can feel like a minefield. From managing leave and flexible working requests to handling dismissals or restructures, a single misstep can lead to serious consequences, including costly legal battles, damage to your reputation, and low staff morale.
Sometimes it’s not a matter of knowing employment law, after all you aren’t an employment lawyer. It’s knowing that there is a procedure that must be followed, knowing the basics, and committing to seeking advice to help manage the details. Knowing what you can do, and knowing what you can’t do, are equally important.
Our training helps you to understand not just what your obligations are under employment law, but also your rights.
What you'll gain from this employment law training
This employment law training will equip you with the essential employment law knowledge you need to:
- Avoid costly mistakes – failing to follow correct processes for dismissals, redundancies, or trial periods can lead to personal grievance claims.
- Build a stronger, more engaged team by handling staff requests with fairness and confidence.
- Create a compliant and ethical workplace that attracts and retains top talent.
- Lead with confidence, knowing you’re making legally sound decisions.
- Build trust and credibility: Leaders who understand employment law make better decisions, treat staff fairly, and build stronger teams.
- Save time and stress: No more second-guessing whether you’ve done the right thing—you’ll know the correct process from the start.
- Future-proof your business: knowing employment law basics is about more than compliance; it’s about creating a fair, safe, and legally sound workplace.
For small business owners and managers, this employment law training is a vital investment. It’s practical leader training that helps you run your business with confidence.
Course delivery and practical info
Delivery options
Training can be delivered as:
- In‑person workshops (in-house)
- Virtual workshops (public offerings)
Practical info
Next date: 11 February 2026
Time: 9.30am to 1.30pm
Cost: $402.50 incl GST
You need: computer, webcam, headphones (if attending in an office) and good wifi connection.
Our approach
At Epic People, our courses are grounded in:
- Helping you to understand what you really need to know, without the fluff.
- Breaking down complex processes into easy steps.
- A supportive environment that builds confidence and capability
Why choose Epic People as your employment law training provider?
After 30+ years working in Human Resources and training across a variety of industries, we’ve guided countless managers and business owners through a myriad of situations that require strict adherence to employment law procedures. We’re experienced in breaking down complex employment law into practical, easily followed steps. You might also be interested in talking to us about working with you on your workplace policies and procedures.
Our workshops are always highly practical. We walk through processes step by step, providing you with what you really need to know, in an easy to understand way.
Course overview - employment law training for managers and business owners
This employment law training is not just about avoiding risk; it's about empowering you to be a proactive and informed business leader.
Our employment law course covers the core areas of employment law that directly impact your day-to-day operations. Each module is practical and focused, giving you the tools to handle real-world situations.
- All types of leave: Master the rules around holidays, sick leave, bereavement, family violence leave, and alternative holidays.
- Public holidays: Understand your obligations and how to correctly handle working on and paying for public holidays.
- Business downturns: Learn the correct procedures for restructures and redundancies to ensure a fair and lawful process.
- Managing dismissals: Follow the right steps to manage dismissals, minimizing risk and ensuring compliance.
- Employment arrangements: Get clear on the differences between fixed-term and casual contracts, and how to lawfully change an employee’s status.
- Flexible working: Navigate requests for flexible work arrangements confidently.
- Discrimination and harassment: An overview of what you need to know to prevent and handle issues of discrimination and harassment in the workplace.
- 90-day trial periods: Learn how to effectively and legally use trial periods.
- Business changes: Understand your obligations when selling a business or contracting out services.
- Whistleblowing: Get an overview of protected disclosures and how to handle them.
Courses that complement this training
Team leader development programme
If you’re working on all of your fundamental management skills, then this course is also helpful. Getting back to basics of managing people, this course will help with your essential skills toolkit.
Advanced communication skills
Working with people and navigating situations where you are guided by employment law requires strong communication skills. Freedom from bias, active listening and questioning are all important when you’re in a situation when you must communicate with absolute clarity.
Managing poor performance
Managing poor performance doesn’t always get you the outcome you want (improved performance). When the process isn’t working, it’s important to check in on your legal obligations, especially if dismissal is a possibility.
Social intelligence training
If you find yourself in a situation where you’re navigating employment law requirements, it means that you’ve potentially got an emotionally-charged situation on your hands.
Social intelligence training builds awareness of how behaviour and interpersonal dynamics impact on high risk conversations.
Course FAQ's
Here are some common questions about employment law training for managers and small business owners.
What is employment law training?
Employment law training is essential training that helps you to understand your rights and obligations as an employer or manager. It helps you to understand that employees have not just rights, but obligations as well. It is not a law course, and it does not qualify you to be an employment lawyer.
What makes this course different from other employment law training courses?
This employment law training focuses on the practical, day-to-day challenges faced by small businesses and managers. We break down complex legal concepts into clear, actionable steps and provide real-world examples to help you apply your knowledge immediately. It’s comprehensive, but not overwhelming.
Why is knowing about employment law so important for managers?
As a manager, you are on the front lines of handling employment issues. Your actions and decisions directly impact your business’s legal and financial risk. Understanding the essentials of employment law allows you to make confident, compliant decisions and create a positive workplace culture.
Is this training suitable for NZ workplaces?
Yes! Our training is designed by us, not purchased from overseas. We know kiwi workplaces and have designed this training with that in mind.
Can this training be customised for our workplace?
Yes it can! We will work with you to understand your organisation’s culture and values, and can build them in to the program.
What post-course support is available?
We’re not just trainers, but we’re HR consultants too! We’re on hand to help with any ongoing support and learning, or to help you though any difficult staff situations. You can bounce ideas off us, role play, or validate the approach you’re planning to take … be prepared to be coached!
Do I need to have any legal knowledge before taking this course?
Not at all. This course is designed for non-lawyers. We use plain language and real examples to make employment law easy to understand and apply.
What happens if I get employment law wrong?
The risks include personal grievance claims, fines from labour inspectors, reputational damage, and loss of employee trust. This employment law training course is about giving you the essential information to protect yourself and your business from those risks.
Is this course relevant if I already have HR support?
Absolutely. Even with HR, managers still make day-to-day decisions that carry legal risk. Understanding the basics will help you lead confidently and know when to escalate issues.
Does this course cover recent updates to employment law?
Yes—we keep our content up to date with the latest legislation and case law, so you’ll always have current knowledge. If you’ve been on this employment law training course, we’ll keep your details on file so that we can alert you when employment law changes and invite you to any future sessions.
If I’ve been on this course, will I still need an employment lawyer?
This course is not a substitute for legal advice. If you are thinking about restructures, dismissals, changes in working conditions, or anything else, we always recommend that you seek advice. We can help you with compliance programs and procedural advice, and will let you know when we think you should speak to a lawyer.
Are you ready to protect your people, your organisation and yourself?
We’re standing by to discuss how we can help you to minimise your risks associated with mistakes in dealing with common workplace situations.
Epic workplaces get their employment compliance right.
Let’s talk about how we can de-risk and de-complicate employment law compliance.
