EMA Legal Webinar: Getting it Right - Employment Agreements and Trial Periods

Join us with EMA Head of Legal Mauro Barsi to get everything you need to bring a new employee on board.

Description

One of the simplest ways to protect your business from a personal grievance is by nailing that first 90 days, from watertight employment agreements to robust trial periods that leave no room for failure.

In May 2025 alone, AdviceLine received 275 calls from EMA Members about employment agreements.

So, let's talk about them. Join us for an expert webinar with EMA Head of Legal Mauro Barsi to get the constructive information you need to seamlessly - and correctly - bring a new employee on board. An employment agreement is more than terms and conditions - it's about setting expectations and preventing misunderstandings.

Using case law examples, Mauro will cover:

  • Clauses and obligations
  • Drug testing and background checks
  • Collectives and the 30-day rule
  • 90-day trial periods and probations
  • Common pitfalls and risks

There will also be plenty of time for live Q&A with Mauro. The ripple effects of a first 90 days gone wrong can be catastrophic for your business, so join us to get an expert legal perspective - and get it right.

Why Hire to Retire?
From the 30,000+ people who receive our monthly HR newsletter, or the hundreds of monthly AdviceLine calls, we know our members lead people, drive workplace culture, and carry the responsibility for policies and procedures. We also know that with 2000+ cases appearing before the ERA annually, and compensation for damages from the Employment Court can range up to $50,000. Getting HR right at every stage of the employee lifecycle is crucial – which is where the Hire to Retire series comes in.

Registering for EMA events:
In our updated system, everyone needs to create a new profile, even if you’ve attended events with us before. This two-minute process means you can register for any EMA events and courses, and access our resource library. Simply, when you click Register for this event, proceed through the “Sign up now” option, then follow the instructions on the page. Any issues? Try out FAQ page: https://learn.ema.co.nz/w/support/ or email events@ema.co.nz or your EMA Membership Manager and we’ll get you sorted.