{"id":53494,"date":"2025-11-27T07:48:07","date_gmt":"2025-11-27T07:48:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/?p=53494"},"modified":"2025-12-08T07:54:46","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T07:54:46","slug":"guide-to-leave-without-pay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/blog\/guide-to-leave-without-pay\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding leave without pay in New Zealand"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull blog-template-header has-neutral-100-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--16)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div style=\"--bb--crumb-gap:.4em;\" class=\"blog-template-breadcrumb wp-block-employmentherocom2025-breadcrumb-block\"><nav role=\"navigation\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"breadcrumb\"><ol class=\"breadcrumb-items\"><li class=\"breadcrumb-item breadcrumb-item--current breadcrumb-item--home\"><span class=\"breadcrumb-item-name\">Home<\/span><\/li><\/ol><\/nav><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"item\":{\"name\":\"Home\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/employmenthero.com\\\/nz\\\/\"}}]}<\/script><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group blog-template-tags-row is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--9)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group blog-template-tags is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--2);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--2)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-ghost is-style-ghost--1\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-btn-black-background-color has-background wp-element-button has-icon__eye\"><span class=\"wp-block-button__link-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"> <g clip-path=\"url(#clip0_5893_17419)\"> <path d=\"M19.8727 9.55732C19.7127 9.30315 15.8927 3.33398 10.0002 3.33398C4.10771 3.33398 0.287713 9.30315 0.127713 9.55732C0.0442677 9.69013 0 9.8438 0 10.0007C0 10.1575 0.0442677 10.3112 0.127713 10.444C0.287713 10.6982 4.10771 16.6673 10.0002 16.6673C15.8927 16.6673 19.7127 10.6982 19.8727 10.444C19.9562 10.3112 20.0004 10.1575 20.0004 10.0007C20.0004 9.8438 19.9562 9.69013 19.8727 9.55732ZM10.0002 15.0007C5.88605 15.0007 2.80271 11.299 1.84855 10.0007C3.12342 8.22835 4.79779 6.78123 6.73605 5.77648C6.15544 6.50283 5.83739 7.40411 5.83355 8.33398C5.83355 9.43905 6.27253 10.4989 7.05394 11.2803C7.83534 12.0617 8.89514 12.5007 10.0002 12.5007C11.1053 12.5007 12.1651 12.0617 12.9465 11.2803C13.7279 10.4989 14.1669 9.43905 14.1669 8.33398C14.1629 7.40674 13.8468 6.50785 13.2694 5.78232C15.2033 6.78886 16.8752 8.23337 18.1519 10.0007C17.201 11.3015 14.1277 15.0007 10.0002 15.0007Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/> <\/g> <defs> <clipPath id=\"clip0_5893_17419\"> <rect width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"white\"\/> <\/clipPath> <\/defs> <\/svg><\/span>Blog<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group blog-template-social-desktop is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-3 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--2);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--2)\"><div \n    class=\"eh-social-sharing-button wp-block-employmentherocom2025-eh-social-sharing-button\" data-icon=\"facebook\" data-social-type=\"facebook\">\n    <span style=\"display: flex;\">\n        <svg class=\"icon\" width=\"24px\" height=\"24px\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"> <title>Group<\/title> <path d=\"M14.4446 6.47609H11.4173V4.40033C11.4173 3.62078 11.9115 3.43904 12.2596 3.43904C12.6068 3.43904 14.3958 3.43904 14.3958 3.43904V0.0120058L11.4537 0C8.18772 0 7.44447 2.55599 7.44447 4.19168V6.47609H5.55566V10.0075H7.44447C7.44447 14.5394 7.44447 20 7.44447 20H11.4173C11.4173 20 11.4173 14.4856 11.4173 10.0075H14.0981L14.4446 6.47609Z\"><\/path><\/svg> \n    <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n\n<div \n    class=\"eh-social-sharing-button wp-block-employmentherocom2025-eh-social-sharing-button\" data-icon=\"twitter\" data-social-type=\"twitter\">\n    <span style=\"display: flex;\">\n        <svg class=\"icon\" width=\"17\" height=\"18\" viewBox=\"0 0 17 18\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"> <g clip-path=\"url(#clip0_2187_1527)\"> <path d=\"M6.88269 10.3821L0.554058 18H2.05374L7.54889 11.3855L11.9379 18H17L10.363 7.99774L17 0.00924304H15.5002L9.69721 6.99436L5.06215 0.00924304H-5.51343e-07L6.88306 10.3821H6.88269ZM8.93683 7.90961L9.60929 8.90561L14.9598 16.8309H12.6563L8.33833 10.4349L7.66587 9.43894L2.05303 1.12518H4.35659L8.93683 7.90923V7.90961Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path> <\/g> <defs> <clipPath id=\"clip0_2187_1527\"> <rect width=\"17\" height=\"18\" fill=\"white\" transform=\"matrix(-1 0 0 -1 17 18)\"><\/rect> <\/clipPath> <\/defs> <\/svg> \n    <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n\n<div \n    class=\"eh-social-sharing-button wp-block-employmentherocom2025-eh-social-sharing-button\" data-icon=\"linkedin\" data-social-type=\"linkedin\">\n    <span style=\"display: flex;\">\n        <svg class=\"icon\" width=\"17px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 17 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"> <title>Shape<\/title> <g id=\"Symbols\" stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"> <g id=\"Icons\/Social\" transform=\"translate(-74.000000, -2.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\" fill-rule=\"nonzero\"> <path d=\"M74.2155762,7.20409322 L77.8588786,7.20409322 L77.8588786,18 L74.2155762,18 L74.2155762,7.20409322 Z M76.0616143,2 C74.8146643,2 74,2.80609002 74,3.86411056 C74,4.90036967 74.7908238,5.72989508 76.0139333,5.72989508 L76.0371667,5.72989508 C77.3079571,5.72989508 78.0993476,4.90032981 78.0993476,3.86411056 C78.0755071,2.80609002 77.3079976,2 76.0616143,2 Z M86.8041976,6.95048874 C84.8702857,6.95048874 84.0038929,7.99790755 83.5205667,8.73245583 L83.5205667,7.20409322 L79.8761714,7.20409322 C79.924419,8.21687707 79.8761714,18 79.8761714,18 L83.5205667,18 L83.5205667,11.9708054 C83.5205667,11.6478911 83.5444071,11.3261725 83.6402952,11.0948476 C83.9041595,10.4502147 84.5037738,9.78266458 85.5095667,9.78266458 C86.8291714,9.78266458 87.3561714,10.773129 87.3561714,12.2237722 L87.3561714,18 L91,18 L91,11.8093881 C91,8.49339883 89.2027762,6.95048874 86.8041976,6.95048874 Z\" id=\"Shape\"><\/path> <\/g> <\/g> <\/svg> \n    <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n\n<div \n    class=\"eh-social-sharing-button wp-block-employmentherocom2025-eh-social-sharing-button\" data-icon=\"link\" data-social-type=\"copy\">\n    <span style=\"display: flex;\">\n        <svg class=\"icon\" width=\"18px\" height=\"19px\" viewBox=\"0 0 18 19\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"> <title>Group 7<\/title> <defs> <polygon id=\"path-1\" points=\"0 0 11.3597146 0 11.3597146 13.250495 0 13.250495\"><\/polygon> <polygon id=\"path-3\" points=\"0 0 11.4438464 0 11.4438464 13.237235 0 13.237235\"><\/polygon> <\/defs> <g id=\"Symbols\" stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"> <g id=\"Icons\/Social\" transform=\"translate(-115.000000, 0.000000)\"> <g id=\"Group-7\" transform=\"translate(115.000000, 0.000000)\"> <g id=\"Group-3\" transform=\"translate(6.640285, 0.000000)\"> <mask id=\"mask-2\" fill=\"white\"> <use xlink:href=\"#path-1\"><\/use> <\/mask> <g id=\"Clip-2\"><\/g> <path d=\"M9.6365839,1.06427739 L9.6365839,1.06407143 C7.63313006,-0.581342526 4.71799441,-0.287025772 3.06469376,1.72767436 L1.68152847,3.42787366 C1.2637913,3.94153775 1.3305731,4.70585509 1.8305341,5.13486964 C2.33069565,5.56409016 3.0749216,5.4955055 3.49265877,4.98184141 L4.8760246,3.28143615 C5.71089731,2.25863908 7.1949372,2.1243532 8.19104884,2.98176443 C8.20769415,2.99597567 8.22413891,3.01059882 8.24038313,3.02522198 C9.18174573,3.92361924 9.26838157,5.42383144 8.43691815,6.43015171 L5.5610895,9.96627791 L5.53461744,9.99634806 C5.38079871,10.1792405 5.20090901,10.3370058 5.00076417,10.4640831 C4.04676718,11.0718709 2.80719278,10.901748 2.04211006,10.0579301 C1.59709864,9.56877523 0.850065046,9.54303024 0.374169553,10.0002613 C-0.100522665,10.4562566 -0.127195273,11.2205739 0.315008503,11.7099348 C1.3991598,12.9045024 2.99670869,13.4575049 4.56377459,13.1800768 C4.80503134,13.1364133 5.04287882,13.0742134 5.27470991,12.9934771 C6.09434113,12.7094584 6.82152068,12.1980598 7.37542854,11.5155086 L10.2440375,7.98947441 C11.0680808,6.96832503 11.4617524,5.65182909 11.3372134,4.33183184 C11.2235039,3.05137889 10.6100339,1.87267016 9.6365839,1.06427739\" id=\"Fill-1\" fill=\"#000000\" mask=\"url(#mask-2)\"><\/path> <\/g> <g id=\"Group-6\" transform=\"translate(0.000000, 5.762765)\"> <mask id=\"mask-4\" fill=\"white\"> <use xlink:href=\"#path-3\"><\/use> <\/mask> <g id=\"Clip-5\"><\/g> <path d=\"M7.78481199,8.39527139 L6.54864687,9.91484383 C5.73222439,10.9339336 4.27946967,11.1129128 3.25127068,10.3214088 C2.2300908,9.49612727 2.05361038,7.97696676 2.85719793,6.92821874 C2.87083505,6.91050619 2.88447217,6.89299959 2.89851039,6.87569896 L5.82387388,3.27984437 L5.84553284,3.25492322 C5.99915102,3.07203079 6.17924127,2.91447144 6.37938611,2.78739415 C7.23972815,2.23645131 8.34754387,2.31595185 9.12506044,2.98449782 C9.2157072,3.06235067 9.30073868,3.14700021 9.37915214,3.23782854 C9.60657122,3.50207514 9.93486491,3.6513961 10.2784001,3.64665902 C10.6175233,3.64171598 10.9377951,3.48498047 11.155588,3.21764447 L11.1696262,3.20034383 C11.5426416,2.74620216 11.5342187,2.07930388 11.1497722,1.63546021 C9.42768425,-0.367088286 6.45118155,-0.55698335 4.50107292,1.21159465 C4.32298813,1.37306725 4.15713665,1.54813319 4.00472174,1.73555674 L1.08738009,5.32173121 C-0.548874157,7.35084854 -0.312430505,10.3492133 1.62043117,12.0813364 C2.56821124,12.921447 3.80678291,13.3317192 5.05377751,13.2188532 C5.20097822,13.2064956 5.34697566,13.1875473 5.49176982,13.1613904 C6.61362375,12.9593437 7.63039162,12.3585585 8.36398864,11.4636626 L9.59594229,9.94923914 C10.0136795,9.43578101 9.94709821,8.67146367 9.44693666,8.24224316 C8.94677511,7.81302264 8.20254916,7.8816073 7.78481199,8.39527139\" id=\"Fill-4\" fill=\"#000000\" mask=\"url(#mask-4)\"><\/path> <\/g> <\/g> <\/g> <\/g> <\/svg> \n    <\/span>\n            <span class=\"eh-social-sharing-button__copied_text\">\n            URL copied for sharing!        <\/span>\n    <\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-5 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><h1 class=\"blog-template-title wp-block-post-title\">Understanding leave without pay in New Zealand<\/h1><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-query wp-block-hosts-query has-global-padding is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-query-is-layout-1 wp-block-query-is-layout-constrained\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group blog-template-meta-row is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-employmentherocom2025-custom-post-date has-sm-font-size\">\n    <span>Last Updated<\/span>&nbsp;<time datetime=\"2025-12-08T07:54:46+00:00\">Dec 8, 2025<\/time>\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-sm-font-size\" style=\"border-left-color:var(--wp--preset--color--neutral-700);border-left-width:1px;padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--2)\"><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull blog-image-container has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large blog-template-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"676\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/11\/Salary-sacrifice-NZ-employers-guide-1024x676.webp\" alt=\"Salary sacrifice NZ employers guide\" class=\"wp-image-53492\" srcset=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/11\/Salary-sacrifice-NZ-employers-guide-1024x676.webp 1024w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/11\/Salary-sacrifice-NZ-employers-guide-300x198.webp 300w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/11\/Salary-sacrifice-NZ-employers-guide-768x507.webp 768w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/11\/Salary-sacrifice-NZ-employers-guide-576x380.webp 576w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/11\/Salary-sacrifice-NZ-employers-guide-440x290.webp 440w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/11\/Salary-sacrifice-NZ-employers-guide.webp 1152w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:66px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:30%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group sticky-side-panel is-vertical is-content-justification-stretch is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-11 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex wp-container-2 is-position-sticky\">\n<p class=\"has-lg-font-size\" style=\"border-bottom-color:var(--wp--preset--color--neutral-200);border-bottom-width:0.1rem;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--4);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--4)\"><strong>Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"content-single-table-content\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:70%\">\n<div id=\"content-wrapper\" class=\"wp-block-group content-wrapper has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--4)\">\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Leave without pay (LWOP) is a critical flexibility tool for your staff but it&#8217;s not a formal entitlement. We\u2019ve put together a guide to understanding leave without pay, including why an employee might want to take it, how you can track leave without pay requests and tips for ensuring compliance around the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is leave without pay?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.employment.govt.nz\/leave-and-holidays\/other-types-of-leave\/leave-without-pay\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Employment NZ<\/a>, leave without pay is \u201ctime an employee can spend off work without being paid.\u201d Rather than being provided as an entitlement, it is instead an agreement between yourself as the employer, and your employee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Employment NZ adds, \u201cTypically, the employee will return to the same position with the same terms and conditions unless the employee and employer agree otherwise. Leave without pay can affect annual holidays payment and entitlement in some situations.\u201d We&#8217;ll dive deeper into how LWOP can affect annual holiday entitlements later in this guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why might an employee want to take unpaid leave?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">There are a range of reasons why your employees may want to take unpaid leave. Some reasons include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">They\u2019re travelling for an extended period of time but don\u2019t have enough annual leave<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">They need to attend to personal responsibilities&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">They\u2019re looking to complete studies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">They\u2019re sick or injured but don\u2019t have enough sick leave to cover the entire period<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">They\u2019re taking care of health-related matters for a loved one, but can\u2019t take parental leave or negotiated carer leave<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">It is important to note that employees cannot take unpaid leave without your agreement \u2013 this is considered unauthorised leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why should employers offer unpaid leave?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Offering unpaid leave can help boost your employer brand and attract top talent. There are a few benefits to offering unpaid leave, including keeping valued staff around, as they don\u2019t need to resign in order to take extended leave. It also gives your employees more flexibility and can support staff wellbeing, as they know they have options if issues arise.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How does unpaid leave affect annual leave entitlements?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Unpaid leave <a href=\"https:\/\/www.employment.govt.nz\/leave-and-holidays\/other-types-of-leave\/leave-without-pay\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">affects an employee\u2019s anniversary date<\/a> if they take <strong>more than one week<\/strong> of leave without pay. Their anniversary date affects when they receive their annual leave entitlements each year.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Their anniversary date might shift forward. For example, if they take three weeks of leave without pay, their anniversary date for receiving their annual holiday entitlements would then shift forward by two weeks.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Alternatively, if you agree to not shift their anniversary date, then the divisor for their Average Weekly Earnings will be reduced. For example, if someone takes four weeks of leave without pay, their average weekly earnings would then be calculated by dividing their gross earnings over the last 12 months by 49 weeks (reduced by 3 weeks from the standard 52 weeks).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">AWE is used when determining annual holiday pay, as employees are paid the greater of their ordinary weekly pay (OWP) or their AWE. For more information on calculating leave pay, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.employment.govt.nz\/leave-and-holidays\/other-types-of-leave\/leave-without-pay\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">check out our factsheet.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is the process for agreeing to unpaid leave?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">If you\u2019re offering unpaid leave, then there are a few steps you could take when handling a request, to ensure everything is checked and documented. These include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Creating a pathway for unpaid leave requests through either manual submission or your <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/solutions\/leave-management-software\/\">leave management software<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Reviewing your business needs to determine whether to accept or reject the request<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">If you\u2019re agreeing, documenting your agreement with the employee, including details around length, date they go on leave and date they\u2019re returning from leave<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Having a robust unpaid leave request process in place can make it easier to stay compliant in cases of disputes or audits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do I have to offer unpaid leave?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">As an employer, you don\u2019t have to offer unpaid leave. Unpaid leave depends on mutual agreement and is entirely at your discretion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do I have to agree to unpaid leave requests?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">While you may choose to offer unpaid leave, that does not mean you have to agree to every unpaid leave request. If there is a genuine business need for an employee to work through, then you can decline their unpaid leave request.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are employees entitled to during LWOP?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">As the name states, employees are not typically entitled to pay during leave without pay. However, they may be entitled to public holiday pay, if a public holiday falls within their LWOP and they\u2019re taking unpaid leave because they\u2019ve run out of sick, bereavement or family violence leave.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">As an employer, you may also opt to continue making KiwiSaver contributions on behalf of your employee (for example, if they\u2019re on unpaid parental leave). However, this is not mandatory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How LWOP interacts with other types of leave<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Employees might not always take leave without pay exclusively. Instead, they may use LWOP to add onto paid leave that they\u2019ve already accrued to give themselves extra time. Here\u2019s how each type of leave can interact with LWOP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">LWOP and sick leave<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">An employee may have an extended injury or illness that requires more time off than they\u2019ve accrued. To help their recovery, they may take LWOP after using up their sick leave entitlement, until they\u2019re ready to return to work. It\u2019s also worth noting that this is when it\u2019s most likely that an employee may receive public holiday pay, as highlighted in the example above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-heading-3-l-font-size\">LWOP and parental leave<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">There are four types of parental leave in New Zealand:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\"><strong>Primary carer leave:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.employment.govt.nz\/leave-and-holidays\/parental-leave\/types-of-parental-leave\/primary-carer-leave\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Eligible employees<\/a> can take up to 26 weeks leave if they are they primary carer of a newborn, or adopting a child under six<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\"><strong>Partner\u2019s leave: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.employment.govt.nz\/leave-and-holidays\/parental-leave\/types-of-parental-leave\/partners-leave\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Eligible employees<\/a> can take one or two weeks unpaid leave to support their spouse or partner who\u2019s just given birth, or their spouse or partner is adopting a child under six<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\"><strong>Extended leave:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.employment.govt.nz\/leave-and-holidays\/parental-leave\/types-of-parental-leave\/extended-leave\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Eligible employees<\/a> can take up to a year off, unpaid, to spend with their child. Employees can start their extended leave:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">at any time after their primary carer leave ends<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">at any time after their partner\u2019s leave ends<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">on any date agreed with you. This allows them to return to work after their primary carer leave ends, and then take their extended leave later.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\"><strong>Negotiated carer leave<\/strong>: Employees can negotiate with you to take unpaid leave if they <a href=\"https:\/\/www.employment.govt.nz\/leave-and-holidays\/parental-leave\/types-of-parental-leave\/negotiated-carer-leave\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">don\u2019t qualify<\/a> for primary carer leave<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Typically, employees will look to take their LWOP as extended leave directly after their primary carer leave ends. However, this leave may be paid, depending on your employment agreements and what you choose to offer as an employer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">LWOP and family violence or bereavement leave<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Employees may transition to LWOP if they need time off beyond the 10 days they\u2019re entitled each year for family violence leave. The same goes for additional leave beyond the bereavement leave they\u2019re entitled to, based on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.employment.govt.nz\/leave-and-holidays\/bereavement-leave\/managing-bereavement-leave#scroll-to-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bereavement they\u2019ve experienced<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are the main compliance rules around leave without pay?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">There are a couple of compliance guidelines that Employment New Zealand advises when it comes to leave without pay. Firstly, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.employment.govt.nz\/starting-employment\/rights-and-responsibilities\/record-keeping\">record-keeping is important<\/a>.<strong> <\/strong>It\u2019s recommended to put the employee\u2019s agreement to take leave without pay in writing. This way, if you get audited, you can easily produce proof of your agreement with the employee around their leave without pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Public holiday calculations should also be taken into consideration. While employees on unpaid leave don\u2019t typically get paid for public holidays, if they\u2019re on unpaid leave because they\u2019ve run out of sick, bereavement or family violence leave, they may be entitled to public holiday leave in specific circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">The employee <a href=\"https:\/\/www.employment.govt.nz\/leave-and-holidays\/other-types-of-leave\/leave-without-pay\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">is also entitled to<\/a> public holiday pay if, during their first week of their unpaid sick, bereavement or family violence leave without pay, a public holiday falls on a day the employee would otherwise have worked that day.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">For example, take an employee that works Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays part-time each week. If they take a week of unpaid leave, and during that week, there\u2019s a public holiday on Wednesday, then they may be entitled to public holiday pay for that day. However, if they\u2019re taking more than one week, then following that first week they won\u2019t receive any public holiday pay, regardless of if they would have otherwise worked that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are the risks of mishandling leave without pay?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">It\u2019s important to be consistent when handling leave without pay. You should be aware of your legal obligations but also ensure that any approach to this type of leave is applied uniformly across the team.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">If you don\u2019t do this, then there are a few potential consequences. These include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/personal-grievance-and-unjustified-dismissal-claims\/\">Employee grievances<\/a>, especially in instances where the employee feels leave without pay was not the right course of action<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">ERA claims, if the employee believed they are owed wages as a result of leave without pay<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Payroll audits, if authorities believe you are executing leave without pay agreements incorrectly<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Discontent in your team, as employees may not agree with your leave without pay rulings<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can leave management software help?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Leave management software, like <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/solutions\/leave-management-software\/\">91爆料<\/a>, can help you better manage leave without pay requests. Employees can easily submit their own leave requests through the 91爆料 Work app. And, with accurate tracking and less manual data entry, our software can help you reduce the risk of compliance errors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Ready to discover how the right leave management software can transform the way you track leave requests? <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/request-a-demo\/\">Book a demo today<\/a> and see how you could save time each week!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-2 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\" data-trigger-modal=\"request-a-demo-modal\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/request-a-demo\/\">Learn more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-non-decoration has-neutral-500-color has-text-color has-link-color has-sm-font-size wp-elements-041965ea4c0c463d70e3ed64cae40092\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--6)\">The information in this article is current as at 30 October 2025, and has been prepared by 91爆料 Pty Ltd (ABN 11 160 047 709) and its related bodies corporate (91爆料). The views expressed in this article are general information only, are provided in good faith to assist employers and their employees, and should not be relied on as professional advice. Some information is based on data supplied by third parties. While such data is believed to be accurate, it has not been independently verified and no warranties are given that it is complete, accurate, up to date or fit for the purpose for which it is required. 91爆料 does not accept responsibility for any inaccuracy in such data and is not liable for any loss or damages arising directly or indirectly as a result of reliance on, use of or inability to use any information provided in this article. You should undertake your own research and seek professional advice before making any decisions or relying on the information in this article.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-13 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related Resources<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-link-arrow is-style-link-arrow--3\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-btn-brand-background-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"\/resources\/?topic%5B0%5D%5B0%5D=Product\">View all<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-query blog-3-col-query-loop is-layout-flow wp-block-query-is-layout-flow\"><ul class=\"columns-3 alignfull wp-block-post-template is-layout-grid wp-container-core-post-template-is-layout-1 wp-block-post-template-is-layout-grid\"><li class=\"wp-block-post post-57097 resources type-resources status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry resource-type-guides-and-playbooks\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-border-color has-neutral-100-border-color has-white-background-color has-background is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-16 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"border-width:1px;min-height:100%\"><figure style=\"aspect-ratio:auto; padding-bottom:0;padding-top:0;margin-bottom:0;\" class=\"wp-block-post-featured-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/executive-faq-new-technology-leadership-questions\/\" target=\"_self\"  ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/exec-faqs-thumbnail-NZ.webp\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"How to secure executive sign-off on new people technology\" style=\"width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:fill;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/exec-faqs-thumbnail-NZ.webp 1600w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/exec-faqs-thumbnail-NZ-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/exec-faqs-thumbnail-NZ-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/exec-faqs-thumbnail-NZ-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/exec-faqs-thumbnail-NZ-1536x864.webp 1536w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/exec-faqs-thumbnail-NZ-440x248.webp 440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-15 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-14 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\" class=\"taxonomy-resource-type eh-resource-type wp-block-post-terms\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-post-terms-icon\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" alt=\"icon-blog\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/04\/Blog.png\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/guides-and-playbooks\/\" rel=\"tag\">Guides and Playbooks<\/a><\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/executive-faq-new-technology-leadership-questions\/\" target=\"_self\" >How to secure executive sign-off on new people technology<\/a><\/h3>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt has-text-color has-contrast-2-color has-small-font-size wp-container-content-2\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt__excerpt\">Get clear, confident answers to leadership\u2019s toughest questions about bringing in new technology. Address risk, strategy, cost, and workforce decisions. <\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<a style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600;\" class=\"wp-elements-9dfcbcb7662772ecb2d671e8976a6c51 wp-block-read-more has-text-color has-violet-500-color\" href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/executive-faq-new-technology-leadership-questions\/\" target=\"_self\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: How to secure executive sign-off on new people technology<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/executive-faq-new-technology-leadership-questions\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"group-block-link\"><\/a>\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-57080 resources type-resources status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry resource-type-templates\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-border-color has-neutral-100-border-color has-white-background-color has-background is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-19 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"border-width:1px;min-height:100%\"><figure style=\"aspect-ratio:auto; padding-bottom:0;padding-top:0;margin-bottom:0;\" class=\"wp-block-post-featured-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/ai-policy-template\/\" target=\"_self\"  ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/ai-policy-thumbnail.webp\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"AI policy template and guide\" style=\"width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:fill;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/ai-policy-thumbnail.webp 1600w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/ai-policy-thumbnail-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/ai-policy-thumbnail-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/ai-policy-thumbnail-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/ai-policy-thumbnail-1536x864.webp 1536w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/ai-policy-thumbnail-440x248.webp 440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-18 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-17 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\" class=\"taxonomy-resource-type eh-resource-type wp-block-post-terms\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-post-terms-icon\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" alt=\"icon-blog\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/04\/Blog.png\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/templates\/\" rel=\"tag\">Templates<\/a><\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/ai-policy-template\/\" target=\"_self\" >AI policy template and guide<\/a><\/h3>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt has-text-color has-contrast-2-color has-small-font-size wp-container-content-4\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt__excerpt\">Discover the essential components of an AI policy template to ensure effective governance. Download the template. <\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<a style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600;\" class=\"wp-elements-9dfcbcb7662772ecb2d671e8976a6c51 wp-block-read-more has-text-color has-violet-500-color\" href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/ai-policy-template\/\" target=\"_self\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: AI policy template and guide<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/ai-policy-template\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"group-block-link\"><\/a>\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-57047 resources type-resources status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry resource-type-guides-and-playbooks\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-border-color has-neutral-100-border-color has-white-background-color has-background is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-22 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"border-width:1px;min-height:100%\"><figure style=\"aspect-ratio:auto; padding-bottom:0;padding-top:0;margin-bottom:0;\" class=\"wp-block-post-featured-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/ai-policy-guide\/\" target=\"_self\"  ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/NZ-thumbnail-ai-policy.webp\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"Building a corporate AI policy that actually works\" style=\"width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:fill;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/NZ-thumbnail-ai-policy.webp 1600w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/NZ-thumbnail-ai-policy-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/NZ-thumbnail-ai-policy-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/NZ-thumbnail-ai-policy-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/NZ-thumbnail-ai-policy-1536x864.webp 1536w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/NZ-thumbnail-ai-policy-440x248.webp 440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-21 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-20 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\" class=\"taxonomy-resource-type eh-resource-type wp-block-post-terms\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-post-terms-icon\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" alt=\"icon-blog\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/04\/Blog.png\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/guides-and-playbooks\/\" rel=\"tag\">Guides and Playbooks<\/a><\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/ai-policy-guide\/\" target=\"_self\" >Building a corporate AI policy that actually works<\/a><\/h3>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt has-text-color has-contrast-2-color has-small-font-size wp-container-content-6\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt__excerpt\">Most corporate AI policies fail in practice. Learn what actually makes an AI policy work in real organisations, and how&hellip; <\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<a style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600;\" class=\"wp-elements-9dfcbcb7662772ecb2d671e8976a6c51 wp-block-read-more has-text-color has-violet-500-color\" href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/ai-policy-guide\/\" target=\"_self\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: Building a corporate AI policy that actually works<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/ai-policy-guide\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"group-block-link\"><\/a>\n<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Understand leave without pay in NZ. Learn how it affects payroll, annual leave entitlements, compliance rules and employee rights.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":53496,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_lite_auth_enabled":false,"_lite_auth_trigger_method":"scroll","_lite_auth_scroll_percent":25,"_lite_auth_click_element_query":"","exclude_from_algolia":false,"reading_time":"7 min read","display_reading_time":false,"download_content_type":"","download_file":"","download_url":"","download_cta_label":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"resource-type":[150],"topic":[],"industry":[],"audience":[],"business-size":[],"product-tag":[],"funnel-stage":[],"region":[],"pain-point":[],"persona":[],"post_features":[],"class_list":["post-53494","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","resource-type-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53494","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53494"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53494\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":53798,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53494\/revisions\/53798"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53496"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53494"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53494"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53494"},{"taxonomy":"resource-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-type?post=53494"},{"taxonomy":"topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic?post=53494"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=53494"},{"taxonomy":"audience","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/audience?post=53494"},{"taxonomy":"business-size","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/business-size?post=53494"},{"taxonomy":"product-tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product-tag?post=53494"},{"taxonomy":"funnel-stage","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/funnel-stage?post=53494"},{"taxonomy":"region","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/region?post=53494"},{"taxonomy":"pain-point","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pain-point?post=53494"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=53494"},{"taxonomy":"post_features","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_features?post=53494"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}