This On Demand was recorded on 14 November 2022.

As the spotlight on mental wellbeing at work grows brighter, employers must understand their obligations to ensure mental wellbeing under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (“HSWA”). This On Demand will offer valuable insights and practical guidance to lawyers and other professionals advising in this space, on how best to advise clients on mental health and safety obligations in the workplace.

Who should view?

Lawyers advising clients on workplace health and safety and employment matters, in-house lawyers, human resource practitioners, and practice managers.

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the legal framework (including relevant provisions in the Employment Relations Act, HSWA, Human Rights Act and recent amendments to the Protected Disclosures Act) and consider jurisdictional issues.
• Learn what is meant by “psychosocial risks”.
• Recognise the definitions of bullying and harassment from legislation, case law and policy.
• Gain insights into the duties owed to workers under HSWA in relation to their mental health.
• Learn more about psychosocial risks as part of health and safety risk assessments, including practical guidance on how to assess psychosocial risks and helpful insight into how employers are controlling these risks.
• Become aware of relevant case law in this area.
• Benefit from practical insights into how WorkSafe deals with complaints, guidance on conducting psychosocial risk assessments, when WorkSafe will likely intervene, and WorkSafe’s expectations of employers/counsel.

Presenter Details

Presenter

Tim Clarke | Partner, Bell Gully

Presenter

John Rooney | LLB(Hons), Partner, Simpson Grierson

Presenter

Myriam Mitchell | Partner, Copeland Ashcroft Law

Presenter

Dr John Fitzgerald | Manager – Mentally Healthy Work, WorkSafe NZ