Sport Volunteer Payments
Clubs utilise a wide range of methods to recognise volunteers and reimburse their expenses. It’s a tricky area and it’s easy to get confused about what is and isn’t legal.

Accountancy and advisory organisation BDO have written a document clarifying the tax obligations your organisation has when making payments to volunteers.

Learn more about sport volunteer payments (sportnz.org.nz)

New health and safety laws come into effect on 1 December 2017
If your workplace uses any hazardous substances such as chemicals, everyone on site will be expected to know what substances they are working with, the risks they pose, and how to manage those risks. You may not need to change a lot if you are already complying with current rules.

WorkSafe NZ has a Hazardous Substances Toolbox to help you increase your compliance with the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act (HSNO) and offers some key health and safety principles from Health and Safety at Work legislation.

Workplace bullying and harassment
Workplace bullying has been in the news lately. WorkSafe NZ defines this as repeated unreasonable behaviour that makes someone feel picked upon, humiliated, threatened, offended or upset. Paid and volunteer workers who feel safe and healthy are happier, more focused, and more productive.
WorkSafe NZ has released this guide for small businesses (including Clubs) on what you can do to prevent and respond to bullying at work.

Download Preventing and Responding to Bullying at Work [PDF, 524KB]

Police Vetting – Updates to Note

Cost Recovery Guide
NZ Police commenced charging for vetting results on 1 July 2017. This new guide outlines the cost recovery scheme for the Police Vetting Service for New Zealand vetting requests. Access the Police Vetting Cost Recovery Guide.

Acceptance criteria
Police Vetting Services have recently tightened up their acceptance criteria in terms of what roles they will process.  Essentially, roles that have inherent interaction with vulnerable people (children, elderly, and an intellectual disability) will be processed by Police.

For roles that do not directly deal with vulnerable people, Police recommend obtaining a Ministry of Justice Conviction Check, which will provide background checks.