Author: Rani Amaranathan

Rani Amaranathan is a Partner at Rice Craig Barristers and Solicitors. Her principal areas of practice are employment law and civil litigation, including employment agreements, disciplinary procedures, personal grievances, restraints of trade, MBIE mediations, Employment Relations Authority and Employment Court proceedings, workplace investigations, and civil matters including debt recovery, injunctions, and estate and trust disputes. Rani holds the Association of Workplace Investigators Training Institute Certificate and appears regularly in the District Court, High Court, and Court of Appeal. She has served the South Auckland community from the firm's Papakura office for over 15 years.

Changes to New Zealand’s Employment Law: What You Need to Know

Last Verified: 9 July, 2026 | Author: Rani Amaranathan, Partner, Rice Craig Barristers and Solicitors This page covers changes to employment law under the Employment Relations Amendment Act 2026. For an overview of Rice Craig’s full employment law services, visit our Employment Law Hub. When did the Employment Relations Amendment Act 2026 come into force? […]

Managing New Zealand Employment Obligations During a Crisis

Last Verified: 7 July, 2026 | Author: Rani Amaranathan, Partner, Rice Craig Barristers and Solicitors This page covers employer obligations during emergencies and crises under New Zealand employment law. For an overview of Rice Craig’s full employment law services, visit our Employment Law Hub. New Zealand businesses often face disruptions from emergencies such as fuel […]

Rice Craig welcomes Rani Amaranathan as new Partner

Rice Craig is pleased to announce Rani Amaranathan has become a partner of the firm from 1 January 2025. Rani has been at Rice Craig for 15 years and specialises in employment law, civil litigation and workplace investigations. “Being appointed as a partner at Rice Craig is a tremendous honour,” says Rani Amaranathan. “I am […]

Rights and Obligations when the Employment Relationship Ends

RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS AFTER TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT: CURRENT ISSUES “Breaking up is hard to do”. This can apply to all relationships, including the employment relationship. We commonly see disputes arise about “who gets what” when the employment relationship ends. Below are some recent issues our clients have faced after termination of employment. We find these […]

End to Working from Home

Back to the office for good or is working from home a new normal? During the pandemic many employees worked from home. Now that it is safer to return to the workplace, with a highly vaccinated population and the end of New Zealand’s COVID-19 Protection Framework (traffic light system), some employers are strongly encouraging staff […]

Employment Law Changes in 2021

New changes to workplace relations aiming to improve legislation around pay equity, sick leave entitlements and the minimum wage has been enacted. The main changes that both employers and employees should be aware of are: Minimum Wage Increase The minimum wage has increased from $18.90 to $20 per hour effective 1 April 2021. Sick Leave […]

Employers Obligations at Alert Level 3 – Coronavirus – COVID-19

From Tuesday 28 April the country is at Alert Level 3. This means that where it is possible to work from home, employees must do so. But where businesses have employees who cannot work from home, some businesses can begin operating, provided they meet certain criteria and introduce suitable health and safety measures. Businesses still […]

Work and Pay for Employees During Lockdown – Coronavirus – COVID-19

The New Zealand government moved the country to Covid-19 Alert Level 4. That meant all non-essential businesses were required to close. New Zealand is now in lockdown. Non-essential businesses may need to explore options for work and pay for their employees during their closure. For businesses falling outside the essential services criteria, we provide general […]