Jackee

My husband has just been handed a standard employment contract for a post in NZ (he's there on interview at the moment) and was surprised to see that the holiday entitlement is just 3 weeks (after something like 7 years it goes up to 4 weeks) for a country that seems pretty keen on exploiting the 'great outdoors' and all that it offers - employees seem to have less time to enjoy it. We' re keen to go for more family time and more opportunities to enjoy the fabulous outdoors and yet we'd be chopping off almost two weeks from what we have here. Does anyone have any experience, advice or info. It's a firm of accountants if that helps ?!

Thanks in anticipation...

Thanks for replying to my first message firing1, I appreciate it. I really hope it all works out for us - I'll keep you posted.

Roger

The nursing contracts are for three weeks increasing to four after seven years. Get up to five extra days for working unsocial hours. About ten public holidays. Loose my week of nights off too which can be handy in a half-asleep way.

Sick pay poor too.

Roger

Jackee

Hmmm... does it make you think twice about it ?

Jackee

Bryher

My husband has a job as a Carpenter - his contract said 3 weeks holiday too.

Bryher

Roger

I must say that it did a little. However can't imagine anything worse than staying here, and I'm sure I can manage five weeks leave in all per year (amalgamate BHs as work them). Sometimes have problems in getting it all in anyway.

Might sacrifice some pay for leave, as lets face it the money isn't that amazing.

Roger

JWW

Tell your husband to negotiate....I got 4 weeks from day 1. Also you get more public holidays over here than in UK.

Anyway, life will be one big holiday when you get here :-)

GetMeOutOfHere

Thinking of Christchurch myself...please give us some info and general rundown of living there from your own experience.

Give us something to smile about after my horrendous 1.5hr commute this morning to work

Jackee

The telephone reports I have received so far have been really positive about Christchurch. The job opportunity is just south of Christchurch towards Timaru on the Canterbury plains. As soon as he returns (he is due back on Sunday) I'll let you know some more. Fingers crossed it will be all go !

Thanks for the replies and advice about negotiating the holiday entitlement, I've passed that on and the great words of encouragement about everyday being a holiday over there ! Please tell us more ! Keep them coming. Jackee.

Jackee

Thanks for the reply and advice about negotiating the holiday entitlement, I've passed that on and the great words of encouragement about everyday being a holiday over there ! Please tell us more ?

Jackee.

JWW

We've (me, wife 2 kids) have been in Ch'ch for nearly 4 years and have really liked it from the moment we got here. We came from Surrey and have had two trips back and honestly can't think of a single thing we miss, with the obvious exception of family and friends. The kids have a great life here and the natural beauty of the South Island is astounding.

If you do a search of Christchurch on this site you'll get a lot of feedback about the place, including my contributions about suburbs etc.

If you have any specific questions give me a shout on PM.

John.

robernelli

I would be very interested in some feedback regarding Christchurch. I know that that one person on the site has been having a good moan but I can't believe that this is very representative. What suburbs are recommended (nothing too pricey, mind).

There is a good chance that I will end up in either Wellington or Christchurch because of the job I do but have visted neither. I did originally intend on either Auckland (North shore) or Tauranga having visyed and loved both -warmer as well I assume.

Rob

smithone

I was offered 3 weeks holiday but went back to them and said I'd like 4 weeks and an extra $5k.

They said no to the extra $5k but yes to the holiday. Much easier for companies to give you more holiday for office type jobs than cash.

Kiwipaul

My experience was 3 weeks was standard paid holiday in NZ, and also a lot of places expect you to take this over the Xmas period as lots of places close down over this period.
I hear the Unions are pushing for 4 weeks but employers are fighting this.

Something like what happens in the UK where firms close for nearly 2 weeks over Xmas, but here you get generally 1 month off (includes bank days over Xmas). But then you don't get a second holiday in July / August here as most people have used up all their holiday allowance at Xmas.

ACE

Hi Kiwipaul,
I'm guessing that school teachers get the same holidays as the children or is it like some UK unis where the staff have to work on campus through some of the longer holidays i e preparing lesson plans, test papers etc

Many Thanks
ACE

Kiwipaul

Cannot help their as I've no idea, so any comment I'd make would be pure guess work as I've no exp of schools or unis in NZ.