Sparkleydiva

Well my eldest daughter has left the nest this morning and is Switzerland bound - tough morning.

She feels she's had to leave as although she has been working full time since graduating 18 months ago, she couldn't get a permanent job, nor one related to what she wants to do.

It's such a shame and my other daughter leaves at Christmas for similar reasons.

Think my time in NZ is now very short as although I don't want to be in their pockets, I would like to be a little closer than this...

MrsFychan

best wishes to her and of course you. may the next few months with your other DD create fantastic memories and that you are able to join/be within easier travel distance when your time in NZ comes to its own conclusion.

TommyLuck

Very sad for you

And once again BE has come up with something that I hadn't yet considered, so thank you for posting this too - it gives me a potential picture of the future of my family. But a lot of water has to pass under the bridge before I'm in a similar situation.

By and large I hadn't considered it because my own daughter isn't even at school yet, let alone working - but when the time comes I suppose I'm thankful that she's got both UK and NZ passports which opens up a heap more opportunity if she suffers similarly from lack of career prospects in 15-20 years time. Presuming we're still here of course!!

Interesting to note too that my wife at 35 with a career in various NZ Government departments is struggling to get her employers to give her a permanent employment contract with the Immigration Department.

Sparkleydiva

Thanks guys.

It is a good point TommyLuck as we thought ours would head off to Aussie - and that I could cope with - its not far and cheap enough to get a flight. But back to Europe is a whole different matter.

The permanent contract things seems to be an issue in some employment sectors and for my daughter she was told her job was 'permanent on a month by month basis'! If you can work that one out

TommyLuck

I know.

I can't talk though, I'm the one who fled the UK to try NZ, so I'm sure my mother is in the same boat as you are, emotionally speaking.

But when all is said and done I'm sure your daughters are and will be grateful for the opportunities that are afforded to them.

The sample data set that are my facebook 'friends' shows that many Brits are heading this way and many Aussies and Kiwis are sampling Europe - it seems to be the way of the world with the kids just now.

I reckon at any one time around a third of my facebook 'friends' are either travelling or are currently residing in a country outside of the place they grew up. And a portion of others have spent years abroad, only to have returned to their native surroundings.

Generation Y (which includes me) are getting more and more adventurous, which is amazing given the financial troubles the world has gone through in recent times!!

Anyway, I digress ...

Good luck to you and you daughters - I sincerely hope that you'll all be happy in however things pan out.



On the employment thing, my mum was telling me about the 'zero hour' contracts they've got going in the UK at the moment. From what I understand you are gainfully employed but they don't guarantee you how many hours you'll work and at a moments notice they can send you home or tell you not to come in to work and of course you therefore don't get paid!!

I'm not sure if this has been going on a while and I just missed it, but it sounds bonkers!!

Grayling

So how is that any different to casual work in NZ or Australia?

TommyLuck

Definitively, I don't know. I only heard about it the other day.

Except to say your meaning of "casual work" needs defining. I know I've done casual work with no formal contract. Cash in hand. The "zero hours" refers to a type of employment contract signed by the employee and employer.

BEVS

Zero hour contract = Pool staff. On-call. As-and-when-required.
All of which is here in NZ. Having a contract stating hours of work does not mean you won't be made to take unpaid leave , as Mr BEVS can testify too. Casual work shuld have a contract. I've had this type of contract here in NZ.


Not sure what this has to do with the OP and her thread as her daughter is heading to Switzerland.

I may split this out with a thought for the OP.

Justcol

Both my sons (23 and 20) are back in the UK and while I miss them terribly I wouldn't leave NZ because
they are not here. Neither will return to NZ to live permanently, it's just not the place for them, and I would
have hated myself if they had stayed for my sake, nor do I wish to make them feel any guilt for being the
reason for me leaving NZ where they know I am very very happy. I cannot express how proud I am of both
of them for having the guts to go out and find their own place in the world at such young ages and I guess
I only have myself to blame as it is something I have instilled in them from a young age

Sparkleydiva

I agree with you in so much as I too have instilled in them the ability to freely move and I certainly have not made them feel guilty - otherwise they would not have been able to do what they are doing

But as I age I find that I need to be closer to my family - not in their pockets, and not necessarily in the same country but equally not 24 + hours away. This is not just about my beautiful daughters but my mother and sister too... Maybe this timing is not helped by physiological changes at my age and gender - who knows...

And with this, for me it means I will not remain in NZ for that much longer, maybe a year to get some things in place, but that said, I didn't plan to stay here forever anyway, it has always been just an adventure, with my home country of Scotland always going to be my place for retirement (especially as I've already purchased burial plots in my home town )

So proud as I am, the loss of my coffee, wine, cake and shopping buddies is not so easy to manage - irrespective of it absolutely being the right move for them...

But as my delightful DH says - 'whats the problem, you'll see her at Christmas'! Need I say anymore...

TommyLuck

My comment was in relation to only contract work being available in NZ for her daughter.

Retail companies are doing it now, big employers such as Tesco. It's becoming more common place.

From a business point of view it makes sense. From the point of view of the younger generations they have a job, but no guaranteed income - makes it even tougher than it already is to save some cash.

For older folk - my Dad works for Tesco - if his only real option was a zero hour they'd find it tough.


Clearly employment law in NZ is very different to the UK. To my knowledge, you couldn't state a given number of hours on a contract in the UK and not pay that person accordingly, whether you've told them not to come in, or not.

BEVS

Zero hour contract UK, to use the new terminology = An NZ casual contract which will have zero hours guaranteed built in. It's not a new thing but I agree, it is regressive for the employee.

Forget employment law when it comes to an employer setting down an employee for unpaid leave. If you wish to hold onto that job then make no waves or choose to leave. There may be employee rights per employment law but it is best to look after the employment you have.