From 6 May 2019 individual employment agreements which are not in writing will be an infringement offence under the Employment Relations (Infringement Offences) Regulations 2019.

The regulations were gazetted on 28 March.

Section 65(1)(a) of the Employment Relations Act 2000 provides that an individual employment agreement must be in writing. At present an employer failing to comply with the section is liable to a penalty imposed by the Employment Relations Authority.

From 6 May the infringement fee for a breach of section 65(1)(a) is $1,000.