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70: Object of this Part
or “This part aims to give some workers paid time off to learn about work relationships, helping everyone get along better and follow the rules.”

You could also call this:

“This section explains the meaning of important words used in the rules about learning about work relationships.”

In this part of the law, some important words are explained for you to understand better.

An ‘eligible employee’ is someone who belongs to a union and works for an employer.

‘Employment relations education’ means special training about work relationships that has been approved by section 72.

A ‘specified date’ can mean two things:

  1. It’s usually 1 March, or
  2. It can be another date that’s written in a collective agreement (a special work contract) for this part of the law.

The word ‘year’ in this law can mean:

  1. If there’s no other date mentioned in a collective agreement, it means the time from 1 March to the end of February the next year. The first year like this was from 1 March 2001 to 28 February 2002.
  2. If a collective agreement does mention a different date instead of 1 March, then the ‘year’ starts on that date and lasts for 12 months.

These explanations help you understand what these words mean when you read them in this part of the law.

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Next up: 72: Minister to approve employment relations education

or “The government decides which classes can teach people about work rights and laws.”

Part 7 Employment relations education leave

71Interpretation

  1. In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires,—

    eligible employee, in relation to a union or an employer, means an employee who is a member of a union

      employment relations education means employment relations education approved under section 72

        specified date means—

        1. 1 March; or
          1. such other date in a year as is specified in a collective agreement for the purposes of this Part

            year means,—

            1. if a collective agreement does not provide a specified date as an alternative date to 1 March, a period of 12 months beginning on 1 March and ending on the close of the last day of February in the following year, the first such year being 1 March 2001 to 28 February 2002:
              1. if a collective agreement does provide a specified date as an alternative date to 1 March, a period of 12 months beginning on the specified date.

              Notes
              • Section 71 eligible employee: substituted, on , by section 31 of the Employment Relations Amendment Act (No 2) 2004 (2004 No 86).