4 October, 2024 | 10.14am
We’re concerned for local members and your whanau affected by the state of local emergency declared for Dunedin due to the severe weather event.
Keep Up to date: Dunedin City Council facebook page for Updates
If your health or property is in danger, call 111 immediately.
If you, your business, or your staff are affected by the current situation, it is important to act swiftly. You can find some information below about general employment law obligations below.
Key points from Council:
- The State of Emergency was declared for Dunedin at 11.55pm on Thursday 3 October. The declaration was made in response to heavy rainfall and flooding – particularly in the South Dunedin area.
- A wide area of South Dunedin, including areas around Surrey St, Forbury Rd, and Hillside Rd, have experienced flooding overnight, with people reporting water in their houses.
- The Council are currently advising residents in South Dunedin to self-evacuate and get to higher ground if you feel unsafe.
- If people have no reason to be in the area, then the Council say they need to stay away unless checking on relatives or helping with any evacuation.
- A welfare centre is open at Forsyth Barr Stadium. We ask people to enter the stadium at Gate J where they will be assisted by Red Cross Volunteers and DCC staff. The evacuation centre at the St Clair Golf Club has now reached capacity (around 50 people).
- A water pipeline that supplies drinking water to residents of Otago Peninsula ruptured around 1.30am. The pipeline has been isolated near Irvine Road, The Cove. Alternative water supply options for these areas are being investigated.
If you or your business is affected by the situation and you have business or employment-related queries, the Association has a number of resources available to members to assist, including the our emergency response information portal. If you need to access our Helpline support please contact us on 0800 737 827.
Overarching employment advice for businesses affected by an emergency situation
- The key is communication. Like all emergency situations, you are faced with an unusual situation, and some of it is probably not covered by employment agreements. It is very important that employers and employees are talking to each other.
- Be flexible. This is a time for employers and employees to be understanding and to take a common-sense approach to getting the business up and running.
- If employees are concerned about their safety in going back to work, they should raise their concerns with their employer.
- If employers are asking employees to do work they don’t normally do (for example, clean-up work), both sides need to ensure they’re comfortable with this, and safety must be a top priority.
- Working with staff health and safety representatives and union representatives will be of assistance in some work places.
- Work together to find practical solutions.
- Recognise that this is a significant event
- People react differently in these types of situations – some may need extra support.
- Some will be best supported by assisting to keep things running
- An individual employee has the right to raise concerns and refuse to do work they consider unsafe. Discuss the work and the concerns before it gets to this point. If you have decided it is safe share your knowledge and reasoning with staff alongside the decision.