Tuesday, 3 March 2026
Description
Attend and earn 1 CPD hour
* This interactive online recording includes questions and quizzes requiring critical thinking about the topics, so you have no annual limits to the number of points/hours you can claim with this format of learning. Please verify with your CPD rules
Chair
Kathryn Dalziel, Barrister Sole; Adjunct Professor of Practice Law Faculty, University of Canterbury
Learning objectives:
- Understand the legal and practical issues that arise when mental health concerns intersect with termination processes
- Examine employer obligations, incapacity considerations and key legal risks relating to stress and mental illness in the workplace
Termination: Issues with Stress and Mental Illness
- How should an employer deal with claims of stress or mental health issues in a termination process?
- What if the employee blames mental health issues on the employer, during a potential termination process?
- Can an employee be terminated due to incapacity arising from mental health issues?
- What are some of the legal risks for both employees and employers in these types of situations?
Presented by Jin Park, Associate Staff Barrister, Catherine Stewart Barrister
Presenters
Kathryn Dalziel, Barrister
Kathryn is a senior barrister practising in employment and privacy law as well as civil litigation and professional ethics. Kathryn researches and teaches in Employment Law and Legal Ethics for the University of Canterbury School of Law and regularly presents at conferences and seminars in privacy, employment, and legal ethics. Kathryn is a member of the Employment Law Bulletin editorial committee. She has co-authored the chapters on Employment Law and Health Information in Health Care and the Law (5th ed), co-authored Ethics, Professional Responsibility and the Lawyer (3rd Ed), and authored the Privacy Law Chapter in Human Rights Law – Westlaw NZ (online).
Jin Park, Associate Staff Barrister, Catherine Stewart Barrister
Jin Park is a Staff Barrister in Catherine’s team. In 2009, Jin completed his Bachelor of Laws degree with Honours at the London School of Economics and Political Science in the United Kingdom. He has worked in managerial roles for several international organisations and a church organisation before being admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in December 2018. Before joining Catherine’s team in 2024, Jin worked in a specialist employment law firm providing legal advice to large scale international NZX and ASX listed organisations. Prior to that, he worked as a civil litigation solicitor in a boutique firm and also in one of Australasia’s largest employment relations firms providing advice and representation on contentious employment matters. Jin is dedicated to providing clients with timely and pragmatic advice with the goal of fostering strong client relationships and developing a deep understanding of their unique business needs. Jin advises and represents clients on all areas of employment law, including personal grievances, corporate restructuring, performance improvement processes and disciplinary investigations, restraints of trade, and confidentiality breaches. He holds a keen interest in all areas of employment law, as well as developments in privacy law, technology law and medical law, particularly where they intersect with employment law.
