# Triangular employment situations Official source: https://www.employment.govt.nz/starting-employment/types-of-worker/triangular-employment-situations Scanned: 2026-06-07T03:31:31.402Z Use this as a current official guidance reference, not as a substitute for legal advice. ## Page Text Home Starting employment Types of worker Triangular employment situations Types of worker Starting employment Rights and responsibilities Types of worker Understanding types of workers Employee or contractor? Permanent or fixed-term employment Casual employment Apprentices and trainees Triangular employment situations Volunteers, internships and studentships Screen industry workers Hiring Employment agreements Everyone Triangular employment situations Find out about employment rights in a triangular employment situation. A triangular employment situation is where there are 3 parties in an employment arrangement: an employer An individual or organisation that hires 1 or more employees and contracts them to work in exchange for wages or salary under a ‘contract of service’ (commonly called an ‘employment agreement’). an employee Any person, whatever their age, who is employed by an employer to do any work for hire or reward under a ‘contract of service’ (commonly called an ‘employment agreement’). , and a third party, responsible for directing the employee's day-to-day work. Common triangular employment situations include when someone is: employed by a recruitment agency, and is sent on work assignments to another organisation (sometimes called labour-for-hire or temping) an employee of one organisation is placed on a secondment for a fixed time with another organisation. Secondments A secondment is a temporary arrangement between an employer and an employee that allows the employee to work within a different department, or with a different company completely. Secondments enable employees to add to their skill set and experience while helping employers to fill vacant roles. The rules on secondments in New Zealand’s public sector are laid out in the Public Service Act 2020. Secondment - Public Service Act 2020 – New Zealand Legislation (external link) Rights in a triangular employment situation In a triangular employment situation, all the usual employment rights apply. If there are issues with either the employer An individual or organisation that hires 1 or more employees and contracts them to work in exchange for wages or salary under a ‘contract of service’ (commonly called an ‘employment agreement’). or the third party the employee Any person, whatever their age, who is employed by an employer to do any work for hire or reward under a ‘contract of service’ (commonly called an ‘employment agreement’). is carrying out work for, speaking to the party the employee is having issues can be a good start. If the employee cannot resolve the issue, then the employee can raise a personal grievance An action that an employee can take against a current or former employer when they have an employment issue they cannot resolve. against either the employer, the third party, or both. Personal grievances Published: 18 December 2023 Last modified: 2 December 2024 Written for: Everyone Share this page: Print this page: