Support for
Reservists
As a Reservist and therefore a part-time member of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) you may face the challenge of balancing your employment and study commitments with your life in the military.
Getting your employer on board
Building positive working relationships with an employer helps you manage your defence commitments. As a reservist, there are a few things you’ll need to talk to your employer about to help them understand your military service. It’s essential to be open and honest with your boss so they know what your commitments are and can plan how to manage them with you.
Job interviews
If you are seeking employment, your commitment as a reservist doesn’t need to be a roadblock to getting a rewarding job. Giving back to the community is a valuable attribute, as is the ongoing training and support you receive, so your NZDF service should add weight to your job application. You may wish to discuss some of the key benefits and requirements associated with your service, such as:
Benefits: Leadership skills, Teamwork, Time management, Resilience, Fitness, Motivation, Planning, Decisiveness and the individual skill sets you've developed in your current rank level.
Military requirements: To be considered effective, a minimum of 20 days service is required from you per year. This time is made up from regular training (conducted on evenings and weekends) and occasional weekday service for courses, exercises or deployments.
Employer obligations: Reservists are legally entitled to leave without pay for specific periods of time, depending on the activity. Your current or potential employer may have questions about this. Specific details of their obligations can be found below, or, you may wish to direct your employer to the Employers section of this website.
The skills you develop in uniform can be an asset to your employer.
Be upfront with your boss
Your employer needs time to plan and to manage when you need to be away from work, so don’t spring your leave requirements on them. Instead, have an upfront and positive conversation with your employer and direct them to our employers page to find out more information.
Time off for training
Your service to the NZDF is valuable, and special allowance for your needs to have time off work for training are protected by New Zealand employment law. Find out more about your rights:
- Defence Force Volunteers - Employment New Zealand(external link)
- Volunteers Employment Protection Act 1973(external link)
You're legally entitled to leave without pay for:
- Up to three weeks: Routine part-time service or training such as field exercises and weekend or evening training.
- Up to three months: whole-time service or training such as initial basic training, officer commissioning courses, short-term operations, and annual exercises.
You need to give:
- Fourteen days minimum notice to your employer for part-time and whole-time service and training.
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Talk to your boss about your commitment to the NZDF
Positive working relationships with your boss helps you manage your defence commitments. Volunteering in the community is a valuable attribute, and your unique skills will help you stand out in a commercial environment. Your boss may have questions and it is helpful to bring specific details about your service requirements to any discussion. Your employer can also be directed to the DESC website, the Employment New Zealand(external link) website and to the Volunteers Protection Act 1973(external link) for further research.
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Highlight the benefits of employing a reservist
Reservists develop a range of transferrable skills by operating across two or more diverse workplace environments. Civilians may not have interacted with military personnel before, nor understand the wide variety of skills and training you bring to the community. It is important to take the time to explain the skills you are developing to your colleagues. You may even find that your employer begins to leverage the experience you are gaining through your service.
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Build trust and respect through open dialogue
Your employer is a part of the wider NZDF community. Through support and flexibility they can enable you to get to training and serve on deployments. It is important to have upfront and open discussions about what your service means for their business and day to day planning. You may find that civilians in your workplace haven't had the opportunity to engage with military personnel before and your representation can build excellent bridges between the New Zealand Defence Force and the general public.
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How do I thank my employer?
Your employer may have offered you support and flexibility that goes above and beyond. If you wish to thank them, why not nominate them for a Reserve Force Employer of the Year (REOTY) Award, where finalists and winners are celebrated at the annual Tohu Awards. The Tohu Awards offer your employer an insight into your work at NZDF, the chance to engage with Senior NZDF Leadership and an opportunity for cost-efficient internal and external marketing for their business. Nomination forms can be found in our helpful resources section below.
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Direct your employer to our website for more information
We're here to help. If your employer wants to know more, direct them to this website. We have specific information pages for Reserve Force employers. Any further questions can be directed to us via our contact form.