Employment legislation reviews
From time to time, we review employment and accident compensation legislation. Our current and past reviews are listed on this page.
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Employment Relations Act 2000 amendments
The Employment Relations Act 2000 will be amended to clarify contracting arrangements, simplify personal grievances, reduce complexity at the start of employment relationships and reintroduce the ability to make pay deductions in response to partial strikes.
Holidays Act reform
Delivering improvements to the Holidays Act is a priority for the Government.
Increasing the minimum sick leave entitlement
The Holidays (Increasing Sick Leave) Amendment Act 2021.
Workplace relations in the screen industry
A law change is on the way for contractors working in New Zealand’s screen industry. The changes, proposed by industry and supported by Government, will see contractors allowed to bargain collectively.
Forced Labour Protocol
This consultation is now closed. The following information is a record of work done until 2023.
Extending paid parental leave
The Parental Leave and Employment Protection Amendment Bill was passed to extend the duration of paid parental leave to 26 weeks.
Equal Pay Amendment Act
The Government has announced changes to the Equal Pay Act.
Law change for Easter Sunday shop trading
The Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 was amended in 2016 to enable territorial authorities to decide whether retailers in their districts can open on Easter Sunday.
Employment Standards Legislation Act
The Employment Standards Legislation Act aims to encourage fair and productive workplaces and ensure employment law responds to a dynamic business environment.
Proposed Accident Compensation Appeal Tribunal
In December 2015 we consulted on the proposed Accident Compensation Appeal Tribunal. Submissions did not support establishing a Tribunal and it was decided not to progress establishing a specialist appeal tribunal.
Accident compensation dispute resolution review
This page provides information about the implementation of recommendations from the 2015 independent review into accident compensation dispute resolution processes.
Reviewing regulated ACC payments for treatment
MBIE, in conjunction with ACC, conducts a biennial review of the Cost of Treatment Regulations.
Employment Relations Amendment Act
The Employment Relations Amendment Act 2018 gives effect to the Government’s 100-day commitments in workplace relations.
Minimum wage reviews
This page provides the Cabinet papers and regulatory impact analyses for previous reviews of the minimum wages.
Sex work in New Zealand
We are taking a proactive approach to ensure employers, facilitators of service and workers in the sex industry understand their rights and legal obligations.
Changes to the process for setting pay for Members of Parliament
The Remuneration Authority (Members of Parliament Remuneration) Amendment Act repealed the 2015 changes and restored the Remuneration Authority’s discretion to set MPs’ pay based on specified criteria.
Security officers – additional employment protections
Changes to the Employment Relations Act which provide security officers with additional employment protections came into effect on 1 July 2021.
Matariki
Anei ngā whakamārama mō te Hararei Tūmatanui hou o Matariki, me ōna mātāpono, ōna uara hoki
Information about the new Matariki public holiday, its principles and values.
Updating Accident Compensation Review Costs Regulations
MBIE is consulting on options for updating the Review Costs Regulations, which outline the costs payable to ACC claimants who seek a review of an ACC decision.
Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Day
The Government has created a new one-off public holiday on 26 September 2022 to mark the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Changes to ACC’s Accredited Employers Programme
Following consultation, the Government approved various changes to the Accredited Employers Programme.
Review framework for list of occupational diseases
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), with support from Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), is responsible for using this review framework to support, if needed, changes to the list of occupational diseases which can be covered by ACC.
Contractor work in Aotearoa New Zealand
The Government has been considering how to provide better protections for contractors.
Accident Compensation (Interest on Instalments) Amendment Act
ACC mainly pays for the Accident Compensation Scheme (AC Scheme) from accounts funded by levies, which ACC collects from New Zealanders including businesses (employers, self-employed, contractors, and shareholder-employees).
Setting the average ACC levy rates for 2025/26, 2026/27, and 2027/28
ACC levies are set every 3 years. In any given year, levies are intended to be equivalent to the lifetime cost of rehabilitating those who are injured in that year. This excludes the cost of claims made by non-earners (which are government funded) and investment returns.