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Equal Pay Amendment Act
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Equal Pay Amendment Act
The Government has announced changes to the Equal Pay Act.
On this page
Changes to improve pay equity process(external link) — Beehive.govt.nz
The Government is committed to maintaining a process to raise and resolve pay equity claims and these changes will ensure the process is workable and sustainable.
The changes to the Equal Pay Act through the Equal Pay Amendment Act include a better process to raise and resolve claims of sex-based undervaluation in the pay of female-dominated work when a pay equity claim is made.
The framework will ensure parties can more confidently assess whether there is sex-based undervaluation in the pay of female-dominated work.
These changes will mean all current claims are discontinued and review clauses in existing settlements will become unenforceable.
While these changes will mean all current pay equity claims will be discontinued, new claims can be raised under the amended Act if they meet the new requirements.
Settled claims can be re-raised 10 years after settlement, if the claim meets the new requirements.
Documents relating to the development of the Equal Pay amendments made in 2025
Amendments to the Equal Pay Act 1972 [PDF 66.7KB](external link)
Amendments to the Equal Pay Act 1972 [HTML version]
Reviewing Policy Settings [PDF, 384 KB]
Reviewing Policy Settings – Minute of Decision [PDF, 499 KB]
Documents relating to the Equal Pay amendments made in 2020 and 2017.
Read an overview of pay equity and the framework [PDF, 463 KB]
Read the Minister’s announcement on the passing of the Act(external link)
Recommendations from the Joint Working Group on Pay Equity Principles [PDF, 2 MB]
Documents relating to the development of the Equal Pay Amendment Act 2017
The Cabinet paper in response to the proposals of the original Joint Working Group [PDF, 4.4 MB]
The Cabinet paper that sought approval to introduce the former Bill into Parliament [PDF, 165 KB]
Read the Pay Equity Regulatory Impact Statement [PDF, 7.9 MB]
Read the Act on the New Zealand Legislation website(external link)
Read the Ministers’ announcement on the introduction of the Bill(external link)
Equal Pay Act: Improvements to pay equity legislation [PDF, 870 KB]
Equal Pay Amendment Bill: Outstanding Issues and Approval for Introduction [PDF, 1.2 MB]