Employment Rights In New Zealand

Emigrating to New Zealand to work and live is one of the best decisions you can ever make. Very strict employment rights in New Zealand are implemented in the work place.

This all adds up to a very secure and fair workplace. The employment rights in New Zealand help people to stay in the same companies for many years if they wish to do so.

Today we wanted to share with your some of the amazing employment rights in New Zealand. It can be said without a shadow of a doubt that these rights are not available in all countries and people who work in New Zealand are very fortunate.

New employment rights in New Zealand

From the 1st of April 2016, new employment rights in New Zealand have been put in place. These changes make the employment rights in New Zealand even better and help to keep employees safe in the workplace.

Some of the new employment right changes include:

• 18 weeks’ parental leave payments made available to primary careers other than biological or adoptive parents.
• Parental leave payment is extended to include workers who have worked for any employer for any 26 of the 52 weeks prior to becoming the primary carer to a child, and therefore includes:
  • Casual and seasonal workers.
  • People with more than one employer.
  • A person who has recently changed jobs.

Read more about the new employment rights here.

Public holidays

Employees are entitled to 11 public holidays off work. If an employee works on a public holiday they must at least be paid time and a half.

Sick leave

After six months an employee is entitled to five days sick leave on pay. They are entitled to five days sick leave for every 12 months after that. Sick leave can be taken if:

• the employee is sick or injured, or
• the employee’s spouse or partner is sick or injured, or
• a person who depends on the employee is sick or injured.

Minimum wage

Employers and employees may agree to any wage rate as long as it is not less than the applicable minimum wage rate. Starting out workers must be paid at least the starting out minimum wage rate, and trainees over 20 years of age must be paid at least the training minimum wage rate.

Equal pay and equal rights

Employers can’t discriminate in hiring or firing, paying, training or promoting an employee because of race, colour, national or ethnic origin, sex or sexual orientation, marital or family status, employment status, age, religious belief, ethical belief or political opinion, disability, or participation in certain union activities. This is the employment rights in New Zealand as stipulated by law.

Flexible working arrangements

All employees have a statutory right to request a change to their hours of work, days of work, or place of work. Employers must consider a request and can refuse it only on certain grounds.

Do you want to work in New Zealand?

If you think that the New Zealand employment rights are fantastic and that New Zealand may be the place for you, then you have come to the right place.

Our licensed advisor can assess your eligibility to check if you meet the requirements to apply for a work visa. If the outcome is positive, our team will work with you to submit a complete visa application.

Ready to get started? Book your consultation call right away.