Everyone
Pay equity comparator information
A process to request and submit pay equity information. This includes comparative claims data in a central pay equity data repository.
Pay equity process
You can use this process to request pay equity comparator information, submit pay equity comparator information, and submit pay equity settlements to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). This includes comparative claims data stored in a central pay equity data repository.
Improving data collection
The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has made some changes to the way we collect pay equity settlements, comparator information and collective agreements. To achieve this, we have released the Workplace Online Portal (the portal) and the Employment Services (ES) Repository (the repository).
To improve the data collection process, the portal has been released for:
- employers
- employees (individual or groups)
- representatives
- unions
The portal is a secure way to request and submit information directly to MBIE.
The repository is a secure storage location for pay equity settlements and comparator information, collective agreements, screen industry workers contracts, fair pay agreements.
Submitting pay equity settlements
Under the Equal Pay Act 1972 (as amended in 2020), the Chief Executive of MBIE is required by law to hold pay equity settlements and related data.
Once a pay equity settlement is signed and ratified, as soon as practicable, employers must send to the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE):
- a copy of the settlement
- any other document referred to in, or incorporated into, the settlement (unless publicly available).
Please send your pay equity settlement and reference documents to MBIE using the Workplace Online Portal.
Alternatively, you can also send them to MBIE by email.
Workplace Online Portal(external link)
Your data will be held by MBIE in the repository. MBIE may only use it for statistical and analytical purposes.
Sharing and requesting information about past claims
Information from past pay equity claims can be useful when working through the pay equity process for a new claim. The repository for pay equity comparator data has information from past claims.
The repository contains data received from 2020 onwards and includes:
- job descriptions
- anonymised wage and salary data
- summary job profiles
- anonymised interview transcripts
- general areas of responsibility and skills
- workforce analysis
- evidence reports
More information will be added to the repository over time. We encourage those involved in the claims process to consider sharing their information by contributing to the repository. This will help others advance future claims by providing easy access to comparator information.
Pay Equity Comparator Information available in the repository [PDF, 106 KB]
Requesting pay equity information
Pay equity comparator information is employment information held by MBIE to assist parties in a pay equity settlement claim. The information is stored by MBIE in the repository and has been contributed by other pay equity settlement claimants.
If you would like to request pay equity information from the repository, you can do this using the Workplace Online Portal or by emailing us.
administratorpayequitydata@mbie.govt.nz
Workplace Online Portal(external link)
To access the data, you need to be a part of an ongoing pay equity settlement claim and disclose any identified conflicts of interest. All pay equity comparator information provided by MBIE needs to remain confidential and not shared with a third party.
Note that the other party to your claim may also request the same comparator data as you.
Your request may go to the Pay Equity Reference Group to review any conflicts of interest. They will then decide whether the information should be shared.
Submitting pay equity information
If you would like to submit pay equity information, you can do this using the Workplace Online Portal or by emailing us.
administratorpayequitydata@mbie.govt.nz
Workplace Online Portal(external link)
The anonymous information you provide will help others advance future claims by providing easy access to comparator information.
For your data to be able to be used as comparator data in a pay equity settlement claim, it is essential:
- any private information about an individual must be anonymised so that individuals cannot be identified
- each individual included in your data has consented to their anonymised information being shared with other claimants.
MBIE will review all data submitted to ensure it is appropriately anonymised. If we identify further information that needs to be redacted for privacy reasons, we will review with the submitter before the data is made available for other pay equity settlement claimants.
Read more information about privacy principles - Privacy Commissioner(external link)
To share the information with others, consent forms should be provided with your submission.
If your data is not anonymised or if consent is not given to share the data, then MBIE will hold it in the repository but not share it with anyone that makes a request for it. If this is the case, we will contact you and try to anonymise the data or get any consents needed so that it can be shared.
If your data is shared as part of a pay equity information request, the requestor will need to agree to the data use and privacy statement as part of the submission process.
Pay equity information in the repository
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has created a central Workplace Repository to support the progression of pay equity claims.
The repository contains information which has been gathered on claimants and comparators from previous claims processes. Parties undertaking other pay equity claims processes are able to request information from the repository.
MBIE encourages parties to contribute pay equity information after settling a pay equity claim. This information can be submitted through the secure Workplace Online Portal.
The information in the repository can help others advance future pay equity claims.
Workplace Online Portal(external link)
Repository guidelines
The management and access for the repository will be underpinned by the following guidelines.
- The Pay Equity Reference Group monitors the strategic role of the repository.
- Paramountcy to the commitments and principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
- Repository processes should be transparent and easy to follow for all users.
- All information stored in the repository is subject to the Privacy Act 2020 and Official Information Act 1982.
- Secure storage of pay equity comparator information.
- Information about workplace online portal is readily available for external users to learn about and access the repository.
- Effective management of the repository with information subject to record management at MBIE.
Management and storage of data in the repository
The repository has been established using MBIE’s existing Electronic Data and Record Management System.
Data must be anonymised before it is stored in the repository. This reduces the risk of privacy and/or confidentiality breaches.
Data is voluntarily contributed to the repository by parties to settled or well-developed claims processes. Parties from previous equal pay claims are encouraged to contribute some or all of their claims’ data sets.
Information is secure and managed under restricted access to respect the privacy of those it relates to.
Access to the data
Access to the data will be managed by MBIE for the purpose of managing the receipt, storage, and access for the data.
Parties to claims remain the owners of any data submitted and have the opportunity to access their data and also to request their data is returned to them if required.
Requests that raise questions or uncertainties may be forwarded to the Pay Equity Reference Group for a review of approval to access the data.
Applications for access to data
Parties involved in current pay equity claims can request data via the Workplace Online Portal or by emailing administratorpayequitydata@mbie.govt.nz