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Employment legislation
Find out about employment legislation in force in New Zealand.
The Companies Act 1993 forms the core of the corporate regulatory system. It provides for:
- the registration of companies
- rules for directors and officers, shareholders or members
- disclosure and reporting requirements
- restructuring rules
- insolvency rules
- investigation and enforcement of the law
- the removal of companies from the register.
The Employment Relations Act 2000 provides the legal backdrop for all relationships between employees, employers and unions.
- Promotes the concepts of good faith and fair process.
- Promotes mediation as the first step when resolving employment relationship problems.
- Governs the personal grievance process.
- Established the Employment Relations Authority and Employment Court, which help to resolve employment relationship problems.
Employment Relations Act 2000 - New Zealand Legislation(external link)
The purpose of the Holidays Act 2003 is to promote balance between work and other aspects of employees’ lives and to provide employees with minimum entitlements such as:
- minimum rights to annual leave, sick leave and bereavement leave
- dealing with payment for, and days in lieu of, public holidays.
Holidays Act 2003 - New Zealand Legislation(external link)
Holidays Act reform
Find out more about proposed changes to the Holidays Act
Holidays Act reform - Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE)(external link)
- Provides that deductions from wages can only be made in limited circumstances.
- Prohibits employment premiums (where an employee pays an employer in exchange for employment).
- Prevents employers from controlling the manner in which employees spend wages.
Wages Protection Act 1983 - New Zealand Legislation(external link)
- Provides for a minimum wage, which is reviewed annually by the government.
- Basis for the 40-hour working week.
Minimum Wage Act 1983 - New Zealand Legislation(external link)
- Provides for rights to paid and unpaid parental leave.
- Provides job protection for those on parental leave.
Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987 - New Zealand Legislation(external link)
- Prohibits discrimination in the pay rate of employees, based on the sex of the employee.
- Gives the Employment Court the power to state principles for putting equal pay into place.
The purpose of this Act is to provide a process for how the Remuneration Authority determines the pay for public office holders and the criteria that it considers when making determinations.
Remuneration Authority Act 1977 - New Zealand Legislation(external link)
The purpose of this Act is to provide a workplace relations framework for certain participants in the screen industry.
Screen Industry Workers Act 2022 - New Zealand Legislation(external link)
The purpose of this Act is to make provision for safeguarding the interests of sharemilkers under sharemilking agreements.
Sharemilking Agreements Act 1937 - New Zealand Legislation(external link)
The purpose of this Act is to determine what days a shop can trade.
Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 - New Zealand Legislation(external link)
The purpose of this Act is to consolidate certain enactments of the General Assembly relating to the regulation and management of trade unions in New Zealand.
Trade Unions Act 1908 - New Zealand Legislation(external link)
The purpose of this Act is to make provision for the protection of the employment of volunteers to Her Majesty’s Armed Forces.
Volunteers Employment Protection Act 1973 - New Zealand Legislation(external link)
The Worker Protection (Migrant and other Employees) Act 2023 comes into force on 6 January 2024. It strengthens immigration and employment laws to assist in protecting employees from exploitation.
Worker Protection (Migrant and Other Employees) Act 2023 - New Zealand Legislation(external link)