The 5-day operation called Operation Orzo started last Monday and included unannounced visits to 58 retail and hospitality businesses. These visits were conducted in Kerikeri, Paihia, Russell and nearby suburbs including Haruru, Opua and Waipapa. Inspectors also interviewed almost 100 workers about their employment conditions.
David Milne, the Labour Inspectorate’s Compliance Manager for the Northern Region, says the goal of the operation was to increase the visibility and engagement of the Inspectorate and ensure compliance with minimum employment standards in the Far North - Bay of Islands with a specific focus on the hospitality sector.
Cafes, bars/pubs, restaurants, backpackers, fuel station retail stores and liquor stores were all under the spotlight.
Inspectors mostly focused on ensuring businesses were complying with:
- Employment Relations Act 2000
- Holidays Act 2003
- Minimum Wage Act 1983
- Wages Protection Act 1983.
Mr Milne says while the primary focus of Operation Orzo was to raise awareness about the Inspectorate and check businesses were complying with minimum employment standards, inspectors were also seeking to educate business owners and employees about their rights and responsibilities regarding employment standards.
“Education is an important part of what we do and where breaches are found to be minor and unintentional our inspectors are happy to work with employers and employees to educate or resolve complaints or other issues. However, enforcement options will be considered where clear breaches of minimum employment standards are found,” Mr Milne says.
“At this stage we will not be providing any updates about what transgressions we may have found until such time as all the data collected has been assessed.”
Mr Milne says it was pleasing that the overall response from employers and the public to the visits was positive. “People even approached our inspectors on the street and were supportive of the work they were doing.”
Operation Orzo is one of a number of operations the Inspectorate is currently undertaking or planning to take throughout New Zealand during 2025.
Other sectors under the Labour Inspectorate spotlight this year are transport, construction, horticulture, viticulture, dairy and security.
MBIE encourages anyone who thinks they or someone else has been treated unfairly in the workplace to contact our 0800 20 90 20 contact centre number where their concerns will be handled in a safe environment.