Employer Bulletin | 6 May

The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says.

“Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were supported by other parties in the House, including the National Party.

At that time, the government established on a time-limited funding basis a pay equity taskforce within the Public Service Commission, with a mandate to support government agencies to exercise their new responsibilities under the Act. In the past few years, a substantial number of public sector claims have been settled and the taskforce has supported agencies to build up their expertise and knowledge of their obligations. It is a sign of success that the process for settling pay equity claims has now matured to a point where the same level of governance support and facilitation from the taskforce is no longer required." 

In today’s Bulletin

• Employer wins constructive dismissal
• Inadequate investigation leads to unjustified dismissal
• Unilaterally changing the employment agreement leads to constructive dismissal
• Personal grievance claim for unjustified action causing disadvantage upheld
• Unresolved complaint leads to successful unjustified disadvantage
• Company unjustifiably disadvantaged employee by not readily providing tools of the trade
• Seven news updates of for employers including:
  • Unemployment rate at 4.3 percent
  • Household living costs increase 6.2 percent
  • NZTA App first step towards digital driver licence
  • Residential Property Managers Bill to not progress
  • Government to boost public EV charging network
  • Government recommits to equal pay
  • Modern insurance law will protect Kiwi households
• Eight Bills open for submission.