Employer Bulletin | 19 May
The Government has announced changes to the Equal Pay Act.
The Government is committed to maintaining a process to raise and resolve pay equity claims and these changes aim to make the process workable and sustainable.
The changes to the Equal Pay Act through the Equal Pay Amendment Act include an updated process to raise and resolve claims of sex-based undervaluation in the pay of female-dominated work when a pay equity claim is made.
The goal is for parties to more confidently assess whether there is sex-based undervaluation.
While these changes will mean all current pay equity claims will be discontinued, new claims can be raised under the amended Act if they meet the new requirements. Review clauses in existing settlements will become unenforceable.
In today’s Bulletin:
- Procedural fairness completely omitted in disciplinary process
- Meeting called a “complete flop”, but no excuse for speeding through investigation
- Employee who relocated for work found to be permanent and not casual
- Employee cashes in on poorly documented arrangement
- Employer disadvantages employee with its aggression and bias
- Eight news updates of interest for employers including: Trade Minister travels to UK & Korea for trade talks; First Fast-track referral applications progressed; Bold science reforms to fuel economic growth; Addressing New Zealand’s infrastructure asset management challenge; Net migration eases to under 30,000; Electronic card transactions: April 2025; National population estimates: At 31 March 2025 (2023-base), and Equal Pay Amendment Act.
- Seven bills open for submission
If you have any questions, about this case or other employment relation matters, call the Advice Line team on 0800 800 362.
