Employer Bulletin | 25 May 2026

Here's what is leading the news for employers this week:

The Government is embarking on a fundamental overhaul of the public service to improve services, lift productivity and deliver better value for money, Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Minister for the Public Service and Digitising Government Paul Goldsmith say.

“The overhaul will reduce the number of government departments, increase the use of AI and other digital tools, and deliver significant savings,” Nicola Willis says.

“Businesses and households are using AI every day and, while parts of the public sector have seized the opportunity to innovate, others are still locked into outdated ways of doing things that prioritise box-ticking over outcomes.

“That is not acceptable or sustainable, so the Government is putting a sinking lid on agencies’ operating budgets to drive progress on three key goals.”

In today’s Bulletin:

• Employer found to have predetermined redundancy

• Minor defect in disciplinary process but dismissal stands

• Diverting customers away is called out by Authority

• Employer conducted a flawed redundancy process

• Employee unjustifiably disadvantaged but no constructive dismissal found 

• Five news updates of interest for employers including:

  • Regulatory changes to help Kiwis during fuel uncertainty

  • Public service to be overhauled

  • Fourth renewable energy project fast-tracked

  • Growers benefit as Govt strengthens plant rights

  • More Kiwi businesses to get AI support

• Sixteen 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.

Download the bulletin:

Employer Bulletin 25 May 2026.pdf

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