Employment News & Articles
Public Service Commission to Review Ministry of Justice Employment Case Handling
5 days ago | 128 viewsThe Public Service Commission will conduct a rapid review of the Ministry of Justice following serious mishandling of an employment case involving criminal proceedings over five years. Minister Paul Goldsmith has directed the Commission to provide firm guidance to all chief executives on managing such cases to ensure active and timely decision-making. He emphasized the need for fair but practical management to protect taxpayers' interests and prevent similar issues in the future.
Tags: Paul Goldsmith Russell Harrison Andrew Kibblewhite Debbie Francis Steve Haszard Brian Roche Ministry of Justice Public Service Commission Justice Secretary Public Service CommissionerEarn as You Learn Expands to Train Young Kiwis for Manufacturing Careers
6 days ago | 140 viewsThe Earn as You Learn programme, which combines paid workplace learning with formal training and industry mentoring, is expanding into the Hutt Valley, Bay of Plenty, Christchurch, and Auckland to address the manufacturing sector's skilled workforce shortage. Developed by manufacturers and supported by Advancing Manufacturing Aotearoa, the programme has proven successful in the Waikato pilot, with most participants securing full-time jobs after completing their training. The government is committed to expanding vocational pathways alongside this initiative, aiming to grow the skilled manufacturing workforce essential for New Zealand's economic recovery and future innovation.
Tags: Cameron Brewer Catherine Lye Earn as You Learn Advancing Manufacturing Aotearoa Wintec New Zealand Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Waikato Youth Guarantee Trades AcademyEmployment Leave Bill Passes Final Reading: New Simple Leave System Introduced
1 week ago | 170 viewsThe Employment Leave Bill has passed its final reading, replacing the outdated Holidays Act with a simpler, hours-based leave system that improves accuracy and transparency for both employers and employees. Key reforms include hourly accrual of annual and sick leave, leave available from day one, a single hourly pay rate for all leave types, and greater flexibility in cashing up annual leave, with a 24-month transition period for implementation. The government aims to provide clear guidance and support to ensure a smooth shift to this streamlined system, addressing long-standing calls for reform.
Tags: Brooke van Velden Employment Leave Bill Holidays Act Workplace Relations and Safety MBIE Government Kiwis Employment New Zealand annual leave sick leaveMBIE Biometric Project Cost Overruns Spark Independent Audit and Inquiry
1 week ago | 161 viewsThe Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) ceased the seven-year Biometric Capability Upgrade project in December 2025, initially reporting $33 million in costs written off. Subsequent reviews revealed discrepancies in MBIE’s financial reporting, leading to the identification of an additional $6 million in project costs and prompting the commissioning of an independent financial audit. The matter has been referred to the Michael Heron inquiry and the Public Service Commissioner to investigate MBIE’s financial controls and potentially expand the inquiry’s scope.
Tags: Biometric Capability Upgrade Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment MBIE Greg James Education and Workforce Committee Nicola Willis Michael Heron Public Service Commissioner financial audit Cabinet scrutinyNew Workplace Guide Empowers Employers to Support Employees Facing Stalking
2 weeks ago | 235 viewsMinister for Women Nicola Grigg has launched a new guide to help workplaces support employees experiencing stalking, emphasizing the serious impact stalking has on victims' health and safety. Developed by the Ministry for Women in collaboration with Shine and Human Resources New Zealand, the guide offers practical steps for employers to recognize stalking behaviors, respond to disclosures, manage risks, and provide specialist support. This initiative complements recent legal changes criminalizing stalking, aiming to create safer workplace environments and hold perpetrators accountable.
Tags: Nicola Grigg stalking workplaces Ministry for Women Shine Human Resources New Zealand family violence harassment Crimes Act victimsNew Zealand Sees Significant Rise in Benefit Exits as More Move Into Work
3 weeks ago | 244 viewsNew Zealand has seen a year-on-year increase in the number of people moving off benefits into work, with 86,544 exits recorded in the year ending June 2026, reflecting positive job market trends despite economic challenges. The Ministry of Social Development supports jobseekers through initiatives like the Traffic Light System, Kōrero Mahi seminars, and partnerships with businesses such as Ventia and SkyCity to connect candidates with employment opportunities. These efforts aim to foster workforce development, reduce reliance on temporary labor, and promote economic independence for New Zealanders.
Tags: Louise Upston New Zealand MSD Ventia ChamberWorks Kōrero Mahi Ara Jobs and Skills Hub SkyCity Northern Jobs and Skills Hub New Zealand International Convention CentreWorkSafe NZ Enhances Machine Safety Training for Inspectors to Boost Workplace Safety
1 month ago | 335 viewsWorkplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden announced that all WorkSafe New Zealand inspectors have completed updated machine safety training to improve risk assessment and management. This training was developed in response to feedback from manufacturing businesses about unclear and impractical safety assessments, aiming to provide clearer, more practical guidance focused on real risks. The enhanced training, including workshops like the one at Burnham Military Camp, strengthens inspectors' technical expertise, enabling them to issue specific, effective safety actions that better protect workers and increase confidence in the system.
Tags: Brooke van Velden WorkSafe New Zealand Workplace Relations machine safety manufacturing sector safety training inspectors Burnham Military Camp risk assessment safety guidancePaid Parental Leave Rate to Increase to $811.05 Weekly from July 2026
1 month ago | 721 viewsFrom 1 July 2026, the maximum weekly paid parental leave rate in New Zealand will increase to $811.05, reflecting rises in average weekly earnings, providing eligible parents with up to 26 weeks of financial support. This leave applies not only to parents of newborns but also to those experiencing miscarriage, stillbirth, adoption, or surrogacy, ensuring time for bonding and recovery. The increase, mandated by the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987, also raises the minimum rate for self-employed parents to $239.50 per week.
Tags: Brooke van Velden parental leave paid parental leave Employment New Zealand Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987 newborn miscarriage stillbirth adoption surrogacyNew Zealand Minister Brooke van Velden to Represent NZ at International Labour Conference
2 months ago | 486 viewsWorkplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden will represent New Zealand at the International Labour Conference in Geneva, where she will discuss the country’s employment law reforms, including the gateway test that clarifies employment status for platform-based workers. She will also participate in the Asia Pacific Labour Ministers meeting and engage in standards-setting discussions, while taking the opportunity to meet with senior leaders in London and Singapore to discuss labour market and health and safety reforms. The conference, hosted by the International Labour Organization, gathers around 4,000 attendees from 187 member states to address global labour issues.
Tags: Brooke van Velden New Zealand International Labour Conference Workplace Relations and Safety Internal Affairs Asia Pacific Labour Ministers United Kingdom Singapore International Labour Organization Labour MinistersGovernment Modernises Welfare System with Automated Decision-Making for Efficiency
2 months ago | 458 viewsThe Government has passed the Social Security (Modernisation) Amendment Bill to enhance welfare system efficiency by expanding the use of automated decision-making for straightforward cases, while maintaining human oversight for complex decisions. The Bill aims to reduce manual processing, improve accuracy, and ensure fair, consistent, and sustainable delivery of welfare support without changing eligibility criteria. It also includes safeguards to manage bias, ensure transparency, and allow challenges to decisions, ultimately freeing case managers to better assist clients.
Tags: Louise Upston Social Development Employment Minister Welfare System Social Security Bill Ministry of Social Development Budget 2025 New Zealand Welfare AssistanceBudget 2026 Welfare Package: Supporting Kiwis into Work and Independence
2 months ago | 508 viewsBudget 2026’s welfare package aims to encourage employment and independence while supporting those most in need through targeted investments. Key initiatives include $45 million for community food support, $93.3 million to help sole parents find work, and $22.4 million to prevent and reduce emergency housing needs, generating significant net savings over four years. Social Development Minister Louise Upston emphasizes the government’s commitment to a fair, sustainable welfare system that effectively helps people transition off benefits despite economic challenges.
Tags: Budget 2026 welfare package Louise Upston Social Development Employment Minister community food support sole parents assistance emergency housing New Zealand families social safety netDallas Welch Named Chair of Remuneration Authority; Vern Walsh Reappointed and Wynand du Plessis Joins
2 months ago | 501 viewsWorkplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden announced Dallas Welch’s elevation to Chair of the Remuneration Authority, the reappointment of Vern Walsh for another three-year term, and the appointment of Wynand du Plessis as a new member. The Authority, an independent statutory body with three members, sets pay rates for key public office holders, and the new appointees bring extensive experience in public service leadership, remuneration, governance, and financial expertise. These appointments aim to strengthen the Authority’s role in remuneration setting, with Welch bringing nearly 40 years of public sector experience, Walsh offering deep local government and financial knowledge, and du Plessis contributing over a decade of corporate and consulting remuneration leadership.
Tags: Brooke van Velden Dallas Welch Vern Walsh Wynand du Plessis Geoffrey Summers Public Service Commission Fletcher Building Ernst and Young Mercer Consulting Mr Price GroupGovernment Tightens Welfare Eligibility to Support Sustainability and Target Need
2 months ago | 654 viewsThe Government has introduced the Social Security Amendment Bill to improve fiscal sustainability by tightening eligibility for Jobseeker Support for 18- and 19-year-olds and adjusting the Accommodation Supplement calculation for homeowners. The Bill requires young beneficiaries to meet the Parental Assistance Test unless they have dependent children, aiming to reduce long-term benefit dependency and better target assistance to those most in need. Additionally, the Accommodation Supplement changes, the first in 33 years, focus support on vulnerable groups by requiring homeowners to contribute a higher share of income toward housing costs before receiving subsidies.
Tags: Louise Upston Social Development Employment Minister Jobseeker Support Accommodation Supplement Welfare system Budget 2025 Parental Assistance Test New Zealand Government Social Security Amendment BillPublic Feedback Sought on Employment Dispute Resolution to Improve System
3 months ago | 754 viewsWorkplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden is seeking public feedback on experiences with employment advocates and dispute resolution to identify root causes, barriers, and potential improvements. Concerns include the lengthy, costly nature of disputes and unprofessional behavior by some advocates, which negatively impact individuals, workplaces, and the economy. The consultation, running from May 5 to July 31 on MBIE’s website, aims to gather insights across the entire dispute process to inform legislative and systemic enhancements.
Tags: Brooke van Velden Workplace Relations Employment Advocates Employment Disputes Employment Relations Authority Employment Court MBIE Employment Dispute Resolution Public Feedback Employment LegislationNew Zealand Sees 5,580 More People Move from Benefits to Work by March 2026
3 months ago | 698 viewsMinister Louise Upston highlights that more New Zealanders moved from benefits into work over the year to March 2026, despite challenging economic conditions, with 5,580 more people exiting benefits compared to the previous year. The number of people receiving Jobseeker Support and working-age main benefits decreased significantly, reflecting the impact of the Government’s welfare reset and initiatives like the Traffic Light System and Kōrero Mahi seminars. These measures aim to make jobseekers more proactive and work-ready, providing practical support to help them secure sustainable employment.
Tags: Louise Upston Minister for Social Development and Employment New Zealand Jobseeker Support MSD Kōrero Mahi Traffic Light System welfare reset employment support main benefit