Workers' Rights
Minimum wage, personal grievances, leave, unlawful pay deductions, health and safety, and workplace discrimination in New Zealand.
Covered in this guide:
New Zealand employment law rests on the Employment Relations Act 2000 (good faith, personal grievances, bargaining), the Minimum Wage Act 1983, the Holidays Act 2003 (4 weeks' annual leave, public holidays, sick leave) and the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. Most disputes start with free mediation through Employment New Zealand, then go to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA). The big deadline to remember is the 90-day window to raise a personal grievance.
Rates current as at 1 April 2026 — re-verify on employment.govt.nz before relying on them. Employment NZ: 0800 20 90 20. WorkSafe: 0800 030 040.
Key Laws
Employment Relations Act 2000
Public Act 2000 No 24; ss 103, 103A, 114, 123
Good faith, personal grievances, remedies; mediation then the Employment Relations Authority.
Minimum Wage Act 1983
Public Act 1983 No 115; Minimum Wage Order 2026
Statutory wage floor, reviewed annually and set by Order.
Holidays Act 2003
Public Act 2003 No 129
4 weeks' annual leave, 11 public holidays, sick leave (10 days/yr) and bereavement leave.
Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
Public Act 2015 No 70; ss 36, 83
Primary duty of care on the PCBU; worker right to cease unsafe work; WorkSafe enforcement.
Minimum Wage
The Minimum Wage Act 1983 sets the legal pay floor, and the Government reviews it every year with a new Minimum Wage Order taking effect on 1 April. From 1 April 2026, the adult minimum wage is $23.95...
Personal Grievance (Unjustified Dismissal)
If you've been unjustifiably dismissed or disadvantaged at work, you can raise a personal grievance under the Employment Relations Act 2000. The legal test (s 103A) is whether a fair and reasonable em...
Annual Leave and Public Holidays
The Holidays Act 2003 guarantees every employee at least four weeks of paid annual leave each year, which you become entitled to after 12 months (and can take by agreement). You also get the public ho...
Unlawful Pay Deductions
Your employer generally cannot deduct money from your wages without your agreement. The Wages Protection Act 1983 says deductions are only lawful if they're required by law (like PAYE tax or a court o...
Workplace Health & Safety Rights
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, your employer — the PCBU (person conducting a business or undertaking) — has a primary duty of care to ensure your health and safety so far as is reasonab...
Discrimination at Work
It's unlawful for an employer to discriminate against you on a prohibited ground. Section 21 of the Human Rights Act 1993 lists the grounds — including sex, marital status, religious belief, colour, r...