New Zealand

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2022 Score

68

Score Decrease

2020 Score

68.5

Rating

Limited Access to
Decent Work

Fair
Wages

20

Decent
Working Hours

80

Employment
Security

40

Family
Responsibilities

25

Maternity
at Work

100

Safe
Work

100

Social
Security

40

Fair
Treatment

100

Child &
Forced Labour

75

Trade
Union

100

1. Fair Wages
2. Decent Working Hours
3. Employment Security
4. Family Responsibilities
5. Maternity at Work
6. Safe Work
7. Social Security
8. Fair Treatment
9. Child & Forced Labour
10. Trade Union

Fair Wages

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law prescribe minimum wage rates in the country?Yes1§4 of Minimum Wage Act, 1983
Does the law require regular payment of wages?No0§9 & 10 of Wages Protection Act, 1983
Does the law require overtime compensation be at least 125% of the regular hourly rate?No0§67C, 67D & 67E of Employment Relations Act, 2000
Does the law require additional compensation for working on a weekly rest day?No0No applicable legal provisions could be located
Does the law require additional compensation for night work?No0No applicable legal provisions could be located

Decent Working Hours

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law stipulate general working hours as 48 hours or lower?Yes1§11B of Minimum Wage Act, 1983
Does the law restrict maximum working hours including overtime to 56 hours per week?No0§67C of Employment Relations Act, 2000
Does the law require a weekly rest of at least 24 hours?Yes1§11B of Minimum Wage Act, 1983
Does the law require paid public holidays?Yes1§43-46 of Holidays Act, 2003
Does the law require at least three working weeks of paid annual leave?Yes1§16 of Holidays Act, 2003

Employment Security

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law require written employment contracts or at least written employment particulars?Yes1§64 & 65 of Employment Relations Act, 2000
Does the law restrict the hiring of fixed-term contract workers?No0§66 of Employment Relations Act, 2000
Does the law limit the length of probation period including renewals to a maximum of 3 months?Yes1§67 of Employment Relations Act, 2000
Does the law require a 30-day notice before contract termination?No0§120 of Employment Relations Act, 2000
Does the law require severance pay at the rate of at least 2 weeks of wages for every year of service?No0§69N of Employment Relations Act, 2000

Family Responsibilities

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law require parental leave for parents?Yes1§9 of Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act, 1987
Does the law require at least one week of paid paternity leave for fathers?No0§19 of Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987
Does the law require flexible work arrangements for workers with family responsibilities?No0Part 6AA of the Employment Relations Act, 2000
Does the law require paid nursing breaks?No0§69Y and 69ZB of the Employment Relations Act 2000

Maternity at Work

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law prohibits inquiring about pregnancy during recruitment?Yes1§21, 22 & 74 of the Human Rights Act, 1993
Does the law require paid maternity leave of at least 14 weeks?Yes1§9 of the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987
Does the law require cash maternity benefit be at least 67% of a worker's former wage?Yes1§71M of the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987
Does the law require maternity benefit be paid through contributory social insurance or universal benefits system?Yes1§71Q of the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987
Does the law protect workers from dismissals during or on account of pregnancy?Yes1§49 of Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act, 1987

Safe Work

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law require provision of free personal protective equipment to workers from employer?Yes1§6 of Health and Safety in Employment Act, 1992
Does the law require the employer to train workers on health and safety issues?Yes1§13 of Health and Safety in Employment Act, 1992
Does the law restrict work that is prejudicial to the health of the mother or the child?Yes1§14-16 of Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act, 1987
Does the law provide for employment injury benefit?Yes1§97-106 of the Accident Compensation Act 2001

Social Security

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law provide for an old age pension?Yes1§7(1) of New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act, 2001
Does the law provide for a dependants'/survivors' pension?No0§90-94 of the Social Security Act 2018
Does the law provide for unemployment benefit?Yes1§20-28 of the Social Security Act 2018
Does the law require paid sick leave for the first 6 months of sickness?No0§27-28 of the Social Security Act 2018
Does the law provide for invalidity benefit?No0§84-89 of the Social Security Act 2018

Fair Treatment

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law require equal remuneration for work of equal value?Yes1§2AAC of Equal Pay Act, 1972
Does the law prohibit sexual harassment in employment?Yes1§62, 92I & 92M of Human Rights Act, 1993; §108, 123 & 128 of Employment Relations Act, 2000
Does the law prohibit discrimination in employment matters?Yes1§21 and 22 of Human Rights Act, 1993
Does the law allow women to do the same jobs as men?Yes1No restrictive legal provisions could be located
Does the law guarantee basic labour protections for gig economy workers?Yes1Social Security Act 2018; ISSA Country Profile for New Zealand

Child & Forced Labour

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law prohibit employment of children?Yes1Section 54 of the Education and Training Act 2020
Does the law set employment entry age equal to or higher than the compulsory schooling age?Yes1Section 35 of the Education and Training Act 2020
Does the law prohibit the employment of children in hazardous work under the age of 18 years?No0Reg. 43 of the Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations 2016
Does the law prohibit forced labour?Yes1Section 98D of the Crimes Act 1961

Trade Union

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law allow workers to form and join unions of their own choice?Yes1§8-11 of Employment Relations Act, 2000
Does the law allow workers to bargain collectively with employers through their representative unions?Yes1§13-18, 32-34 & 40-50 of Employment Relations Act, 2000
Does the law provide for the right to strike?Yes1§81, 82A-96 of Employment Relations Act, 2000
Does the law prohibit employers from terminating employment contracts of striking workers?Yes1§97 of Employee Relations Act, 2000