Each week the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) publishes its determinations. Below is a summary of the cases determined this week, with key points for New Zealand business owners and employers. NZEI Te Riu Roa Inc v Secretary for Education — Pay equity settlement obligations and question of law referral The […]
Each week the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) publishes its determinations. Below is a summary of the cases determined this week, with key points for New Zealand business owners and employers. EQX v KiwiRail Limited — Interim reinstatement granted pending substantive hearing A Container Terminal Operator employed by KiwiRail was […]
Each week the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) publishes its determinations. Below is a summary of the cases determined this week, with key points for New Zealand business owners and employers. Kelvin Lewis Taylor v Destro Limited – Independent contractor status for brand ambassadors Mr Taylor engaged with Destro Limited as […]
A determination released on 18 March 2026 by the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) has found that Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) breached both its collective agreement consultation obligations and its statutory duty of good faith in connection with a sweeping organisational restructure proposed in November 2025. The decision in New Zealand Public […]
The Employment Relations Amendment Act 2026 received Royal Assent on 20 February 2026 and came into force the following day, representing the most significant overhaul of New Zealand’s employment law framework since the 2018 amendments. The Act amends the Employment Relations Act 2000 across several key areas, including contractor classification, personal grievance […]
A decision handed down on the 21st January 20026 between DLH and The Farmers Trading Company Limited at the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) provides helpful guidance for employers on the management of staff discount schemes and the limits of leniency for long-serving employees. The Authority confirmed that dismissal was justified […]
A recent decision by the New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal highlights the serious consequences employers face when they expose workers to unsafe or inappropriate conduct. An Auckland sole-practitioner lawyer (whose name is suppressed) has been suspended after repeatedly displaying pornography in view of staff.
Deliberate Breach Of Employment Law In a significant ruling by the Employment Relations Authority (ERA), the Southland dairy business Rural Practice Ltd (RPL) and its owner, Reza Abdul‑Jabbar, have been ordered to pay a total of NZ$215,000 in penalties for multiple deliberate breaches of employment law relating to three Indonesian […]
Exploitation Of Vulnerable Employee A recent decision of the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) [2025] NZERA 646 3064332 highlights the serious consequences for employers who exploit vulnerable workers or fail to properly honour employment agreements. The case involved a Turkish national employed at a Dunedin café who successfully recovered more than […]
Workers Describe ‘Mental Torture’ and Exploitation in Employment Case A recent determination by the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) has found that Fiji Food Distributors NZ Limited (FFDL) and its directors seriously breached New Zealand’s employment laws, including employee exploitation and unjustified dismissal. The case, formally recorded as [2025] NZERA 659, […]
