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Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse has today rejected claims that the Employment (Pay Equity and Equal Pay) Bill currently before Parliament will make it harder to settle pay equity claims.

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse has today introduced the Employment (Pay Equity and Equal Pay) Bill to Parliament.

“The Bill implements the recommendations made by the Joint Working Group and aims to address one of the material barriers to achieving pay equity,” Mr Woodhouse says.

“The Bill provides a practical and fair process for employees to follow if they feel they are not being paid what their job is worth.

ACC and Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse today announced a new Workplace Health and Safety Performance Improvement Toolkit (the Toolkit) to provide businesses with advice and guidance to improve health and safety performance.

“The Toolkit delivers a framework that defines what good health and safety looks like and encourages active involvement and engagement throughout the workplace, from workers and operational managers through to senior leaders and boards,” Mr Woodhouse says.  

Budget 2017 provides $36.3 million of additional operating spending over the next four years for WorkSafe New Zealand to build its capability as an effective, risk-targeted regulator, says Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse.

$17.36 million has been reprioritised from within baseline and the remaining $18.97 million is new funding from the Health and Safety at Work Levy.

“Budget 2017 recognises the work required to lift health and safety performance in the workplace,” Mr Woodhouse says.

Budget 2017 provides $8.7 million of operating funding over the next four years for initiatives to support pay equity dispute resolution and Holidays Act compliance, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse says.

“The Government is committed to achieving pay equity in New Zealand and ensuring we have the resources to settle pay equity claims in a timely manner,” Mr Woodhouse says.

The $8.7 million is made up of $6.7 million of new funding and $2 million reprioritised from existing baselines. 

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse today released an exposure draft of the Pay Equity Bill for public consultation.

“The Government is committed to achieving pay equity in New Zealand and providing a practical and fair process for employees to follow if they feel they are not being paid what their job is worth due to gender discrimination,” Mr Woodhouse says.

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse says it’s pleasing to see the responsible and measured way businesses are responding to the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.

“Today marks the one year anniversary since the biggest reform of health and safety legislation in more than 20 years and there are positive signs that both attitudes and behaviours towards health and safety are beginning to shift,” Mr Woodhouse says.

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse has today announced new measures to stop employers who breach immigration and employment law from recruiting migrant workers.

“Migrant workers make a valuable contribution to our workforce and have the same rights as any other worker,” Mr Woodhouse says.

“It is simply unacceptable that those employers who exploit migrant workers are still able to recruit from the international labour market and disadvantage those employers who do the right thing.

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse is pleased to announce the appointment of Jenni-Maree Trotman as a new Member of the Employment Relations Authority (the Authority).

The Authority performs a very important role in New Zealand’s employment relations system, investigating and working to resolve employment relationship problems.

“Ms Trotman is an experienced employment lawyer who will join the Auckland office for a term of three years,” says Mr Woodhouse.

The minimum wage will increase by 50 cents to $15.75 an hour on 1 April 2017, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse announced today.

The starting-out and training hourly minimum wage rates will increase from $12.20 to $12.60 per hour, remaining at 80 per cent of the adult minimum wage.

“The Government is committed to striking the right balance between protecting our lowest paid workers and ensuring jobs are not lost,” says Mr Woodhouse.