🇳🇿 New Zealand - Employment & Labour - 16 plans
New Zealand employment law operates primarily under the Employment Relations Act 2000, which establishes the framework for employment relationships, collective bargaining, personal grievances, and dispute resolution. Workplace health and safety obligations are governed by the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, and minimum entitlements for leave and holidays are set out in the Holidays Act 2003. The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) serves as the first-instance investigative body for employment disputes, with the Employment Court handling more complex matters and challenges to ERA determinations.
Our New Zealand employment matter plans cover personal grievance claims (including unjustifiable dismissal, disadvantage, discrimination, and harassment), employment agreement disputes, collective bargaining processes, health and safety prosecutions, and Holidays Act compliance reviews. Plans incorporate the mandatory mediation requirement and the investigative procedures of the ERA.
The principal employment legislation in New Zealand, establishing the framework for employment relationships, individual and collective employment agreements, personal grievances, strikes and lockouts, and the institutions for dispute resolution (mediation, the ERA, and the Employment Court).
Establishes the duties of persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) to ensure the health and safety of workers and others affected by the work. Provides for WorkSafe New Zealand as the primary regulator and sets out enforcement mechanisms including improvement and prohibition notices and criminal prosecution.
Governs minimum entitlements for annual holidays, public holidays, sick leave, bereavement leave, and family violence leave. Sets out the rules for calculating holiday pay, including the "ordinary weekly pay" and "average weekly earnings" calculations.
National
An investigative tribunal that serves as the primary body for resolving employment relationship problems. Investigates and determines personal grievances, employment agreement breaches, and other disputes. Operates as an independent, less formal body focused on establishing facts and determining matters on their substantial merits.
National
A specialist court with equivalent standing to the High Court. Hears challenges to ERA determinations, complex employment litigation, strike and lockout matters, and questions of law. Decisions can be appealed to the Court of Appeal with leave.
Every employment & labour matter plan on this page has been created and refined by verified legal practitioners. Our community-driven approach means plans reflect real-world practice, not theoretical frameworks.
Suggest improvements, flag outdated procedures, or contribute entirely new plans. All suggestions are peer-reviewed and voted on by the community before being incorporated.
New Zealand employment & labour practitioners can access 16 free employment & labour matter plans, including 12 specialist derivative plans on the Open Matter Plans Network. Each plan is a structured checklist covering every stage of a employment & labour matter - from initial instructions through to completion - with estimated time units, key dates, and role assignments built in. Use them directly in your browser or export to CSV for your practice management system.
All plans are maintained by verified legal practitioners, version-controlled, and aligned to the SALI Alliance Legal Matter Standard Specification - making them compatible with legal AI workflows and direct PMS integration via the JSON API.