The New Coalition government What you need to know
Following the confirmation of the three-way coalition government comprising National, ACT, and New Zealand First, a set of employment law changes has been ratified as part of the coalition agreement. These changes, a blend of National, ACT, and New Zealand First principles, aim to bring about several changes:
Repeal of the Fair Pay Agreements regime by Christmas.
Expansion of 90-day trial periods for all employers, extending beyond those with 19 or fewer employees. This change is anticipated to be implemented within the government's initial 100 days.
Reform of health and safety laws and regulations.
Consideration of simplifying the personal grievance regime by removing remedies' eligibility when an employee is at fault and setting an income threshold above which a personal grievance cannot be pursued.
Preventing contractors bound by a contracting arrangement from challenging their employment status in the Employment Court.
Annual moderate increments in the minimum wage.
Implementation of appropriate consequences for employers found responsible for abusing migrant workers.