All employees have rights by New Zealand law that can’t be taken away. Employers have a responsibility to protect and uphold employees rights, but as we are all human, there could be times they fall short.
Basic employee rights
This means it's important that you understand what basic rights you should have, that way you can ask for help or ask your employer questions if they aren't following the law
The law protects an employee at work by: Setting the minimum rights of an employee. Making sure all workers are safe at mahi (work) and not unlawfully discriminated against, bullies or harassed. Making sure both you, the employee, and your employer acts in good faith.
Employer obligations to disabled employees
Your employer must make reasonable accommodations to meet an employees needs under the Human Rights Act 1993.
What does this mean for you? Reasonable accommodation means making changes to ensure everyone has a fair chance to participate and succeed.
While some disabilities might make certain tasks tricky, a good manager can help solve these challenges by working with the employee or job applicant. This could be improving access to buildings or adjusting how jobs are done.
Check out more reasonable accommodation employees must meet. (external link)
Discrimination at work
The law protects all people from unlawful discrimination in the workplace. According to the Human Rights Act 1993, it's not okay to ask job applicants questions that hint at discrimination based on the grounds listed in the Act. If you feel like an employer has done this, you can file a complaint under the Human Rights Act 1993.
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Last updated on Tuesday, 11 June 2024