In October 2019 the Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi Public Service Association (PSA) raised a pay equity claim on behalf of members in administrative and clerical roles. The claim is large and complex and now covers approximately 1,200 unique roles within 44 public sector organisations (employers).
Te whakamārama i te kerēme utu ōrite Understanding the pay equity claim
The pay equity claim covers administrative and clerical roles predominantly performed by women.
The claim was lodged under the Equal Pay Act 1972. Amendments made to the Act in 2020 makes it easier to raise a pay equity claim and encourages collaboration and evidence-based decision-making to address any sex-based undervaluation identified during the claim process.
In October 2020 Inland Revenue, Ministry of Social Development and ACC agreed a second claim covering specialist customer support officers.
A further 3 unions also raised claims for members who are covered by the scope of the PSA claim. Those unions are:
- New Zealand Police Association Te Aka Hāpai, at New Zealand Police
- Taxpro, at Inland Revenue
- NUPE, at Oranga Tamariki and Department of Corrections.
The unions have agreed to consolidate their individual claims into the PSA claim and how they will work together.
This means the PSA is acting on behalf of all unions throughout the claim process.
The employers established an Employer Claim Team, who represent them through the pay equity process.
The unions who raised claims consider achieving pay equity a high priority for their membership. Employers consider that resolving the claims is a high priority for their organisations and their employees in these roles.
The process to resolve the claims is evidenced-based with multiple steps, and it will take time to capture and analyse the information needed to assess and identify if there is any sex-based undervaluation.
Find out more about the pay equity process on our website.
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Claim updates
Update: March 2023
We are continuing to work with the unions on verifying the data from the work assessment process and a further update will be provided once this is concluded.
To keep updated with what the Unions have to say about the claim, you can visit the PSA website here and make direct enquiries with PSA by emailing psep@psa.org.nz
For any enquiries for the Employer Claim Team please email Payequityclaims@publicservice.govt.nz
Update: December 2022
The Public Sector pay equity claims have made significant progress this year!
This year we have completed:
- 611 claimant interviews
- assessment of the interview transcripts (over 1,050 hours)
- analysis of remuneration and terms and conditions from collective agreements
We are currently working with the unions on the next steps and will be providing further updates in the new year. Find out more about the pay equity process on our website.
Thank you to the people affected by the claims, their supervisors, and contacts within each agency, who have helped us with our analysis of this workforce across the Public Sector.
Update: March 2022 — Claimant work assessment interviews complete
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Claim employers
- Accident Compensation Corporation
- Cancer Control Agency
- Controller and Auditor General
- Crown Law Office
- Department of Conservation
- Department of Corrections
- Department of Internal Affairs
- Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
- Education Review Office
- Government Communications Security Bureau
- Inland Revenue
- Land Information New Zealand
- Kāinga Ora
- Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Ministry for Ethnic Communities
- Ministry for Pacific Peoples
- Ministry for Primary Industries
- Ministry for Women
- Ministry for the Environment
- Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment
- Ministry of Defence
- Ministry of Education
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Ministry of Health
- Ministry of Housing and Urban Development
- Ministry of Justice
- Ministry of Social Development
- Ministry of Transport
- National Emergency Management Agency
- New Zealand Customs Service
- New Zealand Defence Force
- New Zealand Police
- Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives
- Oranga Tamariki
- Parliamentary Counsel Office
- Parliamentary Service
- Serious Fraud Office
- Social Wellbeing Agency
- Statistics New Zealand
- Te Arawhiti
- Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission
- Te Puni Kōkiri
- The Treasury
- Whaikaha Ministry of Disabled People
Mō ētahi atu pārongo kerēme If you need more claim information
If you are a current or recent employee of a claim agency and believe your role is covered by the claim, contact your employer's People Team or email the Employer Claim Team for more information: payequityclaims@publicservice.govt.nz
If you are a member of the PSA, the New Zealand Police Association or one of the unions in the claims, you may wish to contact your union directly.
Union contact information for the PSA (operating on behalf of Taxpro and NUPE) and New Zealand Police Association:
Pay equity
Pay equity means that even if 2 jobs are very different, if they require the same or similar levels of skill, responsibility, experience, and effort, they should be paid the same.
