Public Service Act 2020

If you need more information about this Act, please contact the administering agency: Public Service Commission

Good employer requirements

73 Chief executive of department and board of an interdepartmental venture to be good employer

(1)

A chief executive of a department and a board of an interdepartmental venture must—

(a)

operate an employment policy that complies with the principle of being a good employer; and

(b)

make that policy (including the equal employment opportunities programme) available to its employees; and

(c)

ensure its compliance with that policy (including its equal employment opportunities programme) and report in its annual report on the extent of its compliance.

(2)

See also section 75 (which relates to promoting diversity and inclusiveness).

(3)

In this section, a good employer is an employer who operates an employment policy containing provisions generally accepted as necessary for the fair and proper treatment of employees in all aspects of their employment, including for—

(a)

the impartial selection of suitably qualified people for appointment (except in the case of ministerial staff); and

(b)

good and safe working conditions; and

(c)

an equal employment opportunities programme; and

(d)

recognition of—

(i)

the aims and aspirations of Māori; and

(ii)

the employment requirements of Māori; and

(iii)

the need for greater involvement of Māori in the public service; and

(e)

opportunities for the enhancement of the abilities of individual employees; and

(f)

recognition of the aims and aspirations, employment requirements, and the cultural differences of ethnic and minority groups; and

(g)

recognition of the employment requirements of women; and

(h)

recognition of the employment requirements of people with disabilities; and

(i)

recognition of the importance of achieving pay equity between female and male employees; and

(j)

recognition of the importance of decisions about remuneration being free from bias including, but not limited to, gender bias.

(4)

The chief executive of a departmental agency, or an interdepartmental executive board,—

(a)

is entitled to use a policy developed by their host or servicing department (and need not develop their own); but

(b)

in relation to employees carrying out the functions of the departmental agency or interdepartmental board, has the same duty under this section as the chief executive of a department.

Compare: 1988 No 20 s 56(1), (2)