General Publications
Department of Labour Annual Report 2006
Report on the Department's Activities in 2005/06
What the Department achieved
Long-term goal 2: All people have opportunities to participate in well-paid and meaningful employment
Participation in the workforce not only provides an income and creates a sense of self–worth, it also opens doors to participation in areas of life beyond paid work.
Paid Parental Leave
The Department worked over the year on amendments to the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act. From 1 July 2006 self-employed parents became eligible for 14 weeks paid parental leave. It is estimated that more than 2,000 additional families will benefit from the paid parental leave scheme each year as a result of the amendments to the Act. In addition, the rate paid to people on parental leave increased from a maximum of $357.30 to $372.12 per week (before tax).
Work-Life Balance
After public consultation in 2003/04, the Department is implementing a three-year project on work-life balance. We are working with a group of private and public sector workplaces to trial a customised work-life balance tool that gathers information about work-life balance issues and possible solutions. The tool can be applied to a diverse range of organisations. Workplaces were recruited from industries that have difficulties with recruitment or retention because of perceived work-life balance issues. Organisations participating in the project are: Fulton Hogan, Christchurch Casino, IndeServe, Express Couriers Ltd, New Zealand Police, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Compac Sorting Equipment, Kirkcaldie and Stains, EziBuy, City Care, Tip Top Bread, Education Review Office, Hutt Valley District Health Board, and the Department of Labour. After evaluating information from the trial, the results and the work-life balance tool will be widely disseminated to workplaces.
Enhancing Parents ’ and Other Carers ’ Choices
The Department has been leading the development of an action plan called Enhancing Parents’ and Other Carers’ Choices, now called Choices for Living, Caring and Working, which aims to provide New Zealanders with meaningful choices around balancing their participation in the labour market with their family responsibilities. In March 2005 Cabinet agreed to the medium-term plan of action that aligns initiatives across a range of agencies and policy areas.
Partnership Resource Centre
The Partnership Resource Centre was established in October 2004 to promote positive workplace relations between employers and unions. In its first year, more than 30 employers or unions approached the Centre for assistance with more productive approaches to employment relations.
Better Work, Working Better
The Department is leading the Government’s labour market and employment strategy called Better Work, Working Better. The strategy was launched by the Department in August 2005. It has been adopted by the New Zealand Chambers of Commerce, the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions, Business New Zealand and the Mayors’ Taskforce for Jobs. The strategy aims to create a high-performing labour market that leads to an economy and society in which:
- creating value is as important as growing value
- innovation and strategic thinking about global opportunities underpin the development of new products and services
- New Zealand businesses and workers capture a greater percentage of the value of products and services they generate
- there are opportunities for all New Zealanders to participate and succeed
- greater rewards are realised in a variety of forms, including more interesting and satisfying work, more time for creativity, higher wages, greater profits, more leisure time and better outcomes for families
- the wellbeing of families is enhanced by high-quality working lives.