My employer has not paid my salary. Who can I complain to?
First, talk to your employer in writing, and keep your payslips, bank records and your own record of hours. For free advice, call Employment New Zealand on 0800 20 90 20. If you did not get minimum wage, you can report it to the Labour Inspectorate using the online form. For other pay disputes, use free MBIE mediation. If that fails, the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) can order unpaid wages to be paid.
Official figures
- Time limit for a personal grievance
- Within 90 days of the problem happening or of you finding out about it (whichever is later), raised with your employer. If you were dismissed, the 90 days start from the end of your employment.1
- Time limit for a sexual harassment grievance
- Within 12 months of it happening or of you finding out about it (whichever is later)1
- Time limit to take a grievance to the ERA
- Within 3 years of first raising the personal grievance with your employer1
- Asking for written reasons after dismissal
- You can ask within 60 days of finding out you were dismissed. Your employer must give the reasons in writing within 14 days.1
- High-income employees
- Different rules apply to unfair dismissal grievances for employees earning NZ$200,000 or more a year1
Official sources
- Personal grievancesEmployment New Zealand (MBIE) · employment.govt.nz
- MediationEmployment New Zealand (MBIE) · employment.govt.nz
- FeesEmployment Relations Authority · era.govt.nz
- Labour Inspectorate complaintsEmployment New Zealand (MBIE) · employment.govt.nz
Read the full guide: Work disputes and unpaid wages →
People also ask
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Answers are based on official New Zealand government pages. Check the official source before you act. This is not immigration, legal or tax advice.
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