New Zealand: Guide to Employment Law and Policies
For expatriate medical professionals
If you are considering working in New Zealand, there are some basic documents which you should read to learn about the relevant employment law, data protection and health and safety policies which will be relevant to your employment in the country.
It is also worth having a quick look at the founding treaty of New Zealand, the famous Treaty of Waitangi of 1840, signed by the British and Maori Chiefs.
The Founding of the State of New Zealand - The Treaty of Waitangi 1840
The treaty, drafted and signed in 1840 by the representatives of the British Queen Victoria and the Chiefs of the Maori tribes, created the foundation for the modern state of New Zealand and established in law the status of the native people of New Zealand, the Maori. It is essential reading for anyone who wants to live and work in New Zealand and we have a highly informative booklet which you can download and read at leisure.
The Treaty of Waitangi 1840.pdf
EMPLOYMENT LAW
Your rights as an employee are protected by legislation. Full details of relevant legislation are available on the New Zealand Government's legislation website http://www.legislation.govt.nz/
We have included some relevant Acts below.
Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.pdf
PRIVACY LAW AND DATA PROTECTION
New Zealand is committed to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and has ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which contain a right to privacy. Despite this, there is no general right to privacy in New Zealand law. Privacy tends to hold the status of a value or an interest rather than a right. However privacy interests are protected by legislation in many specific areas which include healthcare and we have included the relevant legislation below, an essential read for candidates working in this sector.
General Privacy Legislation
Privacy Act 1993 New Zealand.pdf
Healthcare Sector Privacy Legislation