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New Zealand law explained for everyone

Equal Pay Act 1972

Pay equity claims - Employer decisions about claims

13PA: Time limit for employer’s decisions about pay equity claim

You could also call this:

"Employers must decide on pay equity claims within 60 working days"

When you get a pay equity claim, you must make some decisions as soon as you can. You have to decide what to do under section 13PB and whether the claim is good under section 13Q. You make these decisions based on what you think.

You must tell the person who made the claim about your decisions within 60 working days. You can take longer if you tell them you need more time under section 13R. There are some exceptions to this rule, which are explained in sections 13PB and 13ZZAA.

You follow sections 13PB, 13Q, and 13S to make and tell people about your decisions. These sections help you know what to do when someone makes a pay equity claim. You should look at these sections to understand how to make your decisions.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1439876.

Topics:
Work and jobs > Worker rightsRights and equality > Anti-discrimination
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13P: Effect of consolidation, or

"What happens when multiple pay claims are combined into one claim to sort out equal pay issues"

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13PB: Employer’s decision about whether claim meets requirements of section 13E, or

"Your employer decides if your pay equity claim is valid and meets the rules."

Part 4Pay equity claims
Employer decisions about claims

13PATime limit for employer’s decisions about pay equity claim

  1. An employer who receives a pay equity claim must, as soon as is reasonably practicable after receiving it,—

  2. make a decision under section 13PB; and
    1. decide under section 13Q whether, in the employer’s view, the pay equity claim has merit.

      1. The employer must make, and give notice of, those decisions in accordance with sections 13PB, 13Q, and 13S not later than—

      2. 60 working days after the employer receives the pay equity claim; or
        1. any extended date specified in a notice by the employer under section 13R.

          1. This section is subject to sections 13PB(6) and 13ZZAA in the circumstances to which those provisions apply.

          Notes
          • Section 13PA: inserted, on , by section 20 of the Equal Pay Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 21).