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Support Workers (Pay Equity) Settlements Act 2017

Support entitlements and employer obligations - Support for training

12: Employers must ensure support workers are able to gain qualifications

You could also call this:

"Employers must help support workers get qualifications"

Illustration for Support Workers (Pay Equity) Settlements Act 2017

Your employer must help you get qualifications if you are a support worker. You should be able to get a level 2 qualification within 12 months of working for your employer. You should be able to get a level 3 qualification within 36 months and a level 4 qualification within 72 months. If you cannot get a qualification within the required time, your employer must help you get it as soon as possible. They must take all reasonably practicable steps to make sure you can get the qualification. This is part of the Support Workers (Pay Equity) Settlements Act 2017. Your employer has to make sure you can get these qualifications, so you can gain more skills and knowledge in your job. They have to help you achieve your qualifications within the given timeframe. The Support Workers (Pay Equity) Settlements Amendment Act 2020 also relates to this.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM7269154.

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11: Previous agreements that require allowances for service or qualifications unenforceable, or

"Old agreements about pay for experience or qualifications don't apply."

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"Disputes with your employer about pay equity are employment problems"

Part 2Support entitlements and employer obligations
Support for training

12Employers must ensure support workers are able to gain qualifications

  1. An employer must take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure that a support worker is able to attain—

  2. a level 2 qualification within the first 12 months of the worker’s continuous employment with the employer; and
    1. a level 3 qualification within the first 36 months of the worker’s continuous employment with the employer; and
      1. a level 4 qualification within the first 72 months of the worker’s continuous employment with the employer.

        1. If a support worker is not able to attain a qualification within the time required by subsection (1), the employer must take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure that the worker is able to attain the qualification as soon as is reasonably practicable.

        Notes
        • Section 12 heading: amended, on , by section 15(1) of the Support Workers (Pay Equity) Settlements Amendment Act 2020 (2020 No 50).
        • Section 12(1): amended, on , by section 15(2) of the Support Workers (Pay Equity) Settlements Amendment Act 2020 (2020 No 50).
        • Section 12(2): amended, on , by section 15(2) of the Support Workers (Pay Equity) Settlements Amendment Act 2020 (2020 No 50).