Will's Word: A great day for business. A risky one for NZ workers

The Government says it’s a great day for the labour market.

I’m not so sure it’s a great day for workers.

Parliament has just passed a major shake-up of employment law.

Minister Brooke van Velden says it modernises the system, giving certainty to businesses and workers about who is an employee and who is a contractor.

It sounds like good stuff, but take a closer look under the hood and it gets a wee bit murky.

A new four-part gateway test will decide your status from day one. The Government says that it protects genuine contractors.

Listen to Will's Word below.

But here’s the kicker. Just months ago, the Supreme Court ruled Uber drivers should be treated as employees, not contractors.

Critics say this new law could make it harder for workers to argue exactly that.

Harder to challenge what’s written in a contract, even if the reality of the job looks very different to what’s on paper.

Then there’s the $200,000 income threshold for unjustified dismissal claims.

The so-called 30-day rule is gone too, so new workers no longer automatically get collective terms in their first month.

Labour says this strips away protections. The Greens call it a dark day for workers. The Government argues it’s about flexibility and certainty.

Minister Brooke van Velden says the revised employment law modernises the system, giving certainty to businesses and workers about who is an employee and who is a contractor. Photo/Supplied

At the end of the day, shouldn’t our employment laws strike a balance that works for both workers and businesses?

Right now, it seems more pro-business.