Legislation

Employment Relations Amendment Act 2026

Summary

The Employment Relations Amendment Act 2026 amends the Employment Relations Act 2000. The Act inserts a new category of "specified contractor" into section 6, expressly excluding such persons from the definition of employee. The definition is based on a set of cumulative criteria relating to the written terms of the arrangement, including the absence of restrictions on working for others, no required availability at set times or the ability to subcontract, no termination for declining additional work, and a reasonable opportunity to seek independent advice before entering the arrangement. 

Additional provisions may be included in the original Employment Relations Amendment Act 2026 that are not covered in this summary. For complete information, please refer to the full text of the Amendment Act.

Thematic areas