New Bill Set to Reform Parental Leave Flexibility and Health and Safety Regulations

The new provision will address cases where people unexpectedly assume primary caregiving roles but have not formally taken parental leave.

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden has announced that the Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3) has passed its first reading, marking a significant step towards improving parental leave settings and simplifying health and safety regulations.

The Bill includes a key change aimed at providing greater flexibility for non-biological parents. Currently, individuals must stop working to access parental leave payments upon becoming a primary carer. The new provision will address cases where people unexpectedly assume primary caregiving roles but have not formally taken parental leave.

Minister van Velden highlighted a specific example: “A man and his partner were informally caring for a child. When formal parenting orders were made, he resigned from his job to become the child’s primary carer but was denied parental leave payments because he did not take leave from the moment he became the primary carer. This small, technical change will significantly impact Kiwi families and diverse parenting arrangements, removing unnecessary stress from their lives.”

In addition to improving parental leave, the Bill makes several adjustments to health and safety laws. It aims to resolve legislative issues, clarify ambiguous provisions, and ensure that regulations are fit for purpose. The goal is to reduce the administrative burden on businesses and organizations, allowing them to focus on addressing actual health and safety concerns rather than navigating complex rules.

“I want to ensure that businesses and organizations are concentrated on preventing harm to workers, not entangled in unnecessary bureaucratic steps,” said van Velden. She is also undertaking a comprehensive public consultation on health and safety to identify and address further issues.

The Bill, by clearing up existing legislative provisions, aims to simplify legal compliance for Kiwi families and businesses. “These changes will make it easier for families to understand the law and meet government requirements,” van Velden concluded.