Govt Seeks New ERA Members to Balance Expertise and Boost Workplace Certainty

ERA members are expected to be analytical, impartial, and comfortable making decisions that carry significant weight for both employers and employees.

The New Zealand Government is actively seeking expressions of interest from skilled professionals to fill five upcoming vacancies at the Employment Relations Authority (ERA)—a pivotal institution tasked with resolving workplace disputes and facilitating fair employment practices.

Brooke van Velden, Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety, has announced the recruitment drive as part of her broader effort to ensure the ERA better reflects the diverse landscape of New Zealand’s employment sectors. Several current members of the ERA have not been reappointed, prompting a reshuffle that aims to re-balance the Authority's experience base and strengthen public confidence in its decisions.

“ERA members have an important role to play in supporting both worker and employer certainty and ensuring employers and employees do right by each other,” said van Velden. “It is important the ERA attracts committed and experienced people who can arrive at sound and reasonable decisions on employment law matters.”

Balancing Public and Private Sector Representation

One of the key concerns raised by Minister van Velden is the current imbalance in ERA members’ backgrounds. At present, 76 percent of members have strong experience in the public sector, while only 48 percent bring substantial knowledge of private business operations. This, she argues, doesn’t reflect the realities of New Zealand’s workforce composition.

“I would like to see the make-up of ERA membership better reflect the proportions of public sector and private sector employment in New Zealand,” she noted. “Having a more balanced mix ensures the Authority has a well-rounded understanding of workplace challenges across all industries.”

This call is particularly relevant as the government looks to restore predictability and efficiency in employment relations. Van Velden has previously highlighted policies intended to reduce uncertainty, such as removing eligibility for remedies in employment disputes where the employee is at fault. Ensuring ERA decisions align with such initiatives is central to the Minister’s reform agenda.

Ensuring Efficient and Fair Dispute Resolution

The ERA operates as an independent body under the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), providing an alternative to the traditional court system for resolving workplace disagreements. From personal grievances and unjustified dismissals to bargaining issues and contractual disputes, ERA members play a crucial role in adjudicating matters that impact both individual livelihoods and business operations.

Van Velden emphasized that by resolving disputes swiftly and fairly, the ERA can alleviate pressure on New Zealand’s courts and reduce time and financial costs for all parties involved.

“By having employment disputes resolved quickly we can ease the burden on New Zealand’s court system. It also means the parties involved will not need to waste as much time and money on trying to sort out work-related problems they may be experiencing.”

She added that consistent and credible decisions from the ERA can materially influence how confident workers feel entering or staying in the workforce, and how employers view their responsibilities and liabilities.

Ideal Candidates: Legal and Business Experts Wanted

The Government is casting a wide net for potential candidates, with a particular interest in individuals who bring a blend of employment law expertise, commercial acumen, and real-world workplace experience. Applicants must be able to objectively assess disputes, get to the core of complex problems, and deliver fair, equitable, and legally sound outcomes.

Ideal candidates may have experience as:

• Employment lawyers or legal advisors

• Business owners or senior managers

• HR professionals with dispute resolution expertise

• Industrial relations specialists

ERA members are expected to be analytical, impartial, and comfortable making decisions that carry significant weight for both employers and employees. Strong communication and writing skills are also essential, as members are responsible for issuing detailed written determinations.

Positions are open to applicants based in Christchurch, Wellington, or Auckland.

Application Process

Those interested in contributing to New Zealand’s employment relations framework are encouraged to apply via the MBIE website. Detailed job information and application forms can be found at:

👉 Employment Relations Authority Member Job Details | MBIEPROD Applications close on 20 April 2025.

Minister van Velden concluded by reiterating the government’s commitment to building “thriving and productive workplaces” and emphasized that the quality of ERA appointments will be key to that goal.

“ERA decisions can have a material impact on the costs of being an employer and doing business and can impact workers’ confidence to enter or remain in the workforce,” she said.

With this recruitment drive, the Government is signaling a strong push toward a more balanced, efficient, and trusted employment dispute resolution system—one that works better for both businesses and workers across Aotearoa.