Maybe you were let go without a fair process, never got your holiday pay, or were demoted after you raised a concern. New Zealand gives workers real protection — you can challenge an unjustified dismissal or an unjustified disadvantage through a 'personal grievance' under the Employment Relations Act 2000 — but almost all of it runs on a single, unforgiving clock: in most cases you have just 90 days to raise a personal grievance with your employer. This page explains, in plain English, how the law works and where to get help in Nelson. It's general legal information, not legal advice, and reading it creates no lawyer-client relationship. Legal Hotline is not a law firm.
Free legal information. Not legal advice. Available 24/7 across Nelson.
Write down the dates and the dollars while it's fresh. Note your last day worked, the exact day the problem happened (the dismissal, demotion, warning, or unpaid wages), and roughly what you think you're owed — unpaid wages, holiday pay, or notice. The critical deadline: in most cases you have only 90 days from when the problem happened (or when you found out about it) to formally raise a personal grievance with your employer. Sexual harassment grievances have a longer 12-month window. Save your employment agreement, payslips, rosters, emails, and any dismissal letter to your personal phone or email now, before you lose access to a work account. Then get advice early — Nelson Bays Community Law offers free help, or call our free line on 0800 461 100, any hour — so you don't let the 90-day clock run out.
Here's what blindsides Nelson workers. You can have a strong story — dismissed without a fair process, or pushed out after you complained — and still lose the right to do anything about it, simply because you waited too long. In most cases you have just 90 days from the day the problem happened (or the day you found out) to formally raise a personal grievance with your employer. That is far shorter than people expect, and after it passes you generally need either the employer to agree or the Employment Relations Authority to accept that 'exceptional circumstances' stopped you raising it in time — and that bar is high and rarely cleared. The clock starts on the day they acted, not the day you decided to do something about it. If you've been dismissed or treated unfairly, don't sit on it. Get advice now — Nelson Bays Community Law is free, and our line on 0800 461 100 is free too, any hour — and find out how many days you have left.
If you'd rather start on your own, or you need free help and a referral, these are real, verified New Zealand resources — several based right here in the Nelson region. Use the one that fits your situation:
I was dismissed from my Nelson job and I think it was unfair. What can I do?
You may be able to raise a 'personal grievance' for unjustified dismissal under the Employment Relations Act 2000. A dismissal must be both substantively justified and procedurally fair — even a good reason carried out through an unfair process can be unlawful. The catch is the deadline: in most cases you have just 90 days from the dismissal to raise the grievance with your employer. Get advice quickly — Nelson Bays Community Law is free — so you don't lose the right by waiting.
How long do I have to raise a personal grievance in New Zealand?
For most grievances, 90 days from when the problem happened or when you found out about it, whichever is later. Sexual harassment grievances have a longer 12-month window. After 90 days you generally need your employer's agreement or the Employment Relations Authority's leave on 'exceptional circumstances,' which is rarely granted. Separately, no claim can be filed in the Authority more than three years after the grievance was raised. Because the 90-day clock is so short, act early.
Does New Zealand have 'at-will' employment like the United States?
No. New Zealand has no at-will rule. An employer can't just dismiss you for any reason or none. To be lawful a dismissal must have a genuine, good reason and follow a fair process (section 103A of the Employment Relations Act 2000). If it fails either part, it can be an unjustified dismissal you can challenge through a personal grievance.
My final pay didn't include my holiday pay. Is that allowed?
Generally no. Under the Holidays Act 2003 you're entitled to be paid out your accrued annual-holiday pay when your job ends, on top of any wages owed. If it's missing or wrong, you can raise it with your employer and, if needed, the Labour Inspectorate or the Employment Relations Authority. Wage and holiday-pay arrears can usually be chased back up to six years.
What's the minimum wage in Nelson?
The minimum wage is national, so it's the same in Nelson as everywhere in New Zealand. The adult minimum wage is currently $23.50 an hour, rising to $23.95 from 1 April 2026. The training and starting-out minimum rates rise to $19.16 from the same date. If you're being paid below the legal minimum, that's recoverable — get advice.
What is mediation, and do I have to use it?
Mediation is a free, confidential meeting run by the government (MBIE) to help you and your employer resolve an employment problem without a formal hearing. It's not strictly compulsory, but the Employment Relations Authority will usually expect you to have tried it first, and most employment disputes are actually settled at this stage. It's a low-cost, low-stress place to start.
Can I be put on a 90-day trial period in Nelson?
Yes. Since the law changed (in force 21 February 2026), any employer — not just small ones — can use a 90-day trial period for a new employee, if it's properly written into your agreement before you start. A valid trial period limits your ability to bring an unjustified-dismissal grievance over a dismissal during it. Whether a trial period was validly set up is worth checking, because the requirements are strict.
I was demoted and given an unfair warning, but not dismissed. Do I have a claim?
Possibly. You don't have to lose your job to have a personal grievance. An 'unjustified disadvantage' — such as an unfair warning, an unlawful suspension, a demotion, or having work withdrawn without good reason — can also be challenged. The same 90-day deadline applies, so raise it promptly. Free advice from Nelson Bays Community Law can help you work out if it's worth pursuing.
Do I need money or a lawyer to challenge unfair treatment at work?
No. Nelson Bays Community Law and the Citizens Advice Bureau give free advice, MBIE's mediation service is free, and you can lodge an Employment Relations Authority claim yourself. If your case goes further and you can't afford a lawyer, legal aid may be available subject to an income and merits test. Cost is usually less of a barrier than people fear — the main risk is missing the 90-day deadline.
Where would my employment case be heard near Nelson?
Employment disputes don't start in the ordinary courts — they go to MBIE mediation first, then the Employment Relations Authority, with challenges heard in the Employment Court (which sits in the main centres). The Nelson District Court at 200 Bridge Street handles general criminal, civil, family and Disputes Tribunal matters for the region, but your employment grievance itself runs through the specialist employment bodies.
Is this legal advice, and does Legal Hotline represent me?
No. Legal Hotline is not a law firm, and this page gives you general legal information — not legal advice — and creates no lawyer-client relationship. What it does is help you understand your situation, flag the deadline that matters most (that 90-day window), and point you to free help in Nelson or, if you need one, a New Zealand employment lawyer.
Are you a New Zealand-licensed employment lawyer working in the Nelson, Tasman or Marlborough region? We help worried, time-pressured workers — facing unjustified dismissal, unpaid wages and holiday pay, unjustified disadvantage, harassment and discrimination — understand their position and find the right help. As this service grows, we'd like to connect people who need representation with local lawyers who can act. If you'd be interested in receiving referrals, get in touch about joining. (This is a path for lawyers; people needing help should use the free resources above.)
General legal information, not legal advice. We research every page from primary sources — legislation, the courts, and government legal-aid bodies — and check it for accuracy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at admin@platfirm.ai.
Whatever happened at your Nelson job — dismissed without a fair process, shorted on wages or holiday pay, demoted or pushed out for speaking up — New Zealand law may be on your side, but only if you act before the clock runs out, and in most cases that clock is just 90 days. You don't need money or a lawyer to find out where you stand. Get free advice from Nelson Bays Community Law, the Citizens Advice Bureau, or MBIE's free employment line, or call our free line on 0800 461 100, any hour. It's general legal information to help you move fast — not legal advice, and it creates no lawyer-client relationship. Legal Hotline is not a law firm. Don't wait until another day comes off the clock.
Free legal information. Not legal advice.