Maybe you were let go without a fair process. Maybe your final pay was short, your holiday pay never added up, or you were pushed out after raising a concern. New Zealand gives every employee strong protections — the right to a fair process before dismissal, the right to be paid at least the minimum wage, and the right to raise a 'personal grievance' if you're treated unfairly. But the most important right runs on a very short clock: in most cases you have just 90 days to raise a personal grievance. The law is the same right across New Zealand, but if you're in Whangārei, Kaikohe, Kerikeri, Kaitaia, Dargaville or anywhere in Te Tai Tokerau, you can get free local help. You don't need money or a web form to find out where you stand. This is general legal information to help you act fast — not legal advice, and it creates no lawyer-client relationship. Legal Hotline is not a law firm.
Free legal information. Not legal advice. Available 24/7 across Northland.
Write down dates and dollars before you cool off. Note your last day worked, the exact date of whatever happened (dismissal, a written warning, a pay shortfall, a forced change), and roughly what you think you're owed — unpaid wages, holiday pay, or notice. One clock matters more than any other: in most cases you have just 90 days from when the problem happened (or when you became aware of it) to raise a personal grievance with your employer — the only common exception is sexual harassment, where you have 12 months. Save your employment agreement, payslips, rosters, texts and any dismissal letter or email to your personal phone or email now, before you lose access to a work account. Then get advice quickly, because once 90 days pass your employer can refuse to deal with the grievance at all.
Here's what blindsides people. You can have a rock-solid story — dismissed without a fair process, or pushed out after raising a concern — and still lose it, simply because you ran out of time. In most cases you have only 90 days to raise a personal grievance, counted from the day the problem happened or the day you became aware of it. That is far shorter than people expect, and the clock starts running immediately, not when you finally decide to do something about it. After 90 days your employer can lawfully refuse to deal with the grievance, and you can only get it heard late in narrow 'exceptional circumstances' — which the Employment Relations Authority rarely accepts. The only common exception is sexual harassment, where you have 12 months. If something has gone wrong at your Northland job, don't sit on it. Get advice now and find out exactly how many days you have left.
If you'd rather start on your own, or you need free help, these are real, verified New Zealand resources — several with a local Northland presence. Free advice can point you to the right one, but here they are directly:
I was dismissed and I don't think it was fair. How long do I have to do something about it in Northland?
In most cases just 90 days, counted from the day you were dismissed or the day you became aware of the problem. That is the deadline to raise a personal grievance with your employer under section 114 of the Employment Relations Act 2000. After 90 days your employer can refuse to deal with it, and the Employment Relations Authority only allows late grievances in narrow 'exceptional circumstances.' The law is the same everywhere in New Zealand, including Northland. Don't guess at the date — get advice quickly so you don't lose the right.
Can my employer just dismiss me for any reason? Isn't employment 'at-will' here?
No. New Zealand is not an 'at-will' country. To dismiss you fairly, an employer must have a genuine reason AND follow a fair and reasonable process under section 103A — telling you the concerns, giving you a real chance to respond, and properly considering your side before deciding. If they skip the process or have no good reason, the dismissal can be 'unjustified,' even if you were on a low income or hadn't been there long. Whether your dismissal fits is exactly what free advice can help you work out.
My final pay or holiday pay looks wrong. What can I do?
Underpayment is enforceable. Your wages are protected by the Wages Protection Act 1983 and the Minimum Wage Act 1983 (adult rate $23.50/hr from 1 April 2025, rising to $23.95/hr from 1 April 2026), and your leave by the Holidays Act 2003 — which is one of the most commonly miscalculated areas in the country, sometimes going back years. You can raise it directly, use free MBIE mediation, or contact the Labour Inspectorate. Get advice on the numbers first so you know what you're owed.
What is a 'personal grievance' exactly?
It's the formal legal claim an employee raises when treated unfairly at work. The grounds in section 103 of the Employment Relations Act 2000 include unjustified dismissal, unjustified disadvantage (like a demotion or forced change), discrimination, sexual or racial harassment, and retaliation for things like raising a health-and-safety concern or whistleblowing. You usually have 90 days to raise it (12 months for sexual harassment). Free advice can help you tell which ground fits your situation.
Where do employment cases get heard in Northland — the Whangārei District Court?
No. Employment matters do not go to the ordinary courts. The path is free MBIE mediation first, then the Employment Relations Authority (an investigative body that issues binding decisions), with appeals to the Employment Court — the nearest registry is in Auckland, though mediation and the Authority can often be handled by phone or video. The Whangārei District Court hears other kinds of cases, not employment ones. Knowing the right door saves time and protects your deadline.
I was sexually harassed at work. Do I still only have 90 days?
No — sexual harassment is the one major exception. Since a 2023 change, you have 12 months to raise a personal grievance for sexual harassment, rather than the usual 90 days. It's still wise not to wait, because evidence and memories fade. Support is available, and free advice can explain your options and how to raise it safely.
Do I need a lawyer or money to start, and is mediation free?
No money is needed to start. MBIE's mediation service is free and independent, and most employment problems are resolved there without anyone going to a hearing. You don't need a lawyer to use mediation or the Employment Relations Authority, and free help is available locally through Whare Āwhina Community Law in Whangārei and the wider Community Law network. Legal aid may cover representation in some cases if you meet the income test.
I raised a concern at work and then got pushed out. Is that allowed?
Possibly not. Retaliating against you for raising a genuine health-and-safety concern, making a protected disclosure (whistleblowing), or asserting your rights can itself be a personal grievance. Being 'managed out,' demoted or having your hours cut unfairly can be an 'unjustified disadvantage' even without a formal dismissal. The same 90-day clock usually applies, so act quickly and get advice on whether what happened to you crosses the line.
What can I actually get if my grievance succeeds?
The Employment Relations Authority can order reimbursement of lost wages, compensation for hurt and humiliation, and sometimes reinstatement to your job. Amounts depend on the facts — hurt-and-humiliation awards commonly sit in the low-to-mid thousands and can be higher in serious cases. Note that ACC bars most personal-injury lawsuits, so workplace harm is generally addressed through the employment system. Free advice can give you a realistic sense of your own situation.
Is this service legal advice, and does Legal Hotline represent me?
No. Legal Hotline is not a law firm, and what you get is general legal information — not legal advice — and it creates no lawyer-client relationship. What it does is help you understand your situation quickly, flag the deadline that matters (usually 90 days), point you to free Northland help, and, if you want, connect you with a New Zealand employment lawyer. For free, independent advice you can also contact Community Law or MBIE's Employment New Zealand directly.
Are you a New Zealand-qualified employment lawyer working with people in Northland — Whangārei, the Bay of Islands, the Far North or the Kaipara? We connect worried, time-pressured workers facing unjustified dismissal, unpaid wages and holiday pay, unjustified disadvantage, harassment and retaliation with lawyers who can help. If you'd like to receive referrals as our network grows, get in touch about joining. (This is a path for lawyers; people needing help should use the free information and local 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 job — dismissed without a fair process, shorted on wages or holiday pay, demoted, harassed, or pushed out for speaking up — New Zealand employment law may be squarely on your side, but in most cases only if you act within 90 days. The law is the same across the country, and in Northland there's free local help through Whare Āwhina Community Law in Whangārei, the Community Law network, and MBIE's free mediation service. You don't need money or a lawyer to find out where you stand. This is 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. Find out your options before another day comes off the clock.
Free legal information. Not legal advice.