EEO Groups
Equality at work is a fundamental right for everyone living in New Zealand. EEO means that people are treated fairly when they apply for a job, and receive equal pay, conditions, training and promotion opportunities once employed.
Research shows that a number of groups of people are particularly affected by unfair employment practices. These include women, disabled people, Māori, Pacific peoples, Asian and other ethnic communities and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. This page profiles these EEO groups.
Women
Women’s participation in paid work has increased dramatically in the last few decades and there have been some significant EEO gains. However, women continue to earn significantly less than men, remain concentrated in a much narrower range of occupations and are under-represented in senior positions. Women are still more likely to be the primary caregiver and face difficulties juggling family responsibilities and paid work.
Research shows that a number of groups of people are particularly affected by unfair employment practices. These include women, disabled people, Māori, Pacific peoples, Asian and other ethnic communities and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. This page profiles these EEO groups.
Women
Women’s participation in paid work has increased dramatically in the last few decades and there have been some significant EEO gains. However, women continue to earn significantly less than men, remain concentrated in a much narrower range of occupations and are under-represented in senior positions. Women are still more likely to be the primary caregiver and face difficulties juggling family responsibilities and paid work.
“Nothing about us, without us” is the motto of disabled people working for equal employment opportunities. However, the voice of disabled people is often not heard in labour market debates. Major gaps exist in our knowledge about progress in achieving EEO for disabled people. The Framework for the Future report notes that disabled people have high levels of unemployment and underemployment and are increasingly making complaints to the Human Rights Commission.
Click here for more information and resources on EEO and Disability.
Māori
Some progress has been achieved in the employment position of Māori since 1990. Māori labour force participation rates have increased with a decrease in the unemployment rate to 7.2 percent in March 2007. However, the Māori unemployment rate is almost three times that of European/Pakeha New Zealanders. Māori are over-represented in lower paid industries and occupations and earn significantly less per hour than European/Pakeha New Zealanders.
Click here for more information and resources on Māori and EEO.
Pacific peoples
Pacific peoples participate in the labour market at lower rates than do other groups. The Framework for the Future report states that EEO initiatives in the public service had not achieved significant results in raising the profile of Pacific peoples in government departments. Pacific people are over-represented in the manufacturing industry, clustered in lower-paid occupations and are poorly represented in management positions. Pacific women suffer the biggest gender and ethnicity pay gap.
Click here for more information and resources on Pacific peoples and EEO.
Asian and other ethnic groups
The statistical category "other" ethnic groups includes a wide range of people: from those who have lived in New Zealand for many generations, through to new migrants. While people of Asian ethnicities form the largest group, the category itself is changing significantly based on migration and demographic trends. In the late 1980s, the employment levels for the "other" ethnic category was second highest behind NZ Europeans. Since the mid-1990s, this group has had the lowest employment rate. This in part reflects the difficulties some newer migrants experience in finding paid work.
Click here for more information and resources on EEO for Asian and other ethnic groups.
The Human Rights Commission receives a significant number of enquiries and complaints of workplace discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. Problems faced by gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) people at work are difficult to tackle because there is incomplete data on the numbers of GLBT in the workforce. The biggest enemy is still the closet, says Human Rights Commissioner Joy Liddicoat. “Leadership by lesbians and gays is vital and that begins with your own decision to be proud of who you are,” she says.
Click here for the NEON page on GLBT in the workplace