Therapists' Pay Equity Claim
Information on the pay equity claim settlement for therapists, and steps on implementing the settlement.
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Inform
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- Settlement of the claim
- Implementing the settlement
- Payment for former employees
- Settlement documents
- More information
Settlement of the claim
We have reached agreement with NZEI Te Riu Roa on a settlement of the pay equity claim for therapists employed by the Ministry and school boards.
Following a series of information sessions held by the union in February 2024, the settlement was approved by covered employees on Friday 1 March 2024.
Implementing the settlement
There are actions schools and kura who employ therapists need to take, as well as some things they need to know, to ensure covered employees receive the benefits and new pay rates resulting from the settlement.
You can read a summary of the actions and need-to-know information through the links below. A roadmap is also available which show the key dates in the implementation of the settlement.
This information is for school board-employed therapists only. For information for Ministry-employed therapists, see the Therapists section of the Ministry Pay Equity Claims page on Te Tāhuhu.
We are currently finalising important details for the Implementation Guide.
The guidance will include information on:
- settlement funding
- pay rate translations
- the parental payment
- the reimbursement of professional fees.
We understand the importance of this guide in supporting implementation of the settlement and are committed to having it available here as soon as possible. If you have any questions in the meantime, contact us at ohumahi.support@education.govt.nz.
Webinars
Together with Te Whakarōputanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aoteraroa | NZ School Boards’ Association, we'll be hosting 2 live implementation webinars in Term 3 2024. These sessions will guide principals and school administrators through the practical steps in implementing the claim settlement. Our Ohumahi Support team will notify schools and kura of the webinar dates, and provide information on how to attend.
Payment for former employees
Former employees covered by the claim settlement, who will leave employment on or after 22 July 2024, will automatically receive backdated pay equity payments in October 2024. No action is required of these employees.
Former employees who worked after 25 May 2023 and left/will leave before 22 July 2024 need to apply for any backdated pay equity payments they are owed.
For more information and instructions on how to apply, email ohumahi.support@education.govt.nz.
As the pay equity settlement agreement came into effect from 25 May 2023, employees who finished work before this date are not eligible to apply.
Settlement documents
To see a summary of our research that identified sex-based undervaluation for this workforce, download and read the evidence report. The settlement agreement is also available to read.
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