Coverage of The ERA
Almost all employees in NZ are covered by the ERA (section 6). The ERA covers persons who do any work for payment for an employer under a contract of service. Payment may include commissions, piece rates, salaries, or wages. In 2007 The Employment Relations Authority decided that some Ukrainian sailors, who entered into their employment agreements in Russia and were working on a Russian registered ship in NZ waters for a NZ-based charter were entitled to get the NZ minimum wage while in NZ waters.
However, the armed forces, judges, the NZ SIS, and to some extent the police are not covered. The ERA specifically includes homeworkers, for example, a person who buys material from a provider to make shirts at home and then sells the shirts back to the provider, and persons intending to work, that is, those who have accepted a job offer but not yet started working. It specifically excludes volunteers.
The ERA does not cover the relationship between principal and contractor or between contractor and sub-contractor. When the nature of the employment relationship is in doubt the Employment Court "must consider all relevant matters" pertaining to the nature of the relationship. (section 6(3) a).
Read more about this topic: Employment Relations Act 2000
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