Photo: RNZThe government is tweaking its legislation removing the right for contractors to challenge their employment status to make clear that it will not be applied retrospectively. It followed a case by four Uber drivers who took the ride-sharing company to the Employment Court in 2022 over their employment status. The Employment Court ruled in favour of the drivers, which Uber appealed unsuccessfully at the Court of Appeal in 2024. ACT campaigned on amending the Employment Relations Act, so those who signed up to be independent contractors could not then challenge that status in court. The coalition agreement between National and ACT stated they would, "maintain the status quo that contractors who have explicitly signed up for a contracting arrangement can't challenge their employment status in the Employment Court".

Source: Otago Daily Times February 12, 2026 15:52 UTC