Profiles

Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC)

 

ACC is the Crown entity that manages New Zealand's accident compensation scheme. Its key role is to prevent injury, treat it when it occurs, and rehabilitate people back to work or independence as soon as practicable.  Where rehabilitation is limited or impracticable, ACC provides long term support for injured people with ongoing needs.

The Scheme began in 1974 and is unique in its scope and purpose. Operating under the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Act 2001. ACC provides comprehensive, 24-hour, no-fault personal injury cover and entitlements for everyone in New Zealand, whether they be a citizen, a resident or a temporary visitor.

ACC supports the establishment, role and purpose of the Employers’ Disability Network and contributes to the development of the network as a member of the steering group.

Business New Zealand

Business New Zealand is New Zealand's largest business advocacy body, representing employer members of the four regional business organisations: EMA Northern, EMA Central, Canterbury Employers' Chambers of Commerce of Commerce and the Otago Southland Employers' Association. As well, Business New Zealand has 69 affiliated trade and industry associations with a combined membership of some 76,000 private sector employers, from large firms to the self-employed, reflecting the make-up of the New Zealand economy. Taken together, employers represented by Business New Zealand employ around 80% of private sector employees.

In addition to advocacy on behalf of enterprise, Business New Zealand contributes to governmental and tripartite working parties as well as international bodies, including the International Labour Organisation, the International Organisation of Employers and the Business and the Industry Advisory Council to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.  Business New Zealand has long promoted the employment of disabled people and is represented on the Workbridge Council.

Auckland Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Founded over 150 years ago the Auckland Chamber’s role in the community, as a not-for-profit business membership association, is to promote, support, and encourage sustainable, profitable business.
As one of 29 Chambers within New Zealand and 22,000 Chambers internationally, the Auckland Chamber is affiliated with the world’s largest business network. The Auckland Chamber is the largest of the New Zealand Chamber organisations and takes a lead role in the development and implementation of many national Chamber initiatives and policy.
The Chamber has close relationships with industry bodies within the local and national business communities including government, institutions, other business associations and the media.

Department of Labour (DOL)

The Department of Labour’s primary role is to improve the performance of the labour market and, through this, strengthen the economy and increase the standard of living for those in New Zealand.  It:
• supports employers and employees to create safe, fair and rewarding workplaces
• supports regions, industries and employers to develop a skilled, innovative and productive workforce
• researches opportunities to develop the workforce and workplaces
• assists the flow of people to New Zealand
• influences and leads international thinking and practice on labour market, national security and refugee issues.

Disabled People's Assembly (DPA)

DPA is the collective voice of people with disability in New Zealand based on principles of human rights and equal value of life.
DPA is an umbrella organisation representing:
• People with all types of impairments — physical, sensory, intellectual, psychiatric and neurological, acquired at any stage of life
• The families of people with disability
• Disability advocacy organisations
• Disability service providers

The Equal Employment Opportunities Trust (EEO Trust)

The EEO Trust provides information and tools on EEO and raises awareness of diversity issues in the workplace. The Trust assists employers to introduce and manage proven EEO thinking and practices as well as building understanding of the business benefits of versatile and inclusive workplaces.
The EEO Trust has undertaken research into the experiences of people with disabilities in the workplace and in seeking work, and has prepared comprehensive resources for employers wanting to tap into the skills and energy of disabled people.
The EEO Trust supports the Employers Disability Network, which provides employers with an opportunity to engage more effectively with disabled staff and customers. As a member of the Network's steering committee, the EEO Trust has contributed its experience of working in partnership with employers to raise awareness of the business benefits of making the most of New Zealand's increasingly diverse population.

Ministry of Social Development (MSD)

The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is one of New Zealand's largest government departments. They provide government with advice on strategic social policy, sectoral policy and social research and evaluation in the areas of income support, child, youth and family as well as community. They are also responsible for providing policy advice and support through the Offices for the Community and Voluntary Sector, Senior Citizens and Disability Issues.
Their service delivery areas are responsible for the implementation of income support and employment services, as well as providing leadership and coordination of services and programmes that support families. MSD also administers student allowances and loans, New Zealand Superannuation, Veteran's and War Pensions, and a range of specialist functions such as the Community Services Card and financial means testing for long stay care subsidies.
The Ministry of Social Development supports the establishment of an Employers' Disability Network to create greater understanding of people with disabilities, help more disabled people into work and improve service to customers.  MSD will support the establishment of the Network by providing secretariat support, project management and an advisory group to founding members.  MSD will work with founding members of the Network for the mutual benefit of business and disabled people.

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU)

With over 350, 000 workers and 40 affiliates the CTU is the largest democratic representative organisation in New Zealand. The CTU priority is building a high skill, high value, strong economy and an equitable and just society.

The core of CTU activity is improving employment conditions, rights and wages through collective and union representation. The CTU is engaged in a number of projects to increase workforce capacity and capability: health and safety; learning representatives; pay and employment equity and productivity are some of the activities they are engaged in with workers and employers to achieve the goal of decent work for all workers.

They are committed, through democratic processes and social partnership, to ensure that workers regardless of race, sex, and disability, sexual orientation all experience employment that is satisfying and provides opportunities for economic and social advancement.

The Office for Disability Issues

The Office for Disability Issues is represented on both the Employers’ Disability Network steering group and project team.  The Office, launched in September 2002, has responsibility for promoting and monitoring the implementation of the New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS). Each year, the Office asks government agencies to report on their implementation of the NZDS and their plans for implementing it over the next year.  All government agencies are asked to report on the accessibility of their public information, services, buildings and employment practices.  Government agencies with social policy responsibilities are also asked to report on their inclusion of a disability perspective and on work they lead that makes a difference in the lives of disabled people.  The Office has identified both accessibility and employment - the NZDS’s Objective 4 is “Provide opportunities in employment and economic development for disabled people” - as current priorities for action in the implementation of the NZDS. 

The Office was a member of the New Zealand delegation which played a leading role in developing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  New Zealand signed the Convention on 30 March 2007, and government departments are now preparing for its ratification.  The Convention recognises the importance of accessibility and employment in making a difference for disabled people, and includes articles specifically on these: Article 9, “Accessibility”, and Article 27, “Work and Employment”.  The commitments required by Article 27 include commitments to prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in relation to all forms of employment, and to ensure reasonable accommodation is provided to disabled people in the workplace.

 

State Services Commission

The State Services Commission is the Government's lead advisor on New Zealand's public management system and works with government agencies to support the delivery of quality services to New Zealanders.

The State Services Commissioner's statutory roles are to appoint and manage Public Service chief executives, provide leadership across the State Services, investigate and report on matters relating to the performance of the Public Service departments, provide guidance on integrity and conduct to State servants, and promote, develop, and monitor equal employment opportunities policies and programmes for the Public Service. It also leads New Zealand's e-government programme, has a central role in developing State Services people capability and advises the Government on the structure of the State sector, including the allocation of functions between agencies.

Workbridge

Workbridge is a not-for-profit organisation that has been operating since 1990. They provide a professional employment service for people with all types of disability, including people who have lived with the long-term effects of injury and illness. A Workbridge client will have been living with the effects of their disability, injury or illness for more than six months.
Workbridge employment consultants work with jobseekers and employers to match people to the right job. The work could be casual, temporary or permanent, and either full-time or part-time. There is no charge for services to jobseekers and employers.
We also administer Support Funds on behalf of the Ministry of Social Development. There is a Job Support Fund to assist disabled people gain or retain employment. This covers the additional costs a person has as a direct consequence of their disability, when undertaking the same job or training as a person without a disability.
Workbridge fully supports the creation of the Employer's Disability Network, and recognises the positive change that such an organisation can have. They have a positive experience of working with the equivalent organisation in the United Kingdom, Employers' Forum on Disability. This has led to us publishing a resource for employers, called Manager's guide - A best practice approach to working with disabled employees.  This has been very well received by employers and disability organisations alike, and is available free of charge from all Workbridge centres.