Teams from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) visited 26 Hanmer Springs hospitality and retail businesses following complaints of potential migrant exploitation.

The two-day joint-team operation at the end of last month, dubbed Operation Poplar, was launched to check if businesses in the area were complying with employment and immigration legislation. It followed allegations of exploitation of workers at some businesses in the town.

The operation, led by the Inspectorate, involved teams from Immigration New Zealand Compliance, Risk and Verification and Tenancy Services.

Simon Humphries, Head of the Labour Inspectorate, said the operation had been carefully planned after the Inspectorate received complaints about potential serious and systemic exploitation of migrant workers by several businesses in the Hanmer Springs district.

“Working closely with our colleagues from Immigration NZ Compliance, Risk and Verification and Tenancy Services we visited a total of 26 businesses over the two days the teams were in the area. The operation was a good example of MBIE’s use of an integrated approach to compliance and enforcement with the teams working closely together for a common goal.

Labour Inspectorate’s focus

“The Inspectorate’s main focus was on ensuring minimum employment standards were being met and employers were doing the right thing by their employees. At the same time, the teams from INZ checked to see employers were meeting their responsibilities with regard to the immigration responsibilities of migrant employees.”

Humphries said that while the teams were still collating the data collected during the operation, Labour Inspectors had started comprehensive reviews of the employment records and minimum employment standards at eight hospitality and retail-related businesses and investigations were ongoing.

“Apart from the businesses we specifically visited due to the complaints, the operation also presented an ideal opportunity for our inspectors to educate business owners in the town about their responsibilities and inform employees about their minimum employment standards entitlements.”

Immigration Compliance teams supported the Labour Inspectorate with the operation and undertook a number of enquiries with employers, which are ongoing.

Tenancy Compliance and Investigations

During the operation MBIE’s Tenancy Compliance and Investigations Team (TCIT) accompanied the Labour Inspectorate and Immigration NZ on three site visits to accommodation provided by the employers to their employees.

TCIT National Manager, Brett Wilson, says the team also undertook a further site visit at a private rental property to follow up on concerns raised about that property during the operation.

“As a result of these visits, TCIT will be following up on a number of breaches that were identified and also provided on the spot education to the landlords about their responsibilities under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (the Act).”

Note:

• MBIE encourages anyone who thinks they or someone else is being exploited in the workplace to contact our service centre where their concerns will be handled safely. To report a case of migrant exploitation, contact the MBIE exploitation reporting line 0800 200 088 or the MBIE contact centre, 0800 20 90 20.

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