Is workplace bullying and harassment training required in New Zealand?
By Bodhih Training Solutions, Bengaluru · UpdatedThe short answer
No New Zealand law prescribes a harassment course. But a business must, so far as is reasonably practicable, keep workers safe from harm at work under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, which includes giving them the information, training and instruction they need, and WorkSafe publishes guidance on preventing and responding to bullying. Sexual and racial harassment are also unlawful under the Employment Relations Act 2000 and the Human Rights Act 1993.
Which laws apply?
Three Acts overlap. None names a course, but each gives an employer a reason to train and to keep records.
| Law | What it requires of the employer |
|---|---|
| Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 | A person conducting a business or undertaking must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers, including mental health, and provide the information, training, instruction or supervision needed |
| Employment Relations Act 2000 | Sexual and racial harassment are grounds for a personal grievance; once told, the employer must look into it and take practicable steps to stop it happening again |
| Human Rights Act 1993 | Sexual and racial harassment are unlawful in employment |
What should the training cover?
WorkSafe publishes guidance for businesses on preventing and responding to bullying, and Employment New Zealand says bullying, harassment and discrimination must be investigated and the person affected supported. Training is one of the ways to prevent it.
- Everyone: what bullying, sexual harassment and racial harassment are, what reasonable management action is, and how to raise a concern.
- Managers: how to respond to a concern, how to step in early, and how to give feedback without it becoming bullying.
- People who handle complaints: fair process, records and confidentiality.
- Health and safety representatives: psychosocial risks and how to raise them.
- New starters: at induction, with your policy and reporting routes.
How do you show what you did?
If a grievance or a WorkSafe enquiry follows, you will be asked what you did to prevent harm. Keep the evidence together.
- Assign the training automatically when someone joins, is promoted or changes site.
- Set a due date and a refresher interval, and let reminders and escalations run.
- Keep completion certificates with the date, the course name and the version of the policy it covered.
- Send managers and HR a weekly report of who is overdue.
- Keep the risk assessment, the policy and the training record together, so you can show what you did and when.
Can a ready-made workshop help?
Yes, as a starting point. Bodhih's Respect at Work trainer toolkit ($29 USD) is a general anti-harassment and bullying workshop with a facilitator guide, slides, case studies and role plays, which a trainer adapts. It was not written to New Zealand law, so replace the legal content with the three Acts above, add your own policy and reporting routes, and record who completed it.
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Sources
Checked on 2026-11-14. Laws and prices change; confirm on the official page before you rely on a figure.
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Questions people ask next
Is harassment training mandatory in New Zealand?
No statute names a course. The Health and Safety at Work Act requires a business to provide the training and information workers need to be safe, and WorkSafe publishes guidance on preventing bullying at work.
How often should employees be trained?
The law sets no interval. Many employers train at induction and refresh every one to two years, and after a policy change or an incident.
What must an employer do after a sexual harassment complaint?
Under the Employment Relations Act the employer must inquire into the facts and, if satisfied the behaviour happened, take whatever steps are practicable to prevent it being repeated.
Can Bodhih LMS track this training?
Yes. Use groups by site or role, automations for due dates and refreshers, and scheduled reports of who is overdue.
Is this legal advice?
No. It summarises public sources as of the date shown. Confirm with an employment lawyer.