The findings come amid ongoing scrutiny of New Zealand’s pay equity system following amendments to the Equal Pay Act passed under urgency in 2025. The amendments have made it significantly more difficult for workers in historically undervalued, female-dominated occupations to secure fair pay equity outcomes. This study provides rare empirical evidence on what pay equity settlements – designed to ensure equal pay for work of equal value – can achieve in practice, including effects beyond wages. “Pay equity is a fundamental human right,” says Professor Gail Pacheco, Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner at the Human Rights Commission. Find out more about the Commission’s work on Pay Equity.