The Public Service Association (PSA) has formally requested an investigation by the Commerce Commission into the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) for allegedly breaching the Fair Trading Act. The complaint arises from ACC’s job advertisements that promised potential employees the opportunity to work from home up to three days a week, only to later propose a reduction to two days.
In October 2023, ACC informed its staff that starting December 1, 2023, they would be required to work in the office three days a week, contradicting earlier job postings that emphasized flexible work arrangements. The PSA has highlighted that these advertisements, which were active from June 2023 until at least July 2025, explicitly promoted remote work as a significant benefit of employment at ACC.
Fleur Fitzsimons, the National Secretary for the PSA, expressed strong concerns, stating, “ACC deliberately advertised flexible work arrangements to attract staff, and is now looking to break that promise – this is exactly the kind of misleading conduct the Fair Trading Act is designed to prevent.” She emphasized the impact of this change on workers who made significant life decisions—such as resigning from jobs, relocating, and arranging childcare—based on ACC’s advertised conditions.
Following the PSA’s legal action lodged with the Employment Relations Authority, ACC agreed to suspend its proposed changes and consult with staff, delaying implementation until early next year. “While we welcome ACC’s decision to finally consult staff, the consultation proposal is the same and doesn’t change the fact that they misled job applicants about working conditions in the first place,” Fitzsimons added.
The PSA, representing approximately 1,200 ACC workers, has been a vocal advocate for employee rights, especially following a recent culture review that revealed low morale among staff. The association remains engaged in facilitated bargaining with ACC through the Employment Relations Authority concerning a new collective agreement for its members.
Fitzsimons hopes the decision to consult workers regarding the remote working policy signifies a turning point for ACC. Nonetheless, she maintains that the Commerce Commission must investigate whether ACC violated the Fair Trading Act by providing misleading information in its job advertisements. “Job seekers deserve accurate information about working conditions, which employers are obliged to honour,” she stated.
The outcome of this investigation could have significant implications not only for ACC but also for employment practices across the sector, as it raises essential questions about transparency and accountability in job advertising.
