Job hunting with a health condition or disability in NZ: rights and support

Whether and when to disclose

You are not alone in weighing this up. At the end of June 2026, 98,181 of the 218,481 people on Jobseeker Support were receiving it because of a health condition or disability, according to the Ministry of Social Development.

The Human Rights Commission's guidance is that you do not have to disclose a disability if it does not affect your ability to do the job properly. An employer can ask whether you have any condition or disability that would stop you doing the job properly, but should not ask about your medical or ACC history. Employment New Zealand adds a caution: not disclosing something that does affect your ability to do the job, or your own or others' safety, could breach the duty of good faith, or health and safety law.

Within those limits, when to disclose is your choice. Some people mention it in the application, to show how they manage it. Some wait for an offer, then raise the changes they need. Others disclose only if an adjustment is needed. There is no single right answer, and it is reasonable to decide case by case.

Reasonable accommodations and how to ask

The Human Rights Commission's guidance, based on section 29 of the Human Rights Act 1993, is that employers must make reasonable changes so a disabled person can do the job. The Commission calls this reasonable accommodation, and an employer that refuses has to be able to show risk of harm, serious difficulty or cost, and that the changes would not be reasonable. Common examples include flexible hours, a quieter workspace, adaptive software, a support person, or a different way of doing part of the job.

Ask in writing, and make it practical: what you need, why it helps you do the job, and anything you know about the cost or where funding might come from. You can ask during recruitment, for example for an accessible interview venue or extra time in a test, as well as once you start. If a request is refused, the Human Rights Commission offers free, confidential dispute resolution. If you are already an employee, you can instead raise a personal grievance within 90 days, but not both; our guide to employment rights in New Zealand covers that route.

Support services and funding that exist

• Job Support and Training Support from Work and Income can pay for things like specialist equipment or adaptive software, changes to a workplace, NZSL and other interpreters, a support person, transport and parking, and a job coach. They are for a condition likely to last six months or more, for people aged 16 to 64 (or older if already working) who live in New Zealand, and Job Support also needs a job paying at least the minimum wage. You apply yourself.
• The Mainstream Employment Programme pays an employer an 80% wage subsidy for the first six months and 50% for the last six months, for up to a year, plus training and disability-related equipment. It is for someone on a main benefit whose disability or health condition significantly affects their chance of work, and the employer applies by emailing mainstream@msd.govt.nz, which puts it in touch with an Employment Service provider.
• Flexi-wage pays an employer $5,638.68 over 24 weeks or $11,277.36 over 36 weeks, including GST, towards the wages of an eligible job seeker. It is not only for disabled people, the employer applies, and it has to be arranged before the person starts work.
• Workbridge describes itself as the largest New Zealand-owned employment service for people with a disability or health condition. Its services are free for employers and eligible job seekers, and Work and Income lists it as one of its contracted providers.

Mentioning a wage subsidy to an employer who is unsure can help, but check your eligibility with Work and Income first. These amounts were checked on 27 September 2026 and can change.

Work and Income categories and obligations

Jobseeker Support has two groups, Work Ready and Health Condition or Disability, and the second needs a medical certificate. If you receive it because of a health condition, injury or disability, your obligations follow that certificate. If you can only work part-time, you look for work of at least 15 hours a week. If you are unable to work, or can only work fewer than 15 hours, your work obligations are put on hold, and instead you must take reasonable steps to prepare and plan for work, and attend work preparation interviews when Work and Income asks.

Keep your medical certificate current. Work and Income writes to you four weeks before it expires, asking you to renew it or tell them you are ready to look for work, and a renewal must be done before it expires or your payments may stop. Our guide to job hunting on Jobseeker Support covers the rest of your obligations.

Keeping a record of every conversation

Keep a note of every conversation about your condition, accommodations or obligations: with employers, recruiters, Work and Income and your health practitioner. Write down the date, who you spoke to and what was agreed. If an accommodation is promised at interview, a dated note makes it easier to raise later, and if a request is refused, the record is the basis of any complaint.

The demo opens with no account and shows a job hunt with its Work and Income record: a table of your search activity by date, employer and outcome, ready to print or download as a PDF when you are asked for it.

Keep your search and your record in one place