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I have a long-term health condition that limits my ability to work. I rely on income support and need regular medical appointments. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties propose about supported employment and flexible work for people with health conditions?
For your 2026 New Zealand general election decision, there are two related policy areas worth examining:
- Supported employment: whether people with long-term health conditions or disabilities can get help finding work, keeping a job, returning to work, or working reduced hours.
- Flexible work and income security: whether employers are supported or required to accommodate medical appointments, fluctuating health, part-time hours, remote work and periods when someone cannot work.
An important distinction is that getting someone into employment is not the same as making employment sustainable. For someone who relies on income support and needs regular medical appointments, benefit rules, eligibility thresholds and the ability to retain financial support while working are also relevant.
What the parties are proposing
The most useful recent comparison is CCS Disability Action's election policy analysis, published 30 October 2026, alongside questions put directly to parties by The D*List in October. These are particularly relevant because they distinguish employment policy from general disability support policy. Election 2026: Political Parties Policy AnalysisParty policies, simplified: Employment
Party-by-party comparison
| Party | Supported employment and work opportunities | Income security and flexibility |
|---|---|---|
| National | More intensive employment support for 30,000 work-ready jobseekers who have been on a benefit for over a year. | No specific new disability employment or flexible-work package identified. Proposes tighter benefit obligations and some benefit reductions for long-term jobseekers. |
| Labour | Wants systemic change to help disabled people transition into open employment. | Proposes ending annual benefit renewals for people with verified permanent disabilities. Also proposes stronger legal recognition of reasonable accommodation. |
| Greens | Supports removing workplace barriers and improving employment opportunities for disabled people. | Proposes a guaranteed minimum income, higher benefits and disability-related income support regardless of relationship status. |
| ACT | Emphasises workforce participation and individual responsibility. | Proposes independent medical certification and reassessment of health and disability benefit recipients. |
| New Zealand First | No detailed disability-specific supported-employment programme identified in the available policy comparison. | No substantial disability-specific income-support reform identified. |
| Te Pāti Māori | Supports meaningful employment pathways where desired, with an emphasis on Māori-led approaches and participation. | Emphasises self-determination and whānau wellbeing. |
| The Opportunities Party (TOP) | Says it wants to help businesses recruit and retain disabled employees. | Proposes a Citizens' Income and Disability Allowance, intended to make it possible to work without unfairly losing income support. |
Sources: Election 2026: Political Parties Policy AnalysisParty policies, simplified: EmploymentHow do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?Opportunity Disability Position Statement - October 2026
Some particularly relevant commitments
Labour – reasonable accommodation
Labour proposes amending the Human Rights Act to define reasonable accommodation and recognise denial of reasonable accommodation as discrimination.
This could be relevant to requests such as:
- Flexible start and finish times.
- Time off for regular medical appointments.
- Adjusted workloads or reduced hours.
- Working from home where the role allows.
- Changes to duties because of a health condition.
Labour also proposes ending annual benefit renewals for people with verified permanent disabilities. Election 2026: Political Parties Policy Analysis
Greens – income security
The Green proposals include:
- Higher main benefit levels.
- A legal right to a guaranteed minimum income.
- Accessible and timely support for disability-related living and medical costs.
- Removing relationship-status-related disadvantages in disability support.
These proposals address the financial pressures that can make returning to work or increasing hours difficult. Election 2026: Political Parties Policy AnalysisHow do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?
TOP – working without losing support
TOP's October 2026 disability position statement specifically says it wants people to be able to work without unfair cuts to income support. It also proposes:
- A Citizens' Income of up to $370 per week.
- A Disability Allowance.
- Employer support to recruit and retain disabled workers.
- Ending rules that allow disabled workers to be paid below the minimum wage.
This is particularly relevant to someone who may only be able to work a limited number of hours. Opportunity Disability Position Statement - October 2026How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?
ACT – flexible workplaces
ACT told The D*List it wants to remove barriers to employment, encourage flexible workplaces and target support according to individual circumstances. However, it did not provide specific policies explaining how this would work in practice. Party policies, simplified: Employment
Te Pāti Māori – Enabling Good Lives
Te Pāti Māori says it would resource the Enabling Good Lives approach, which aims to give disabled people and their families greater control over decisions and meaningful opportunities to participate in everyday life, including employment. Party policies, simplified: Employment
National – employment strategy
National says it will continue supporting the New Zealand Disability Strategy's employment objectives, including meaningful work and career opportunities. Its proposed employment programme for 30,000 jobseekers is specifically aimed at people assessed as work-ready, rather than being a dedicated programme for people with long-term health conditions. Party policies, simplified: EmploymentElection 2026: Political Parties Policy Analysis
What this means for your circumstances
There are some important differences between the policies that are worth investigating further.
| Your concern | Policy question to investigate |
|---|---|
| Regular medical appointments | Would employers be encouraged or required to provide flexible appointment time? |
| Fluctuating health | Can you reduce or increase hours without losing your employment support? |
| Limited capacity to work | Can you undertake part-time work while retaining a reliable income? |
| Long-term condition | Would you have to undergo repeated medical assessments? |
| Workplace adjustments | Would reasonable accommodation be legally enforceable? |
| Financial security | Would additional earnings reduce your benefit, and by how much? |
| Finding and keeping work | Would you have access to ongoing employment support, not just help getting hired? |
One particularly important issue is the distinction between Supported Living Payment and Jobseeker Support with a health condition. Different rules apply to these payments, including work obligations and how earnings affect entitlements.
I would also investigate whether proposed employment policies cover people who can work only intermittently, rather than assuming they are designed for people who can work regular hours.
Sources worth reading before voting
These are particularly useful disability-focused sources rather than general party campaign summaries:
- The D*List – Party policies, simplified: Employment (21 October 2026) — questions put directly to seven political parties about disabled people's employment.
- CCS Disability Action – Election 2026 policy analysis (30 October 2026) — covers employment, health, welfare and accessibility.
- TOP – Disability Position Statement (October 2026) — explains its proposals on employment and financial security.
- The Spinoff – How do the different parties fare on disability issues? — wider comparison of disability policy.
My suggested questions for assessing the parties
Given your circumstances, I would pay particular attention to four questions:
- Can I work 5–15 hours a week without losing essential income support?
- Can I attend medical appointments and take time off when my condition worsens without being penalised?
- Will I receive ongoing support to stay employed, including workplace adjustments?
- Will I have to repeatedly prove that my condition limits my ability to work?
One important qualification: As at 1 November 2026, these are published proposals, not guaranteed outcomes. Some parties have provided detailed commitments, while others have offered broad principles. The D*List also notes that some parties did not provide detailed responses to its employment questions.
The election is scheduled for 7 November 2026, so further policy announcements may still emerge.
I can also help you do a more focused comparison of how National, Labour, the Greens, ACT and TOP would affect someone receiving Supported Living Payment who wants to work part-time while attending regular medical appointments. That would bring the income-support rules and employment policies together, which is arguably the most important practical issue in your situation.
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