Employer Bulletin | 22 April

Benefit figures released last week underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says.

“Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support.

“The 187,986 people receiving a Jobseeker benefit is roughly the equivalent of Hamilton’s population… The proportion of New Zealand’s working-age population who are receiving Jobseeker Support also now sits at 5.9 per cent, up from 4 per cent six years ago.

“Rebuilding the economy is one of this Government’s key priorities, along with restoring law and order and delivering better public services, which is why we’ve set a target to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support benefits by 2030.

“Our plan to deliver on this began with setting out our expectations around the use of benefit sanctions and MSD beginning work check-ins for job seekers after six months. We are also working on mandatory reapplication for Jobseeker benefits every six months, community-provided job coaching, new non-financial sanctions, and a traffic light system to help job seekers comply with their work obligations.


In today’s Bulletin

• Company penalised for breaching employment law requirements
• Employer agreed to use Tikanga principles
• Part-time employee compensated for minimum entitlements and $30,000 for harm
• Unjustified dismissal during company liquidation
• Availability provision is found to be illegal
• Six news updates of for employers including inflation coming down, labour productivity falling 0.9 per cent, Minister McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship, Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership, Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress, and nine Bills open for submission.