A man who was overpaid on his unemployment benefit did not tell social workers he had a job because he was barely earning enough to survive.
James Rewiti White Naera pleaded guilty to one charge of misleading a social welfare officer when he appeared in the Whanganui District Court yesterday.
Ministry of Social Development prosecutor Pip Transom told the court Naera applied for the unemployment benefit on March 18, 2010. But on January 26, 2012 he entered employment with Riverlands Manawatu and did not tell the ministry, continuing to receive benefit payments.
By the time the ministry cancelled the benefit on January 30 this year, Naera had been overpaid $8566.85. Ms Transom said reparation was sought but at a lower amount, as Naera had already repaid some of the money.
Defence lawyer Raukawa Simon said Naera accepted what Ms Transom said but had not been earning enough from his job to survive.