Boarding schools face huge backpay bills to hostel staff

More than 100 school hostels could be hit with large bills after the Employment Court awarded 6 years of back payments to workers at two boarding facilities. Photo / Thinkstock

A school that must pay out on a hefty backpay bill to hostel staff says the Government needs to ensure boarding remains an affordable option.

More than 100 school hostels could be hit with large bills after the Employment Court awarded six years of back payments to workers at two boarding facilities.

The court ruled the 11 workers should have been paid the minimum wage for the hours they slept in the hostels of Woodford House and Iona College, both in Hawkes Bay.

The Service and Food Workers Union is seeking the same measures for about 100 of its members spread across most of the country's 110 school hostels, sparking fears parents will face increased hostel fees.

Woodford House has nearly 200 boarders in its five hostels. Principal Jackie Barron told the Weekend Herald that they were still working out how much money 10 staff were owed in backpay. While not revealing how much the school might be liable for, she said it would be substantial and the school would try not to increase fees.

The school would be approaching the Ministry of Education to discuss the implications of the court case. "There are 11,500 young people in school hostels in New Zealand, whether they are state schools, integrated schools or independent schools," Mrs Barron said. "They all offer a very special education for students who wouldn't otherwise have that opportunity, because of rural distance, because of complications ... it's incredibly important that option is still there for parents."

Organisations such as Rural Women New Zealand have voiced concerns that hostel fees will increase as a result of the court case.

"The ministry have to take, I think, responsibility for the fact this is an important part of the fabric of New Zealand education, and do we want to lose that?" said Mrs Barron

Julie Shears, acting principal of Iona College, said they were considering options and would not comment.

Rowena Phair, deputy secretary, student achievement at the Ministry of Education, said they were still working through the implications, and were conscious there could be an appeal. Service and Food Workers Union national secretary John Ryall said the ruling affirmed a 2011 Court of Appeal decision affecting sleep-over workers in the disability sector.

The most workers at Woodford House and Iona College would receive was about $50,000, the least less than $10,000.

Auckland Grammar headmaster Tim O'Connor said the school was aware of the ruling's potential impact on its hostel, Tibbs House, home to 120 students, and action would be considered after a review.