Rule change relief for seasonal staff

Rule changes which mean some seasonal workers will be able to spread their incomes over a full year when being assessed for stand-down periods before the dole is paid will bring huge relief, a senior unionist says.

Council of Trade Unions secretary Carol Beaumont said thousands of workers would benefit.

Last week's passing of the Social Security (Social Assistance) Amendment Bill means that from May 1, benefit applicants will be able to choose an income assessment period of 26 or 52 weeks for the initial stand-down, instead of their latest six months of work.

"Some seasonal workers have faced a stand-down of two or three months because they had a high income for a short time," she said. "The rules did not recognise that this was their income for the entire year.

"Industries need these valuable workers and this rule change will help to ensure a skilled and reliable workforce is available."

Associate Employment Minister Rick Barker said yesterday the new approach would be fairer for valued workers in industries such as meat processing or fruit production needed to return next season.

"A married freezing worker with three children told me he currently faces four to five weeks' stand-down after his final pay and he gets depressed about this because he can't provide for his family," Mr Barker said.

"He drifts into a financial crisis at the end of every season."

The changes might make it easier for people to work part-time in the horticultural industry.

Mr Barker said the Government had also introduced seasonal work help to cover people who moved from a benefit into seasonal work but lost income because of the weather.

This change reduced the initial stand-down period of about 4500 benefit applicants a year, at a cost of $6.3 million over the next four financial years.

- NZPA