Teen suing over dole

Danielle Carroll, a Rotorua 19-year-old who says she was told she could not get the unemployment benefit until she turned 20, is seeking $5000 from Work and Income and Rotorua case manager Jimi McLean for breach of her legal rights.

Advocate Paul Blair, who filed proceedings in the High Court at Rotorua yesterday, said he was interviewing four other young people who said they had also been refused the dole.

Work and Income head Patricia Reade said the legal action was "premature" because Ms Carroll had not "taken advantage of our normal complaints process".