By Josie Clarke
An Auckland beneficiary has given up work after six months without pay because of an employment wrangle with Work and Income New Zealand (Winz).
Scott Ka, a domestic purposes beneficiary since 1992, started work at the Falcon Spares wreckers' yard in Panmure in May under a Winz subsidised
employment scheme on the understanding that he would earn $160 a week.
Instead, he has been forced to support himself and his 9-year-old daughter on $56 a week while he waits for Winz to agree to subsidise his employer for half his wages.
Mr Ka found work after $40 of his $96 benefit began to be deducted for fines. Winz pays Mr Ka's weekly $240 rent bill.
His employer, Falcon Spares owner Greg Lovell, agreed to pay Mr Ka $160 a week for 30 hours' work provided he received an $80 subsidy from Winz to help him meet the cost of wages.
But after six months of phone calls and meetings with case workers, Mr Lovell has still not received the subsidy and Mr Ka has not been paid any wages.
Mr Lovell said Mr Ka had proven himself to be a good worker and he had offered to pay his share of Mr Ka's wages in the meantime, but Winz had warned him that Mr Ka's benefit could drop further if he paid him.
"Winz tell us one thing and do something totally different. They are playing us like we are idiots," Mr Lovell said.
"I just want to give these guys help to get back into the workforce, but Winz won't play ball."
Mr Ka said Winz admitted at a meeting yesterday afternoon that his work broker had initially mistakenly put him on the 20-day voluntary Work Experience programme rather than the Job Plus programme, which would have made him eligible for the $160 in wages.
He said Winz had offered him two months' backpay if he joined the new scheme, but he felt frustrated and let down and had refused the offer.
An adviser for Winz, Amanda Eves, said the service was not legally able to discuss Mr Ka's case.
Mr Ka applied for and received one food grant of $150, but relied heavily on family and friends for meals after the money was spent, mainly on his daughter's lunches and school needs.
He had looked forward to spending part of his earnings on buying his daughter new clothes.
"After months of working, I don't even know if I'll be able to buy her a Christmas present."
