OPINION
Some employees are taking advantage of Covid to take time off when they have only a "sneeze". The claim comes as figures show as of May 1, the Ministry for Social Development had approved
237,561 applications and paid out $237.5 million under the Covid Leave Support Scheme, which paid up to $600 for a week per staff member.
Read the full story: Some workers faking Covid to get time off as MSD pays out $23.75m on Covid leave support scheme
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The system was always open to be rorted by those who are clever enough to do it and with no backup check system it's only going to get worse at the taxpayers' expense.
- David S
And who pays for this? False sick leave is budgeted for by the business so it's the taxpayer who pays. Ironically, the cheat is paying indirectly for the foolishness.
- Warren B
Taking advantage of the Covid climate and wagging from work is cheating your employer, and as you expect to be paid is fraudulent. Perhaps the people that sell the positive test aka 'get out of jail cards' may end up in jail.
- Steve C
It's the Kiwi way. They don't want to work. But want to get paid. The construction industry is a good example. Lots of people paying for a house. That's left unfinished.
- Anaru B
In my workplace, not a day goes by without there being staff absences. Shifts unable to be covered. And you hear secondhand of so and so having the day off, because they have something on. Covid has nothing to do with it. Staff see it as their right to have a day off as suits.
- Anne M
Wagging from home is, unfortunately, more common than some want to believe. Most humans are ethical, but most businesses with staff (30 per cent have staff) have experienced significant drops in productivity from 'working from home'. Some staff are better from home. Many are less productive (especially with kids, and school lockdowns or holidays). And some are completely hopeless and need supervision in an office or factory setting. That's the truth. Can we handle the truth?
- Geoff N
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