Pay rate changes for mental health and addiction workers
The New Zealand Government has signed off on changes to the Care and Support Workers (Pay Equity) Settlement Act, meaning that mental health and addiction support workers will receive the same pay rates as care and support workers.
From this month nearly half of affected workers will get an increase of more than $3 per hour which means full-time workers will be paid approximately an extra $120 a week before tax. One-in-five workers will get an increase of more than $5 per hour or around an extra $200 for a 40-hour week.
The new pay scale reflects workers’ qualifications and experience. It will be back-dated to 1 July 2017.
For information on how this change affects your business, call the Peninsula Advice Line on 0800 675 700.
Domestic Violence Leave becomes law
Victims of Domestic Violence in New Zealand will receive 10 days of paid leave after new legislation passed Parliament in July.
The Domestic Violence Victims’ Protection Bill will come into effect from April 2019 giving eligible employees 10 days off from work in addition to their regular leave entitlements. New Zealand is the second country after the Philippines to introduce such legislation.
For information on how this change affects your business, call the Peninsula Advice Line on 0800 521 593.
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