Wage subsidies are harder to claim this time around
The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions will be raising concerns from temporary workers and agency staff over their inability to access wage subsidies amid stricter criteria. Companies eligible for wage subsidies are those who experienced a 40% drop in revenue, unlike the previous 30%, Radio New Zealand reported.
This raises fears for "vulnerable" employees, such as those hired under casual, temporary, and subcontract roles.
"We are concerned people have to rely on their employer to access the wage subsidy, especially for those in casual, temporary or subcontract roles. These jobs are often not well paid and workers may be vulnerable," NZ Council of Trade Unions president Richard Wagstaff was quoted as saying by Stuff.
According to the official, every employee should be granted the same access to wage subsidy. He will meet with Workplace Relations Minister Michael Wood to discuss the matter, Stuff reported.
Read more: Wage Subsidy returns
Radio New Zealand said in a report that the government's wage subsidies have went above $1.2 billion, with the construction industry having the most-supported workers, followed by the food and hospitality sector.
The subsidies are supporting 838,000 employees, 117,000 self-employed individuals, and 242,000 businesses, according to the report.
The subsidies this year is much smaller than the $13 billion paid out last year, which Business New Zealand chief executive attributed to the stricter 40% revenue-drop criteria.
