Employment Advice for Flood Affected Farmers

Monday, 23 February 2004, 8:27 am
Press Release: Federated Farmers

Federated Farmers of New Zealand (Inc) has been advised by the Government that staff made redundant as a result of flooding in the lower North Island will not be required to go through a stand down period before becoming eligible for employment assistance.

“Unfortunately, some farmers will have to terminate staff members as a result of flooding in the Southern North Island,” says Vice President Charlie Pedersen.

“The state of many farms means that it will be weeks before they can be cleaned and damage assessed and repaired before stock can return and farming can start again”.

Farmers who need to review their ability to retain employees as a result of the flood should do the following:

Before taking action seek advice from the Federated Farmers’ Employment team, the Department of Labour or a lawyer; Ensure that any termination letter makes clear that termination is a direct result of the flood; Encourage the employee to make him or herself known immediately to Work and Income New Zealand, as their skills will be in high demand as part of the recovery efforts.

“In this situation it is crucial to keep the lines of communication open between employers and staff. Talk to your staff and keep them informed about what is happening,” says Mr Pedersen.

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