21 June 2012

ACC pay shouldn’t be tied to cutting claimants entitlements

ACC claimants should not lose their entitlements so that ACC team managers and their staff can get bonus payments, Green Party ACC spokesperson Kevin Hague said today.

Documents released under the Official Information Act show that ACC staff working with people receiving tong term claim payments have specific targets they have to achieve. Those same worker’s remuneration is tied to achieving these targets.

“ACC staff are paid a flat rate which can go up or down depending on how they perform,” said Mr Hague.

“It is completely unacceptable that one of the performance mechanisms for ACC staff receiving pay is how many claimants are cut off from receiving their entitlements.

“Incentivising the withdrawal of financial support for claimants will inevitably lead to this occurring before it is clinically appropriate in some cases.

“It is also important to note that staff failing to meet ACC’s self-imposed targets to move claimants off ACC may be penalised financially.

“This sort of scheme is symptomatic of a sick culture within ACC.

“ACC needs to return back to being an organisation that focuses on prioritising claimants needs,” said Mr Hague

“The Green Party has proposed a ‘Rehabilitation Plan for ACC’, that would see ACC return to its original Woodhouse principles of being a client focused organisation.”

Note: Green MP Kevin Hague is asking question three in the House today on this issue.

The Green Party ACC rehab plan

© Scoop Media