Canterbury workers should be paid

Canterbury workers should be paid

Canterbury workers who have not been able to go to work because their employer’s business has not been operating or has been affected adversely by the quakes, are entitled to be paid in full, said Unions Canterbury Secretary John Miller.

Mr Miller said that assistance available to employers meant that workers should not be required to use other entitlements such as annual leave in order to be paid where they have not been able to get to work.

“Ensuring that workers are paid correctly has been made easier through the wages subsidy of $350 per week available to employers employing fewer than 20 staff in situations where work has been disrupted,” says Mr Miller. “Many businesses are insured against such losses and just as they still have to pay fixed costs such as rent, they also need to pay wages.”

Unions are expecting an increase in the number of calls from workers now that they have attended to many of the immediate or critical post earthquake issues such as ensuring the safety of their homes, and are now returning to work. “Many will now start to turn their attention to payments and we are working with the Department of Labour and other agencies to try and ensure that problems can be quickly resolved.”

ENDS

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