Part-time Government jobs advocated

Press, 29 August 1986, Page 4

Part-time Government jobs advocated

PA Wellington New procedures have come into force allowing permanent part-time work in Government departments. The Minister of State Services, Mr Rodger, said the introduction of permanent part-time positions had implications for equality of employment for women as significant as those of the equal pay provisions. Individual departments will have the freedom to work out which positions can be opened to parttime applicants. “At present only about 1000 public servants work part-time and none of

them has security of employment,” he said. Many such temporary’ staff or wage-workers would now be able to enjoy the full benefits of a permanent position in the Public Sendee. “More significantly, many of the 65,000 others working in Government departments will now be given an opportunity to work part-time, while presening their full employment rights,” said Mr Rodger. It was difficult to guess how many public servants would take advantage of the new policy. However, he said he would not be surprised to find that

within five years up to 15 per cent of all Public Service positions, about 8009 jobs, were shared or held by permanent parttime workers. The main criteria governing new permanent part-time positions are that the work: © Must be continuing, not temporary or seasonal. ® Must be of a kind which would otherwise be performed by full-time, permanent employees. © Involve a regular pattern of at least 15 hours’ work each week. © Be able to be done efficiently on a part-time basis.