Pressure of layoffs

Press, 6 July 1988, Page 3

Pressure of layoffs

Layoffs at Waitaki International are expected to put increased pressure on overstretched Social Welfare Department staff in Christchurch. The director of benefits and pensions, Mr Cliff Money, said he had no idea how many people from freezing works would apply for benefits, but added the department’s resources were “already overstretched.” Staff were already pro-

cessing up to 380 unemployment benefit applications a week as a result of other layoffs in Christchurch, he said. A further big increase in benefit applications would put “extreme pressure” on staff, he said. “We are not panicking but we are at full stretch.”

The department’s unemployment benefit manager, Mr Alan McKenzie, said staff would check how many

jobless people at Islington would apply for benefits in the next two or three days. If necessary a team would be sent to the freezing works to process applications. Mr McKenzie said he did not know how many were likely to apply, but said 50 to 70 per cent of people who lost jobs through large industrial layoffs were usually eligible for unemployment benefits.