RELIEF WORKERS’ INSURANCE

Taranaki Daily News, 19 December 1930, Page 8

RELIEF WORKERS’ INSURANCE

The ruling of the Unemployment Board in regard to the insurance of those employed on temporary relief Works will commend itself to most people. In this country the responsibility of the employer in regard to accidents or mishap to those working for him is exceedingly wide. Insurance.against what has become known as “employer'e liability” to wage-earners is now part of the ordinary costs of manufacturing or trading. Even an individual who engages workers temporarily, if he be wise, will insure against accident, and provision has been made by the insurance authorities for such temporary ‘‘covers” at a low cost. But in making a general appeal for the provision of work wherever possible, for which it is prepared to subsidise employers for portion of the wages paid, the Unemployment Board has brought into being a new class of temporary employer. It was not unnatural that the man who decided to make available, say, a few days’ fencing or stumping desired to know what his liability woulij be if an accident happened to any of the relief workers in his employ. The board has ruled that in eases where insurance against “employer’s liability” is already held thq employer concerned must see that the relief workers are also covered. In cases where no insurance has been obtained because, in ordinary circumstances, no one is employed, the board is willing to assume responsibility in regard to accidents provided they are reported promptly and in.due form. This should remove one difficulty from the provision of small relief works and enable jobs to be made available that would not be worth considering if they carried with them the need to accept full responsibility for. “employer’s liability.” The assistance of the board in

regard to insurance is purely temporary. It only applies to the relief works for which subsidies will cease at the end of next month, by which time the board’s plan of action should be ready. When its full policy is announced «uch matters as accident insurance will, no doubt, be given their proper place in whatever schemes may be suggested.