SEASONAL WORKERS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 299, 17 December 1937, Page 7

SEASONAL WORKERS

NEW SCHEME OF RELIEF EARNINGS TO BE NOTED | [ Per Press Association. ] CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 16. | A new system of granting unemployment relief to seasonal workers | to prevent them from drawing undue , benefits from the Employment Fund, > was announced this evening by the j Minister of Labour (Hon. H. T. Arm-] strong). The Minister explained that one of the points which had emerged during the close investigation which was being made into various classes of unemployment workers included in the register of unemployed, was that employees in seasonal occupations were being admitted to unemployment relief benefits immediately at the end of their season. "In past years seasonal workers had customarily relied on their season’s earnings to support them during at least a portion of the off-season,” continued the Minister. "In fairness to other contributors to the fund it has been decided that some account must be taken of seasonal earnings when application is made for relief. It is not intended in the future to permit such seasonal v'orkers, sucn as shearers, freezing works and butter and cheese factory employees, to be entered in the register ol unemployed immediately after their seasonal employment.” The reel hod now to bp adopted would not operate harshly. Seasonal workers registering for relief at the end cf the season would be considered eligible for benefits when their earnirgs for the 12 weeks before the date of eligibility were approximately equivalent to an average of £4 per week over that period. If, at the date of application, the average earnings over the last 12 weeks were below a week no stand-down perioe would be involved. "Employment officers are being supplied with full details of Ln* new system and person?: likely to be affected by it are advised to obtain further information from them,” contJud': ’. Mr. Armstrong.