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To JRT
    The Jobs Package
    October 1995
    from The Jobs Letter No.27 / 26 October 1995

  • MEETING INDIVIDUAL NEEDS
  • Job seekers in tailored assistance programmes will be given more personal help, which will continue for up to 13 weeks after starting work, from July 1996.
  • Eligibility for Youth Action will be extended to all 16 to 20 yr olds registered as unemployed for 13 weeks or more, from January 1996.
  • Job Action will be extended to all job seekers registered as unemployed for two years or more, from January 1996.
  • Each year 5,000 job seekers assessed as likely to become very long-term unemployed after 12 months registration will also be able to use personalised employment assistance through Job Action, from July 1996.
    • What this means : Intensive `individualised' assistance is now the theme of most government welfare programmes. Its `targeting' philosophy means that the more `disadvantaged' you are assessed to be, the more they will be taking notice of you. This announcement reinforces existing measures of intensive counselling to help beneficiaries find work, and will widen the catchment criteria for the people who will be obliged to take part in these assistance programmes. Someone will also be keeping an eye on you and your employment needs once you've started a job.
  • Job Connection, a fully subsidised employment programme for job seekers unemployed for over four years, will be piloted from late 1995.
    • What this means : a very limited return to the work scheme measures of the 1980s. Other measures announced include the extending of Taskforce Green projects for up to one year (at present they stop at six months), and giving a $5 rise to Community Taskforce participants from $15 to $20 a week. The government will also be extending its Job Plus Training scheme which buys short training courses that are linked to a specific job vacancy.
  • Early childcare centres will be funded for up to six hours per child per day, regardless of the times the child is in the centre, with a maximum of 30hrs a week, from July 1996.
    • What this means : a more flexible funding system for childcare so that parents can take up work opportunities. At present, the children are funded on the basis of one three-hr period in the morning, and one in the afternoon. This change is estimated to cost an extra $23.3 million over three years.
  • Development assistance grants for out-of-school care services will be targeted at communities of highest need, from July 1996.
    • What this means : Again, so that parents can take up work opportunities, funding for 5,000 new places in after-school care places will help new facilities be established, especially amongst low-income groups. In a related announcement, the government says it will extend its pilot COMPASS programme nationwide. This is a voluntary programme which helps people on the DPB develop plans for education, training and jobs.

  • INCOME SUPPORT THAT ENCOURAGES WORK
  • From July 1996 people who receive a benefit will be able to earn $80 a week before their main benefit is reduced. At present the amount is $50 a week (or $60 for those with children).
  • From July 1996 people who receive the Domestic Purposes, widows or Invalids Benefit, will be able to earn $180 a week before the benefit abatement rate rises to 70 per cent. At present the higher abatement rate starts once earnings exceed $80 a week.
    • What this means : To help remove the barriers to part-time employment, beneficiaries will be able to earn more money before their benefit is reduced under the abatement rate schedules. See items in this Jobs Letter.
  • From April 1997 spouses of unemployment beneficiaries with either no children or a youngest child aged 14 or over will be required to seek full time work, or take part in some activity which will improve their employment prospects, as a condition for receiving full benefit entitlement.
  • From April 1997 people whom receive Domestic Purposes or Widows Benefits with a youngest child aged 14 or over will be required to seek part-time work or take part in some activity which will improve their employment prospects as a condition of receiving full benefit entitlements.
    • What this means : Spouses of unemployed people will also have to pass the work test. If their youngest child is at high school, single parents will need to start looking for a job, or re-enter education or go on a job training scheme.
  • To assist spouses of unemployment beneficiaries and those receiving the Domestic Purposes or Widows Benefits to begin planning for this new requirement, from April 1997 everyone in this group with a youngest child aged between seven and 14 will be required to attend an interview with the Income Support Service to discuss their future plans. The Income Support Service will provide information about the range of assistance options available.
    • What this means : these interviews will make sure that the beneficiaries have definite plans for work or training in the future.
  • A more moderate sanction for work-test failure will be introduced from July 1997.
    • What this means : there's to be a graduated scaling of punishment levels. If you fail a work test being available for and actively seeking full-time work then your benefit will be cut by 20% for each month that you fail. The second time you fail, the benefit is cut for 40% in the first month, and then is completely cut until you pass the work test again.
  • The voluntary unemployment stand-down will be reduced from 26 to 13 weeks, from April 1997.
    • What this means : People who quit their jobs won't have to wait so long for a benefit. This policy also means it is less discouraging for people to take jobs for which they are not sure they will be suitable.
  • A single formula to calculate initial benefit stand-downs will be introduced, taking into account of family circumstances, from April 1997.
    • What this means : the two-week stand-down for regular dole applicants will be cut back to one week, and a new stepped formula will be introduced to reflect family size and income.

  • EDUCATION AND TRAINING INITIATIVES
  • The quality and availability of career information will be improved. A database will be established, which will make high-quality career information more accessible.
  • Extra resources will ensure more career counselling and guidance will be available through schools and the New Zealand Employment Service.

    • What this means : more money for what used to be called `vocational guidance'.

  • RESPONDING TO LOCAL NEEDS
  • Local Employment Co-ordinators will be introduced to establish Local Employment Co-ordination Groups in areas where these groups have not already been set up.
    • What this means : local government agencies, community groups, local government, employee organisations, business and Maori groups will be asked to meet together to draw up integrated strategies for the best use of government schemes. Some of these groups have already been set up in local areas.
  • The Community Employment Group has been directed to target its assistance primarily towards four priority groups: Maori, disadvantaged rural and urban communities, Pacific Islands groups and women.
    • What this means : The Community Employment Group becomes the government's main tool for targeting resources to disadvantaged communities. It will get an extra $9.9 million over the next three years (or $3.3 million/yr), which will enable it to employ more field staff, enhance its management, set up additional mobile information units, pay for key workers and specialist advice.
  • A new Employment Innovation Fund will be established within the New Zealand Employment Service to improve responsiveness to individual job seekers from January 1996.
    • What this means : This fund will support small-scale projects that do not fit within existing programme criteria.

  • MAORI LABOUR MARKET STRATEGY
    and `VAKA OU' NEW CANOE PACIFIC ISLANDS LABOUR MARKET STRATEGY

    What this means : extra resources for programmes which address the higher unemployment rate amongst Maori and Pacific Islanders. Combined costs over three year period: $25.5 million (or $8.5 million/yr).

  • Job Action workshops will be contracted out to Maori providers in order to improve their content and delivery to Maori.
  • A pilot programme will be set up to improve the employability of young Maori jobs seekers by enhancing their self-esteem and self-management skills, from April 1996.
  • The Wahine Pakari programme, a business training and self-employment programme run by Maori women for Maori women, will be re-established from January 1996.
  • The flexible use of the Job Plus wage subsidy will be piloted to allow Maori communities to access Job Plus subsidies for temporary work related to the development of Maori-owned assets, from April 1996.
  • School, Community and Iwi Liaison projects in Northland, the East Coast and South Auckland will be introduced over the next three years to focus resources, community and whanau support on schools to help improve Maori student achievement levels.
  • Job Action workshops will be contracted out to Pacific Islands providers in order to improve their content and delivery to Pacific Islands peoples.
  • A Pacific Islands Employment Coordinator will be appointed within the New Zealand Employment Service.
  • A new job information programme aimed at Pacific Islands men aged 35yrs and older will be introduced, from early 1996.
  • Case management will be provided for `at risk' Pacific Islands youth.
  • A Pacific Islands Local Employment Coordination Group will be established in South Auckland, based on the general Local Employment Co-ordination model.
  • The Government will assist potential Pacific Islands providers to meet the standards needed to tender for contracts with the New Zealand Employment Service.
  • Extra funding will be provided over three years to increase the number of licensed Pacific Islands early childcare centres, from July 1996.
  • The government will fund Anau Ako Pacifika, a highly successful parent support programme which has been operating for the last six years in Auckland, Tokoroa and Wellington.
  • The government will fund a Pacific Islands School-Parent-Community Liaison programme based in Auckland, Tokoroa and Wellington, from July 1996.

  • DETAILS
    The full government announcements are contained in the 42-pg document Focus on Employment available from the Minister of Employment, or government bookshops nationwide.

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