Source: Radio New Zealand
Health Minister Simeon Brown. RNZ / Adam Burns
Home and community support workers will receive a temporary 30 percent increase to their mileage rates to help offset rising fuel costs.
The 30 percent increase means mileage rates will go from 63.5 cents to 82.5 cents per kilometre.
The changes work out to be an extra $19.05 per 100 kilometres of travel.
Health Minister Simeon Brown made the announcement on Thursday.
“Home and community support workers play a critical role in delivering essential services to some of our most vulnerable New Zealanders, and we deeply value the meaningful work they carry out in communities across the country.
“Their role requires frequent daily travel to provide care in people’s homes, and we are acting quickly to ease the pressure of rising fuel costs caused by conflict in the Middle East while they carry out this vital work.” Brown said.
On Tuesday, the care workers’ unions said they are taking legal action against Health NZ, with carers in remote areas saying the price of petrol is so high they are losing money visiting their more remote clients.
The Public Service Association (PSA) and E Tū jointly filed an Employment Relations Authority claim against the health agency on the basis that it is illegal for employers to dictate how workers spend their money, yet the agency requires workers to pay for fuel and car maintenance.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
