Next phase of Future Focus kicks in

Sickness beneficiaries medically assessed as able to work are getting help to find suitable part-time work from today.

“Those who can work, should and in fact research shows working part-time can help some on a sickness benefit recover faster,” says Ms Bennett.

“There’s no penalty if people can’t find work, the requirement is to genuinely look for a job, but you won’t find one if you’re not looking.”

Sickness Benefit is a weekly payment for people who aren’t working, because they are temporarily sick or injured.

“This is a temporary benefit, designed to support people while they get well and get back to work,” says Ms Bennett.

From this month Sickness Beneficiaries assessed as being able to work 15 to 29 hours a week, have an obligation to look for suitable part-time work.

“We know the longer people remain out of the workforce, the harder it is to return so we need to help people get back into it sooner,” says Ms Bennett.

“Our approach is to focus on what people can do, not what they can’t.”

Sickness beneficiaries assessed as able to work part time will need to:

• be available for, and looking for, suitable part-time employment

• accept any offer of suitable part-time employment

• attend interviews for suitable part-time employment

• undertake and participate in employment-related training, work experience and work assessments

Future Focus changes also added the requirement of an extra medical reassessment eight weeks after someone goes onto a Sickness Benefit.

That is on top of a requirement to provide medical certificates after four weeks on benefit, and then every 13 weeks to prove eligibility.

“This means more relevant information about the person’s progress and their ability to re-enter the workforce can be gathered sooner.”

Sickness beneficiaries will also have a compulsory review by their case manager if they’ve been on this benefit for more than 12 months.

Case managers will be able to require a second opinion from a designated doctor if capacity to work is unclear before making a decision to apply part-time work obligations.

There were 59,000 working age New Zealanders on Sickness benefits as of last month.

This is up from 50,000 at the same time in 2009 – an increase of 18 percent.

9,800 current SB recipients (15 per cent) have been assessed as capable of some part-time work or light duties