Employer Bulletin | 12 February

Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston has announced a refocus in the coalition government's approach to employment efforts and the welfare system. This new approach prioritises supporting people into work. 

Minister Upston expressed particular concern about the increasing number of youth not in employment, education, or training (NEET), which rose by 3,000 people over the December quarter. Furthermore, Minister Upston emphasised the troubling fact that 40,000 individuals under the age of 25 are currently on a Jobseeker benefit, marking a 66 per cent increase compared with statistics from six years ago.

Considering these figures, Minister Upston underscored the urgent need for the coalition government to address these compounding challenges and bolster confidence in businesses to expand their workforce, both numbers and hours.

In today’s Bulletin

• Government law and order crackdown begins.
• Greater focus on getting people into work.
• Unemployment rate at 4.0%.
• Average hourly earnings up 6.9%.
• Special Ukraine Visa.
• Parent Resident Visa overview and application numbers.
• Two Employment Court cases, three Employment Relations Authority cases and one Bill open for submission.

If you have any questions, about this case or other employment relation matters, call the AdviceLine team on 0800 800 362.