Employer Bulletin | 28 August
Disabled individuals face significant challenges in gaining employment, and recent data from Stats NZ reveals a widening income gap. In 2021, the income gap was $144 per week less in median wage or salary. Now, the gap has increased to $225 per week. This income disparity, combined with the extra costs associated with disabilities, results in tangible financial struggles. Kaihautū Tika Hauātanga Disability Rights Commissioner Prudence Walker emphasises the need for affirmative actions to address these persistent employment gaps. She calls for bold measures to ensure equal employment opportunities for disabled individuals and tāngata whaikaha Māori.
To bridge these gaps effectively, deliberate and affirmative actions should be implemented in both public and private sectors. This could involve recognising proactive employers who hire disabled people and removing existing work barriers. Preference might also be given to suppliers with robust systems for employing disabled individuals.
In today's Bulletin
- EEO Commissioner welcomes pay transparency legislation but says equity should not be delayed
- Bold action needed to close employment gaps for disabled people
- Investigation underway into the exploitation of Indian and Bangladeshi nationals in Auckland
- Retail spending falls in June 2023 quarter
- Better bus driver pay, more reliable services under new public transport framework
- Five Employment Relations Authority cases and six Bills open for public submission
