31 August 2004
Employers Should “Put up or Shut up” on Holidays Act Changes
“It is now time for employers to produce hard evidence to support their claims that workers are abusing sick leave under
the new Holidays Act,” Council of Trade Unions President Ross Wilson said today.
The Minister of Labour today tabled in Parliament a Bill to amend the Holidays Act 2003 which includes a right for
employers to call for proof of illness during the first three days where there is reasonable cause to suspect the
entitlement is being misused.
“Allegations like this are being made by employers on anecdotal rumour but no hard evidence has yet been produced,” Ross
Wilson said
“There is some justification for amendments to correct unintended doubling up on penal rates on statutory holidays or to
clarify that workers off sick on a public holiday don’t get rate and a half,” he said. “But there is no clear evidence
to support the tightening up on medical certificates.”
The CTU would hold a special meeting of affiliated unions on Friday to discuss the Holidays Amendment Bill.
ENDS