90 Day Trial Period Is Legitimised Workplace Bullying

Kay Brereton of the Wellington People's Centre says;

"The extension of the 90 day trial period to businesses with more than twenty staff will have a negative impact on the unemployed and especially vulnerable workers considered to have no skills.

Work-tested beneficiaries (those on Unemployment Benefit and work-tested partners of some beneficiaries), must take any offer of suitable employment (defined as sufficient hours to meet the work test), and are not able to refuse a job because it is offered as a 90 day trial. Failure to accept such an offer will result in sanctions being imposed on their benefit.

In practice this means people being forced to accept an employment agreement with a 90 day trial, and removes any pretence of choice on the part of the employee in the trial period.

Under a 90 day trial people can be dismissed without reason any time in the trial period, which means they are likely to face difficulties returning to benefit in this situation. Work and Income wants to know the reason they ceased work and employees don't know, this will often lead to a delay in benefit being granted.

But the real damage is to people's self esteem and feelings of self worth. Imagine a young person placed into a 90 day trial by W&I who after 88 days and no problems, is told that they no longer have a job and the employer refuses to give a reason. Many people will feel that there must be something wrong with them and enter their next employment with reduced confidence in their abilities.

We must oppose this move to give employers the power to bully their employees."

ENDS

© Scoop Media