Holidays Act remediation payments to Health NZ staff have now surpassed $685 million in total
Health New Zealand has announced that it repaid about $27.9 million to more than 3,000 current MidCentral employees as part of its national Holidays Act remediation payments.
The remediation payments are Health NZ's initiative to compensate former and current employees who have been paid incorrectly as a result of Holidays Act 2003 compliance issues.
The latest payment to current MidCentral employees means over 86,000 current employees, or about 96% of the current workforce, who have been impacted by the errors have been compensated.
It also brings the total national Holidays Act remediation payments to more than $685 million.
The payments to MidCentral employees were issued days ahead of Health NZ's target remediation date in March.
According to its website, it is planning to make remediation payments to current Lakes and Whanganui employees in May.
Upcoming payments planned for current staff in Waikato and Northland are also underway, Health NZ said.
Remediation payments to former staff
Meanwhile, Health NZ has paid around 31,000 former employees over $175 million in Holidays Act remediation.
Payments were already made to former staff of the Bay of Plenty, Auckland Metro, Taranaki, Southern, and Tairāwhiti districts.
"The next tranche of payments to former staff is planned for late April and will include the first payments to former employees of South Canterbury and Hawke's Bay, along with the districts listed above," Health NZ said in a statement.
"Former Health New Zealand employees who have not yet registered for Holidays Act remediation can do so on the Former Employee Portal."
Health NZ's Holidays Act 2003 compliance issues impacted around 90,000 current employees and 130,000 former employees, according to its website.
Employees of the former District Health Boards, or Health Alliance, Health Partnerships, Health Source, or Northern Region Alliance at any time since May 2010 may have been paid incorrectly for their leave.
"Health NZ is committed to addressing these issues, to ensure current and former Health NZ staff receive their correct leave entitlements," the agency said on its website.
