Working people are welcoming today’s announcement from the Green Party that they will increase the legal minimum entitlement of paid sick leave from five days per year to ten.
Today’s announcement was part of a package of initiatives released in their ‘Budget for All Mothers’ policy. CTU Secretary, Sam Huggard welcomes the policy, “This is a great announcement. More sick leave is something that lots of working people need, especially those with caring responsibilities for other members of their families.”
“According to the State Services Commission, most working people are using a minimum of eight days of sick leave annually. So for those working people on the legal minimum of five days they are either needing to take unpaid leave or annual leave.”
“An increase to ten days would also bring New Zealand up to the same level as our Australian neighbours.”
“It’s great to see the Green’s commitment to making life better for working New Zealanders in these tangible and specific ways,” Huggard said.