Backdating benefit to the day after departure date

A client who leaves New Zealand without advising MSD of their travel can only have their benefit backdated to the day after their departure date if they:

• have a humanitarian reason that justifies their reason for travel and their failure to tell MSD before they left
• contacted MSD as soon as they could reasonably have been expected to, given their circumstances after they departed and
• meet the criteria to continue to be paid their benefit while overseas (either because they meet the criteria for approved travel, or the requirement that travel be approved does not apply to them)