Calculating the period of absence

The period of an absence from New Zealand for which payment of Emergency Maintenance Allowance can continue (if approved) is up to 28 consecutive days, that is, Saturdays and Sundays are included.

In all cases, when assessing the period of absence do not include:

• the date of departure from New Zealand and
• the date of return to New Zealand

If a client is absent for more than 28 days in a 52 week period the benefit should be suspended from the 29th day (unless they meet the criteria to pay for longer than 28 days).

Note if a client is leaving New Zealand permanently, the benefit must be cancelled from the day after departure.

When a client is paid a benefit while they are absent from New Zealand, a client can receive a payment for up to 28 days in total in a 52 week period. The 52 week period is counted in the following way:

• identify the day after the client is intending to leave New Zealand
• count back 52 weeks from this date
• identify any periods of paid absence they have used (counting from the day after they have left New Zealand to the day before they returned to New Zealand)
• subtract the number of days absent from New Zealand from 28 days. The remainder is the client's entitlement to be paid a benefit while they are absent from New Zealand
• pay the client the days they have available up to the period of absence. This may not be the whole of the time they intend to be absent from New Zealand depending on how many days of their entitlement they have left