Partner meeting their work obligation requirements
A client who is a partner of someone receiving Jobseeker Support can continue to be paid a benefit while they are absent from New Zealand for any reason:
- when they are meeting their work obligations by being in paid employment and
- the travel will not prevent them from continuing to meet these work obligations (eg during a period of annual leave from employment)
Examples (but are not limited to)
Client situation | Outcome |
Partner of a person receiving Jobseeker Support with part-time work obligations is employed for 22 hours per week. They have taken annual leave from their employment to travel to Australia. | The client is already meeting their part-time work obligations by being in suitable employment of over 20 hours per week. Their benefit will continue to be paid for up to 28 days in any 52 week period while they are absent from New Zealand. |
A Jobseeker Support couple go overseas on holiday. The partner is meeting their obligations by working part-time for 24 hours per week. The holiday is taken while the partner is on annual leave. | The primary job seeker cannot continue to be paid while overseas on a holiday. The partner is already meeting their part-time work obligations by being in suitable employment of over 20 hours per week. The partners share of the benefit will continue to be paid for up to 28 days in a 52 week period while they are absent from New Zealand. The full rate of accommodation supplement can continue to be paid for up to 28 days in any 52 week period while they are absent from New Zealand. |
Partners obligations
From 1 April 2016, partners will need an approved reason to travel if:
- their youngest dependent child is 3 or 4 years old
- they are working between 15 and 20 hours per week
Discretion to continue payments while temporarily overseas is available for clients that:
- will change from work preparation to part-time work obligations on 1 April 2016 because their youngest dependent child is aged 3 or 4 years old or
- will no longer be meeting their part-time work obligations on 1 April 2016 because the definition of part-time work increased from 15 to 20 hours per week and
- book overseas travel before they are aware of the changes to their work obligations that come into effect on 1 April 2016 and
- would continue to receive their payment based on their obligations at the time they booked travel
Note all other Absence from New Zealand policy applies when applying this discretion.
Legislation
- General rule: benefit not payable while beneficiary absent from New Zealand section 219 Social Security Act 2018
- Exception to general rule: benefit subject to obligations rule regulation 144 Social Security Regulations 2018
- Criteria for discretionary payment of certain benefits in respect of absences of up to 4 weeks in 52-week period regulation 145 Social Security Regulations 2018
- Absences that do not prevent beneficiary meeting obligations regulation 147 Social Security Regulations 2018
