IHC millions short to pay night staff

Disabled care organisation IHC must find millions of dollars to pay staff who sleep over at its houses following a benchmark Employment Court ruling released yesterday.

But the organisation says it doesn't have the money and already pays staff everything the Government gives it.

General manager of human resources and training David Timms said the IHC would be asking the Ministry of Health for more money to pay its staff, after the court ruled staff were working while sleeping over at its community.

"We're welcoming this decision. It's good to have a clear ruling on this," he told NZPA.

Carer wages started at $13.50 an hour and went up to about $19, to look after some "very vulnerable people", he said.

"It is a big issue and it is important it is well aired. Our staff do a fantastic job and I wish we could pay them more."

Under the ruling, staff staying overnight at the IHC's houses are entitled to get at least $12.50 per hour for their 10-hour shifts. Staff currently receive a shift allowance of $34 per night. IHC has about 250,000 of the sleep-over shifts per year.

The landmark case was brought before the court by a residential worker in one of IHC's community homes, who cared for five disabled people.

Service and Food Workers Union advocate John Ryall said staff working in the houses often faced heavy workloads after 10pm. Before the ruling, their efforts were not regarded as work.

Mr Ryall said he was very happy with the result, saying it could have wide-reaching ramifications within disabled care in New Zealand.

Some support workers were overnighting at the community houses up to six nights per week -- spending a total of 100 hours per week on the premises of their employers, he said.

However, with the existing rates, they were only being paid for 40 or 50 hours, with the rest of the time paid for with shift allowances working out to less than $4 per hour, Mr Ryall said.

Where IHC would get the money to meet the huge wage increase was a matter for the organisation and its funders -- ultimately the Government, he said.

"They have really been able to carry out these services on the cheap," he said.

New Zealand employment law regarding overnighting carers was now in line with that of Europe and Canada, he said.

- NZPA