Sleepovers - Workers Should Be Paid
Yesterday's Court of Appeal decision upheld an Employment Court ruling, which found that workers doing overnight sleepover shifts should be paid the adult minimum wage for every hour of the shift (currently $12.75 per hour).
After last year's Employment Court decision, the appellant, Idea Services (an IHC subsidiary), was placed in statutory management by the Government with tens of millions of dollars in backdated wages owing. In anticipation of yesterday's ruling, other providers took immediate steps to mitigate their loss by reducing their overheads and changing their remuneration arrangements. At the time, the Health Ministry said the ruling would cost between $400m and $500m to cover five years of back-pay for all providers.