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Businesses to help boost readiness of sole parents

Author
Frances Cook,
Publish Date
Fri, 22 May 2015, 4:11PM
Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images

Businesses to help boost readiness of sole parents

Author
Frances Cook,
Publish Date
Fri, 22 May 2015, 4:11PM

UPDATED 4.11pm: National isn't worried about the availability of part-time work for sole parents.

An increase in the benefit comes with the requirement for parents to be available for 20 hours of part-time work, from when their child is three-years-old.

Finance Minister Bill English says it's an achievable goal because job growth is getting stronger.

But he says there is a complaint beneficiaries sometimes aren't work-ready.

"We will be working more closely with businesses to ensure that people coming off welfare are a bit more work-ready and also to help sustain them in jobs."

And one industry is ready to welcome those parents looking to fulfil benefit obligations.

Andrew Ritchie from the Bus and Coach Association, says the change means those affected will now qualify for driving positions.

"We can offer as an industry and different employers can offer work for those people now because the criteria's been shifted.

"As a school bus industry, it's ideal."

Ritchie says they're expecting up to one-thousand vacancies over the next two years.

 

 

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