In the 2010 Budget the government announced that it would be making changes to the DPB. They are now requiring everyone receiving the DPB to actively look for 15 or more hours of paid employment per week, and to accept such jobs as are offered to them, unless they are exempt from this requirement for some reason. This work test is not confined to the DPB – it already existed for the Unemployment Benefit, and from 2011 will also apply to anyone receiving a sickness benefit who is deemed able to work (see government press release here www.beehive.govt.nz/release/future+focus+better+work+approach).
Until recently, people who home educate their children have been exempt from work requirements, in the same way as parents with children under the age of 5, and people with sole responsibility for someone requiring full-time care. This is now no longer the case.
In a letter received by one home educating parent Paula Bennett says “It is no longer sufficient to just have an exemption certificate from the Ministry of Education. A parent also needs to have a very good reason for home schooling their children”. (see the NCHENZ website for the full letter www.nchenz.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Tarnya-Burge-07-09-10.pdf )
The wording of the legislation puts it as follows:
6 Exemption from work test obligations: work-tested sole parents
(1) A work-tested sole parent may apply under section 105 of the Act to be exempted from some or all of his or her work test obligations, on any ground specified in regulation 4 or in subclause (2).
(2) A person described in subclause (1) may be granted an exemption from some or all of his or her work test obligations on the grounds that
(a) it would be unreasonable to expect the person to undertake employment because-
(i) the person is the principal caregiver of a dependent child or foster child with special needs whose welfare would be unduly harmed if the person attended employment or training, and for whom satisfactory alternative care arrangements are not available, or unable to be made, by the caregiver;
or
(ii) the person would qualify for an invalid’s benefit under the Act;
or
(b) the person needs time to adjust to managing the care of children alone because-
(i) the person’s spouse or partner has recently died;
or
(ii) the person has recently separated from or ceased to live together with his or her spouse or partner;
or
(c) both the following apply:
(i) the person is actively engaged in teaching the person’s dependent child or foster child who is aged 5 years or is exempt from enrolment in school under an exemption granted under section 21 or 22 of the Education Act 1989;
and
(ii) it would be unreasonable to expect the child to attend school because of the family’s circumstances.
In other words, you are exempt if your case worker thinks you have a ‘very good reason’ to home educate. It is not totally clear what will and will not be acceptable as a ‘very good reason’, but it is likely that it will include things like your child having special needs, or if you live a long way from a school.
These changes are due to come into effect at the end of the 2010 school year.
A number of people have written to the Human Rights Commissioner about this issue, on the basis that it is a form of discrimination, and is limiting to the rights and freedoms of these parents (in regards to their education choices for their children). The Commission is currently considering whether this is the case.
In the meantime, however, the legislation has already passed and affected people will already have received their letters from WINZ telling them of the new requirements.
Stacey Wilson,
NCHENZ committee member
There is a single parent homeschooling support group at http://singleparent.co.nz/
