Employment

The coalition was told that the programmes "do not increase the probability of participants moving off [the] benefit and into employment".

Allegations of unjustifiable dismissal and arguments over pay drive hundreds of complaints to the Employment Relations Authority each year.

Two proposals were made to staff on Friday - one would see a transfer of functions to Te Puni Kōkiri - with 44 employees transferred.

Younger people appear to be feeling more financial stress than their older colleagues, Employment Hero co-founder Ben Thompson says.

"We thought we could rely on the ministry to do what they said they were going to do." Audio

Auckland company Extraordinary has developed a form of debit card that lets workers choose the benefits they need most, without having to claim reimbursements. Audio

Its lawyer has told a court that the owners' conviction would not have a "chilling effect" for other land owners or managers.

HealthNow has changed its brand to Extraordinary, and repositioned the business to meet growing demand for an expanded range of low cost ways for employers to reward employees.

The Department of Internal Affairs plans more jobs cuts too, but critics say staff are now overloaded and it will affect the Crown's relationship with Māori.

A senior police officer sexually harrassed a female officer, but an internal investigation process was flawed, the independent police conduct authority has concluded.

The loss of 600 jobs in Timaru is hitting the local economy hard, with retailers seeing a big drop in sales, sparking fears that more shops will close. Audio

One teenager told First Up he was rejected for an entry-level role at a fast food chain because the employer received 600 applications. Audio

Puro chief executive Sank Macfarlane said it is a natural partnership that supports the local community.

Those on JobSeeker can be hundreds of dollars in the red each week, new research shows.