Pastoral Support Plus

A Pastoral Support Plus package is now available for horticulture and viticulture employers and contractors. The aim of this initiative is to encourage the performance and retention of local New Zealand seasonal workers.

Employers will reward employees as they hit milestones to achieve their full period of their employment contract:

2 weeks after starting: $250 plus KS (if applicable) and allowing for ACC, maximum $260.98
4 weeks after starting: $250 plus KS (if applicable) and allowing for ACC, maximum $260.98
6 weeks after starting: $500 plus KS (if applicable) and allowing for ACC, maximum $521.95

Employers are responsible for any holiday pay entitlements.

Applicants must be seeking work in  picking, packing, planting or maintenance horticulture and viticulture work.

MSD will confirm with NZAPI that the employee is accepted.

NZAPI will qualify the employers participation on the initiative ( employer is a NZAPI member, or Master Contractors member and Global Gap certified)

In order to qualify for Pastoral Support Plus, employers would need to produce a signed employment agreement for each worker. Each agreement would need to have a start date and an end date. Only workers who were employed after 1 February 2021 would qualify for the support package and they must be local workers who were registered with MSD in the Hawke’s Bay region.

Application Process

1.Provide the following information in a spreadsheet:

• • Employees name
  • Employment agreement detailing the start and end date
  • Sector they will be working in i.e. harvest or post-harvest

Employee applications to be sent by employers to george.rarere@applesandpears.nz AND glenn.gray005@msd.govt.nz.

2.Confirmation of employee acceptance into the programme will be sent to the employer from MSD and will include the workers client number for invoice referencing (refer to point 3 below)

3.Employers to invoice NZAPI once the payments have been made to the employee (this needs to be confirmed by email).  If an invoice is received between the 1^st and 15^th of a month, the invoice will be paid on the last day of the month. If the invoice is received between the 16^th and last day of the month it will be paid on the 15^th of the following month.

 NZAPI details for invoicing:

Name: New Zealand Apples and Pears Inc
Address: PO Box 11094, Hastings, 4156
Email: temahi@applesandpears.nz

Invoices must:

1. List the employees MSD client number, not their name
2. How much has been paid to each employee
3. Be issued for the amount paid, plus GST
4. Include the bank account of the employer.

If you have any queries, please contact either George 027 423 0499, Jill 027 316 5460 or send an email to temahi@applesandpears.nz