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What is it

The Earthquake Job Loss Cover is a weekly payment of $400 net for fulltime and $240 net for part time employees paid over six weeks who have been displaced as a result of Christchurch’s earth quake.

You need to talk to your employer about whether you still have a job and can be paid. Employers can get the Earthquake Support Subsidy to assist them in paying your wages while they work out what they are going to do. If you can’t contact them and you are not working or being paid, then you can apply the Earthquake Job Loss Cover payment.

The payment will be made directly to your bank account. The payment is:

• $400 net per week for full time employees(over 20 hours per week) or $240 net per week for part time employees (anyone working 20 hours or less per week)
• paid weekly
• for up to six weeks from 22 February 2011.

How do you qualify?

You will need to:

• have been employed on 22 February 2011
• have worked for an employer who was based in the Christchurch City Council area
• no longer have an employer (they have not accessed the Earthquake Support Subsidy and have decided not to operate)

You are not able to receive Earthquake Job Loss Cover if you are receiving a benefit, ACC weekly compensation, or a Civil Defence Payment for loss of livelihood.  You cannot get the Earthquake Job Loss Cover payment if your employer is getting the Earthquake Support Subsidy for you as they will be paying you directly.

You also need to have worked for a Christchurch based employer.

How to apply

• If you don't have access to a computer, ask friends, neighbours or family. Or you can use a computer set up for this purpose at Work and Income service centres. Work and Income mobile vans will also have computers to help people apply.
• You can also apply by phoning the Earthquake Government Helpline on 0800 779 997. This line is currently operating 24 hours a day.

When will it be paid?

Payments will be made once your IRD details have been verified.

Payments

Earthquake Job Loss Cover payments are made weekly.

Your payments may stop if:

• you advised us that you no longer need or no longer qualify for this assistance
• we have begun paying Earthquake Support Subsidy to your employer (in which case your employer will pay you).

What information do you need to include?

You will need to provide us with:

• your personal details
• your IRD number
• your bank account details
• an email address / mobile phone number
  If you don't have a personal email or mobile phone, you can provide contact details of a friend or family member who we can contact on your behalf.  This person will receive acknowledgement of your application and your payment schedule.

You will need to make sure you have contacted your employer and make sure they are not applying for the Earthquake Support Subsidy.  Where your employer has applied for the Earthquake Support Subsidy you will be paid direct from your employer.  If you can contact your employer or they don’t know what they are doing you can apply for the Earthquake Job Loss Cover payment.

What constitutes the Christchurch City area in terms of these payments?

It covers the Christchurch City Council area which is made up of the community board areas of:

• Akaroa-Wairewa
• Burwood-Pegasus
• Fendalton-Waimairi
• Hagley-Ferrymead
• Lyttelton-Mt Herbert
• Riccarton-Wigram
• Spreydon-Heathcote
• Shirley-Papanui.

Repayments

If you are an employee who received an overpayment of Earthquake Job Loss Cover or your employer has paid your wages/salary, you need to make repayments.