Something isn't right here.
Jul. 9th, 2001 05:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
reynardoI've just had a chat with Centrelink. For those who don't know, I gave up my job because I wanted to do part-time Uni and part-time work, but my work wouldn't supply a replacement and I couldn't handle full-time work, part-time Uni, part-time housework and still be human. I therefore chose to leave work and cope on a vastly reduced sole parent pension and still attend Uni.
Work finally paid out my leave entitlements. It adds up to about 113 days worth of pay after 17 years, minus a HUGE tax amount as it was all paid at once.
But they wouldn't pay me a redundancy payment as they can't find enough computer techs (which was why they couldn't find replacement while I was studying). If they were to pay me redundancy, all the techs would be storming out of there. Why can't they find enough techs? Could it be because they pay a pittance? But I digress.
So I went to Centrelink to honestly declare that I'd received some money (after having spent some of it - hey, that's 17 years worth of my life - of course I'm going to spend some on myself and my family).
Now the screwy part.
If I'd received the money as a redundancy payment, nothing would be affected.
If I'd received the money as agolden handshake or a contract-breaking bonus or even as a reward for time and effort put in, there would be no problem.
But because it was backpaid holidays (and long service leave), I lose the pension for every day that I received the money for.
113 days.
No weekends.
No allowance for tax.
Nothing until November 9th.
In addition, because I own the house and am paying a mortgage on it, I get no rent relief. If I were renting it, I'd be getting some money from them. If I sign it over to my son then pay him rent, I'd get rent relief.
I will get a small amount (about $114 per fortnight) on one of the other allowances.
And weirdly enough, if I work during this period, I lose no more entitlements. Up to about $72,000 per annum.
I think it's time for a change in the rules.
Work finally paid out my leave entitlements. It adds up to about 113 days worth of pay after 17 years, minus a HUGE tax amount as it was all paid at once.
But they wouldn't pay me a redundancy payment as they can't find enough computer techs (which was why they couldn't find replacement while I was studying). If they were to pay me redundancy, all the techs would be storming out of there. Why can't they find enough techs? Could it be because they pay a pittance? But I digress.
So I went to Centrelink to honestly declare that I'd received some money (after having spent some of it - hey, that's 17 years worth of my life - of course I'm going to spend some on myself and my family).
Now the screwy part.
If I'd received the money as a redundancy payment, nothing would be affected.
If I'd received the money as agolden handshake or a contract-breaking bonus or even as a reward for time and effort put in, there would be no problem.
But because it was backpaid holidays (and long service leave), I lose the pension for every day that I received the money for.
113 days.
No weekends.
No allowance for tax.
Nothing until November 9th.
In addition, because I own the house and am paying a mortgage on it, I get no rent relief. If I were renting it, I'd be getting some money from them. If I sign it over to my son then pay him rent, I'd get rent relief.
I will get a small amount (about $114 per fortnight) on one of the other allowances.
And weirdly enough, if I work during this period, I lose no more entitlements. Up to about $72,000 per annum.
I think it's time for a change in the rules.
