Questions and answers – March 2024 payment

If your question isn’t answered below, the best way to get in touch is via our query form.

Query form – Schools payroll remediation(external link)

Holidays Act non-compliance 

What is Holidays Act remediation? 

Holidays Act remediation is the correction of historical payments for leave taken during the remediation period if they have not been calculated and paid as required by the Holidays Act. 

What is the remediation period? 

The remediation period starts on 1 March 2010 and will continue until the schools payroll is compliant with legislation. 

With the agreement of the Labour Inspectorate, we are going back 6 years from the date the Ministry became aware of Holidays Act issues. As the Ministry became aware of Holidays Act issues in March 2016, we are remediating from 1 March 2010. 

This remediation payment covers part of the remediation period – from 4 September 2013 to 27 January 2022.

Does the schools payroll comply with the Holidays Act now? 

Compliance with the Holidays Act will require a range of solutions, including system, process and practice changes.  

Our first focus is ensuring historic errors are addressed. 

Once historic errors are addressed, the Ministry is committed to paying remediation on an ongoing basis until the schools payroll is compliant with legislation.   

Which employees are covered by the Ministry’s Holidays Act remediation programme?  

Our Holidays Act remediation programme covers school employees paid through the schools payroll. 

If you are unsure whether you are paid through the schools payroll, you can check with your school payroll administrator or principal. 

The early childhood education and tertiary sectors are out of scope for this programme of work. 

Timing 

Why is Holidays Act remediation taking a long time to complete? 

We face a unique set of challenges in calculating Holidays Act arrears for the school sector. 

While many other organisations across New Zealand have faced similar challenges with the Holidays Act, the size and complexity of the schools payroll means our work is taking longer to complete. 

The schools payroll is the largest in New Zealand, with an average of 97,000 school staff paid each fortnight. There are also many complexities resulting from multiple collective employment agreements with varying terms and conditions and associated processes and practices.

When will former employees receive remediation? 

Remediation payments for former employees will be made at a later date. 

If you are entitled to remediation, we will contact you directly when we are ready to make a payment. If your details have changed since you left the school sector, you may wish to register on the Schools Payroll Remediation Portal to make sure we can reach you in the future. 

Schools payroll remediation portal(external link)

Scope of payment 

Who is eligible for this remediation payment? 

To be eligible for this payment, you must: 

  • be a 52-week specialist and support worker
  • be due remediation for annual holidays between 4 September 2013 to 27 January 2022
  • have been paid in the 6 pay periods before 9 January 2024 or on long-term unpaid leave for all 6 of these pay periods. 

Those who received a payment received remediation for both current and former jobs where applicable. 

About the payment 

How do I find out if I’m receiving a payment? 

If you received a payment in this round, it was included in your normal pay on 19 March 2024.

If your payslip is usually emailed to you, we contacted you on the payment date with details about your payment. 

Where can I find my payslip? 

Your payslip is emailed to the address provided to Education Payroll Limited. In a small number of cases, payslips are posted to the physical address provided. 

What is the password for my payslip? 

The password for your payslip is your 7-digit Ministry of Education (MoE) number. If you don’t know your MoE number, check with your school administrator or payroll authorised user. 

What happens if you pay me more than I am owed? 

When we complete further calculations, you will receive the difference between the total amount owed and any amount already paid. 

In the unlikely event that we pay you more than the total amount you are owed, we will not recover overpayments. 

Tax, benefits and interest 

How was my payment taxed?

Your remediation payment was treated as a lump sum payment. Income tax and ACC contributions were deducted using the tax code Education Payroll Limited holds for you. 

Getting lump sum payments – Inland Revenue(external link) [PDF, 73 KB] 

Were KiwiSaver and student loan contributions deducted from my payment?  

Yes, if you are a member of a KiwiSaver scheme, employee and employer contributions were calculated as part of the payment process. Student loan repayments were also deducted as required by law. 

Will the payment affect any benefits I receive or payments I make, for example, child support payments? 

You can contact Inland Revenue and the Ministry of Social Development for advice about whether your payment affects any benefits, tax credits or other support payments you receive or make. 

Contact us – Inland Revenue(external link) 

Getting in touch – Ministry of Social Development(external link)

Will I receive interest on my remediation payment? 

No interest is payable on remediation payments. 

Contact the team 

My question isn’t answered above, how do I get in touch with the team? 

For questions about Holidays Act remediation or the wider schools payroll remediation programme, the best way to get in touch is via our query form. 

Query form – Schools payroll remediation(external link)

 You can also contact the team by: 

To ensure we only release personal payroll information to the correct person, please provide the team with your: 

  • full name 
  • Ministry of Education (MoE) number 
  • date of birth 
  • IRD number. 

For other payroll related questions, talk to your school administrator or payroll authorised user in the first instance.

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