Benefits to Employees 

Social Club

The Social Club is a great way to network with other members of the Council who are not in your immediate work group. 

Regular features include free pizza / food nights on the first Friday of every month, Christmas functions for adults and kids, comedy evenings, sports tournaments (golf, pool, netball, inter-Council sports tournaments), go-karting, quiz night, wine tasting and various other functions and events during the year. 

Crèche 

Cranwell Park Early Learning Centre is a council owned facility centre run by Barnardos New Zealand. It is located by the Aquatic Centre - Alderman Drive, phone (09) 836 7506. The children of Council staff have preference if there is a waiting list. 

West Wave Aquatic and Recreation Centre

The Aquatic Centre offers discounted membership rates to Council staff. Benefits include access to:

• Lane Swimming
• Water Walking
• Aqua Aerobics
• Sauna
• Steam room 
• Spa
• Waves Fitness Centre

Council Staff rates are also available to immediate family members, i.e. partner, children over 16, parents, grandparents, brother and sisters. 

Libraries 

Staff may join any Council library free of charge regardless of their place of residence and will be exempt from some charges. 

Remuneration 

The Council uses job evaluation as the basis for market related salaries. 

Salary surveys are used extensively in assessing the appropriate market rate for positions. Our current practise is to use the median from the national 'all organisations' survey figures. One-off bonuses may be paid in recognition of performance. 

Salary bands for positions are reviewed annually in each financial year. 

Flexible hours 

The Council recognises we all have commitments outside of work and that it is important for all staff to feel they can balance the demands made upon them. The Council acknowledges the joint responsibilities for managers and employees to develop work arrangements which meet the needs of both the organisation and the individual. 

Health insurance 

Staff have access to discounted health insurance with Southern Cross. 

Parental leave

Our current provisions comprise an entitlement to 6 weeks paid parental leave for the primary care giver and 2 weeks for the secondary care giver.

This is available to all staff whose position is covered under the PSA collective and individual agreements. It also covers managers.

Staff who have been employed by the Council for less than one year will have an entitlement to a maximum of 6 months unpaid parental leave.

In addition, the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act entitles certain employees to up to 12 weeks paid parental leave in addition to the provisions in the agreement noted above. For further information relating to this payment please see Inland Revenue.

Leave entitlements 

The Council recognises the importance of rest and recreation and annual leave entitlements are better than the minimum in the Holidays Act.

Sick leave entitlements are reasonable and may be used to care for sick dependent family members.

Unused leave may be accumulated.

Family bereavements, or any occasion on which the Chief Executive accepts that a death has caused a bereavement may be taken as paid leave.

Staff discounts

Staff are able to access a variety of the Council's suppliers and in most cases enjoy a discounted purchase price.

Superannuation Scheme

Council offers all permanent staff, and fixed term staff who have completed 12 months service at the time of application and who have a further 12 months contracted employment to run, the opportunity to join the local government SuperEasy Superannuation Scheme which is administered by Civic Assurance.

The superannuation scheme is part of the City’s commitment as a good employer to improved terms and conditions, staff wellbeing, financial and retirement planning.

For further information about the scheme see www.supereasy.co.nz.

KiwiSaver

Council employees can join KiwiSaver www.kiwisaver.govt.nz.  Council's preferred provider of kiwiSaver is Civic Assurance.  Required contributions to KiwiSaver from 1/04/08 will be paid in addition to remuneration packages.