RETURNED SOLDIERS

Evening Star, Issue 24288, 1 September 1942, Page 6

RETURNED SOLDIERS

RESUMPTION OF CIVIL JOBS SHOULD BE PROPERLY FIT A desire to safeguard tho interests of men returning from the war ami to sec tha” they are not placed hack in employment before they are properly fit was the subject of debate at an executive meeting of the Dunedin Returned Services Association last night, Mr S. G. Scoular presiding, j The matter was brought forward by the War Emergency Committee in tho form of a minute for the approval of tho executive. It was subsequently approved to be forwarded to Dominion headquarters so that Further representations might be made. The minute read as follows: — “At tho present lime men reluming from overseas as a result of wounds or of being medically unfit for military service and those serving within New Zealand who for medical reasons arc returned to civil life are either granted a pension or placed on social security benefit. They are not actually discharged from the forces, but are granted leave of absence without pay, and may possibly be called upon for further service at a later date if they should be classified as fit after another medical examination. The former employers of these exservicemen are required to reinstate them in [heir mploymont at the termination of their service or during any period of leave without pay from that service. Such reinstatement is to bo in an occupation and under conditions not less favourable than those that the employee, had he not been accepted for service, would have enjoyed at the time of reinstatement. “ In some cases tho ex-serviceman is not in a fit condition to resume his former or any similar occupation, and it may not be in the interests of his health that ho should' be reinstated immediately after the granting of ‘leave of absence without pay.’ In the case of some of those in receipt of social security benefits men have been impelled by necessity to the detriment of their health to resume work because the financial reward was greater. In the circumstances wo are of opinion that before men are given leave of absence without pay they should be subjected to a searching medical examination to determine their fitness to resume their former occupation. If such examination establishes that it would bo inadvisable for a man to resume his former occupation or that he is" not likely ever to be fit to do so, and if the employer is able to satisfy the Rehabilitation Board that it is impossible for him to reinstate the man in another position of equal status, the Rehabilitation Board should be responsible for finding hiim a new occupation. If necessary the Rehabilitation Board should provide any such man with training for a sufficient period to fit him for a new trade or calling, and during his training the man should receive adequate allowances or subsidies for the maintenance of himself and his dependents. Until the man’s fitness to resume his former occupation is clearly established or the Rehabilitation Board has made other provision for him, he should continue to receive full Army pay and allowances, including assistance (if any) granted by the Soldiers’ Financial Assistance Board and subsistence allowance, or, if it is greater, he should be granted a war pension plus economic allowance. There should be uo limitation as at present to the period during which a man may receive full Army pay allowances. Every case should be treated oh its merits.” “ I understand that the Army pays exservicemen for a period of not more than three months after their return from service, and if at the end of that period their application for pension is not settled they receive a social security benefit until it is,” stated Mr C. R. McLean, who presented the minute. “ When they receive a pension or social security benefit they are given ‘ leave of absence without pay,’ and their former employers arc then obliged to reinstate them in their employment. A number of cases have already come under the notice of the secretary where men have returned to work before it was advisable for them to do so, and these proposals are submitted with the object of securing for such men fiancial conditions that will mak an immediate return to work unnecessary. The committee . appreciates the fact that the aim of those concerned in the rehabilitation of ex-servicemen must be to get the men settled back into civilian life and into employment as soon as possible.” At the same time, he said, the authorities must recognise that in some cases these men are not fit to resume at the end of even three months, and that they should be given further leave with pay or such pension as will make it unnecessary for them to return to work until they are quite fit. The point was, said Mr W. F. Forrester, the men should either be in the Army on Army pay, on a pension, or definitely discharged and back in their jobs, and to be back in their job they must be fit. Mr McLean: Yes; wo want to prevent them going back into jobs until they are properly fit. The minute was carried unanimously.