NO SICKNESS BENEFIT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20094, 14 November 1939, Page 8

NO SICKNESS BENEFIT

MARRIED WOMAN COMPLAINT BY HUSBAND The fact that sickness benefits under the Social Security -Act do not extend to married women who suiTer no loss of wages or earnings as a result of their illness has been forcibly brought home to an Auckland resident. He states that, as a result of an accident, his wife was obliged to lie up for three weeks, acting on medical advice. His application for a social security benefit was, however, declined

“What is my wife paying her 5s for if she cannot get any benefit from it in case of sickness or accident?" the husband asked. “I have doctor’s expenses, as well as the cost of assistance in the liou.se, and travelling expenses to the doctor. Is my case an isolated one, or is every married woman ineligible for such benefits? If so, they may as well keep their 5s and pay their doctors’ expenses themselves, which my wife intends to do. This is one of the hundreds of promises the present Government has made and broken.’’ . It was explained by an officer of the Social Security Department (o whom the complaint was referred, | that a married woman who had not suffered any loss of earnings was j not entitled to a sickness benefit. The j medical benefit was not yet operating I except in maternity cases. A. married I woman was, however, entitled to hos- | pital, maternity, age and other benefits.