A sense of security for the team

For Clelands Construction their staff are at the centre of their business, so keeping them happy and healthy is important. They are the largest construction company in Taranaki and have been involved in several significant construction projects throughout the region. Keeping their workforce happy and healthy makes good business sense.

Hard knocks

The life of a builder can be hard on the body, knocks and strains take their toll. Clelands Construction clearly understands that, and the well-being, both physical and mental, of their employees is especially important to the success of the company.

Clelands Construction signed up to Southern Cross in 1976* to give its staff the security that their health is covered. New Zealand’s public healthcare system and the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) provides healthcare for emergency treatment, acute care, and accidents. However, in some cases financial security is affected when ACC don’t cover the whole cost of treatment or may decline the claim altogether.

“I think having that protection there really gives them that comfort that they know they’ve got ACC compensation, as everyone does. If it’s not covered by that they know they’ve got their health insurance that’s covered by the company and Southern Cross Health Insurance.” Chris Pye, Operations Manager, Clelands Construction.

*Clelands Construction subsidises the Wellbeing Two plan for its employees.

Get support with ACC claims for your employees

ACC claims can be declined when they believe the injury is a result of natural wear and tear rather than an accident and this can be very distressing for the employee because they are not just out of work because of an injury, they are out of pocket too.

It may be the case that ACC does not have the full picture for them to make an informed decision, so the decision to decline the claim is based on incomplete information. That is when the Southern Cross Member Advocacy team can be a major help.

John Capper, a 63-year-old long-serving carpenter at Clelands Construction suffered a double shoulder injury while on the job. His ACC claim was initially turned down. The Southern Cross Member Advocacy team got involved with our no-cost service.

As Chris Pye explained, “They really supported John as though he was one of their own employees.”

Happier and healthier workforce

The Southern Cross Member Advocacy team has an open and effective relationship with ACC. The team has access to medical and legal expertise to support our members who don’t always have this knowledge.

They understand what ACC needs to make an informed decision, which makes this no-cost service an invaluable resource for both the employee and the company. In John’s case, after the Member Advocacy team got involved, his claim was approved by ACC and John was given the support and help he needed.

It was a win for everyone. John got compensation while he was off work and Clelands had one of their important, skilled employees come back to work much faster than they expected.

• Find out more about the Southern Cross Member Advocacy team here