4 September 2020
Ref: DOIA 2021-0312
Kelly Hill
[FYI request #13494 email]
Dear Kelly Hill
Thank you for your email of 10 August 2020 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)
requesting the following under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act);
“Could you please release all communications letters emails records of conversations pertaining to the
underpayment of holiday pay entitlements by McDonald's to their employees I understand they have
reached an enforceable agreement with MBIE on a method to recalculate annual pay please include
this along with any indicated time frame of completion”
Due to the recent resurgence of the COVID-19 virus in the community and the nationwide restrictions imposed
as a result, this has impacted on the way MBIE has operated.
Ministerial Services has been working hard to process MBIE’s Official Information Act 1982 requests in a timely
manner. However, it has meant that the original timeframe for some requests has lapsed, and caused delays
for others.
As a result MBIE has taken the approach to prioritise the requests on the basis of ‘urgent Covid-19 related
items’, ‘essential business as usual (BAU) items’ and ‘general business as usual (BAU) items’ in that order.
The requests you submitted were triaged into the ‘General BAU’ category, therefore I am extending the
timeframe for responding to your request under the following sections of the Act:
15A(1)(a)
the request is for a large quantity of official information or necessitates a search
through a large quantity of information and meeting the original time limit would
unreasonably interfere with the operations of the department
15A(1)(b)
consultations necessary to make a decision on the request are such that a proper
response cannot reasonably be made within the original time limit.
We will now respond to your request on or before
Friday 18 December 2020, which is an extension of
74
working days, however we will endeavour to provide you with a response as soon as practically possible within
that time-frame.
You have the right to seek investigation and review of my decision by the Ombudsman, in accordance with
section 28(3) of the Act. The relevant details can be found at: www.ombudsman.parliament.nz.
Yours sincerely
Ashley Goodwin
Senior Ministerial Writer
Ministerial Writing
Engagement, Communications and Ministerial Services