The number of Census workers alleging Statistics New Zealand and its recruiter have breached employment law has doubled in size.
The group, which began with just nine, has swelled to 19 since 1News first reported on the upcoming legal stoush - a number which it says is likely just the tip of a larger problem.
Workers had described feeling misled over hours and pay, which were at times less than expected.
Recent additions to the group, Bernice Mitchell and Kevin Barnes, say they've been motivated to speak out so that others don't go through a similar experience in the future.
Mitchell had moved to Hamilton two weeks before she expected to start work in January, but was frustrated to find her start dates pushed back till March.
"It was really frustrating and a bit stressful because I was in the process of buying a house, and I was thinking that money was going to be used for the house. It was getting less and less as time went on."
But she says the uncertainty meant she couldn't just apply for another job.
"I just hope this doesn't happen again," she says.
Barnes, who is retired, says in his almost 50 years of working, it's the first time he's felt compelled to lay a formal complaint.
"No worker in New Zealand should be treated like this," he says.
The group's officially lodged a personal grievance against the government agency and recruiters Persolkelly seeking a total $249,000 compensation, including lost income and stress, in a case that's going to mediation next month.
The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment is due to oversee the voluntary mediation around the middle of June.
Community worker Michelle Hohepa has been coordinating the group's efforts to get the accountability it's seeking.
She's frustrated that it's taken so long to even settle on a date for mediation.
"It's daunting, we don't have a legal background, a lot of the group are beneficiaries, we don't have that sort of [legal] experience and I think it's really unfair."
She believes there are a number of others, who haven't joined the personal grievance claim, that have had a similar experience.
"I know there's a lot more people too scared to come forward," she says. "They are very vulnerable and that's the hardest thing.
"A lot of them don't understand their rights, don't know what to do."
Both Statistics New Zealand and Persolkelly say they can't comment while the legal process is underway. Meanwhile the minister responsible, Deborah Russell, says it is an "operational matter" and it would be "premature" and "inappropriate" to comment while the process was underway.
But opposition MPs who were approached by the group for assistance say that's not good enough.
National's Statistics NZ spokesman Simon Watts says he's been concerned by the stories he's heard.
"Staff deserve protection under the law and the census process has been chaotic from the start."
ACT MP James McDowall describes it as a "total shambles".
"Stats NZ is trying to pass on blame here, and they should be stepping in rather than lawyering up at the cost to the tax payer."
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