01.09.21 ALERT LEVEL 3 UPDATE: The Government has approved another wage subsidy. Applications for Wage Subsidy August 2021 #2 will open at 9.00am on Friday 3 September. This is for all businesses and self-employed people who have or predict at least a 40% decline in their revenue from 31 August to 13 September and meet all the eligibility criteria. For more information go to WINZ.
18.08.21
The Government’s Covid-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme will be available for businesses across New Zealand impacted by the Level 4 lockdown that took effect from midnight on Wednesday 18 August, along with other support measures.
Read on for further information and quick links.
Wage Subsidy Scheme (WSS)
The Wage Subsidy Scheme is available nationally when there’s a regional or national move to Alert Levels 3 and 4 for a period of seven days and helps eligible businesses keep paying staff and protect jobs.
Important things to note about the Wage Subsidy Scheme:
- It allows eligible employers anywhere in the country to apply for support if they expect a loss of 40% of revenue as a result of the alert level increase.
- Subsidy rates have been increased to reflect the increase in wage costs: businesses will be eligible for $600 per week per full-time equivalent employee, and $359 per week per part-time employee.
- It will be paid as a two-week lump sum. Applications open on Friday 20 August with the first payments usually available after three days.
More details on applying for the WSS will be soon be available on the Ministry of Social Development’s website.
Resurgence Support Payment (RSP)
The Resurgence Support Payment is a payment to help support businesses or organisations with one-off costs due to a Covid-19 alert level increase to level 2 or higher. This is available to eligible firms at the same time as the WSS.
Note:
- It is available if firms incur a loss of 30 per cent of revenue as a result of the alert level increase.
- It is worth up to $1500 plus $400 per full-time equivalent employee, up to a maximum of 50 full-time employees (so up to a total of $21,500).
More information on the RSP can soon be found on Inland Revenue’s website.
Other support available
- Leave Support Scheme (LSS) provides a two-week lump sum payment of either $585.80 per week for full-time workers, or $350 per week for part-time workers, who must self-isolate and cannot work from home. More information on the MSD website.
- Short-Term Absence Payment (STAP) provides a one-off (once per 30 days) $350 payment for workers who must miss work due to a COVID-19 test and cannot work from home. More information on the MSD website.
- Xero Business Support Hub – resources to help business with business continuity, recovery and support tools. See the Xero website.
Get in touch
During level 3 & 4 we are working from home and available to answer your questions. Please get in touch.
