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UPDATE 01.09.21: 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 The Ministry of Social Development’s website.

Following the Covid-19 alert level 4 change that came into effect from midnight on Wednesday 18 August, the Government has announced business support that will become available soon.

Here are the latest updates, with more information still to come.

Wage Subsidy Scheme (WSS)

As in the past, the Covid-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme will be available for businesses across New Zealand impacted by the Level 4 lockdown. The WSS 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.

• 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 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.

• 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 details will soon be available on Inland Revenue’s website.

Other existing support available

• The 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. Read more on MSD’s website.
• The 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. Read more on MSD’s website.

Here to help

We are working remotely during level 3 & 4 and we’re here to help if you need us, please get in touch.