The Government has announced that employers can receive up to $10,000 in Government assistance if they hire a job-seeker aged 50 or older under its new “Restart” program. The program will replace the Seniors Employment Incentive Payment.
Under the program, eligible employers will receive $3,000 if they hire a full-time mature-age job seeker who was previously unemployed for a period of 6 months and employ that person for at least 6 months. Further, once that job-seeker has been working for the same employer for 12 months, the employer will receive another payment of $3,000. Finally, the employer will then receive a further $2,000 once the same job seeker has been with them for 18 months, and $2,000 again at 24 months.
To be eligible for the assistance, employers will need to demonstrate that the job they are offering is “sustainable and ongoing”, and that they are not displacing existing workers with subsidised job seekers.
Date of effect – The program will start on 1 July 2014.
Source: Minister for Employment and Treasurer media release, 13 May 2014
[WTB 20, 13/5/14]