Whether your business is thriving and needing more workers or struggling and you’re thinking about downsizing, reducing people’s hours or closing, talk to the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) before you make any decisions.
Ministry of Social Development has more than 400 employment-focused staff throughout New Zealand, working with employers to understand their needs.
Through its free recruitment service and a range of employment programmes, MSD supports people into employment. The programmes can be adapted to reflect the level of support a candidate needs to take on a job and stay employed. Flexi-wage is one of those programmes.
A business could look at getting Flexi-wage support for:
- a new employee who needs support to gain skills to do a job
- a current employee who’s at risk of being made redundant and could be reskilled for a different role in the business or a temporary role in another business.
Flexi-wage provides a wage contribution and other support while a new employee gets the skills they need for their new job. This could include:
- in-work support (for example, pastoral care such as regular check-ins to see how things are going)
- on-the-job training.Depending on the level of support a candidate needs, Flexi-wage may be paid for either 24 or 36 weeks, at $276 including GST a week. There is some discretion to vary this support if the candidate has complex or specific needs.
Flexi-wage support job seekers who are disadvantaged in the workforce, or at risk of being on a benefit long-term, or both. They don’t have to be on a benefit to be eligible for Flexi-wage.A business may be able to apply for Flexi-wage if:
- the candidate meets the eligibility criteria
- the position is ongoing and will continue after the subsidy has finished
- you pay at least minimum wage for the role
- you haven’t dismissed anyone to make the job available.
Other programmes provide support while an employee gains a recognised industry qualification or is in the first two years of an apprenticeship, or can support multiple job seekers to gain industry-specific skills.
To find out more, call Ministry of Social Development’s Employer Line, 0800 778 008, or go to www.workandincome.govt.nz/employers
