Applications for initial Wage Subsidy scheme to begin

“Unlike the scheme that operated in March last year, this Wage Subsidy scheme requires businesses to reapply for each fortnightly payment,” Grant Robertson said.

Applications for the initial Wage Subsidy scheme in this outbreak close on Thursday, and applications for the next fortnightly payment will begin on Friday morning.

Cabinet decided that all of New Zealand south of the Auckland boundary would move to Alert Level 3 at 11.59 pm on Tuesday 31 August. Northland will move to Alert Level 3 on Thursday 2 September (subject to negative test results), and Auckland will remain at Alert Level 4 until 13 September.

“Unlike the scheme that operated in March last year, this Wage Subsidy scheme requires businesses to reapply for each fortnightly payment,” Grant Robertson said.

“Applications for the first Wage Subsidy August 2021 payment close at 11.59 pm on Thursday 2 September. The application process for the second two-week payment will commence from 9 am on Friday 3 September.

The criteria will be the same as for the initial application. Businesses and self-employed people must fill out the application form on the MSD website, agree to a new declaration and meet all eligibility criteria."

“The core settings of the Wage Subsidy Scheme remain the same. It is available to eligible businesses wherever they are in New Zealand on the same payment rates, two-week lump sum payments, and the need to show a 40 percent decline in revenue,” Carmel Sepuloni said.

“The revenue test period will move forward two weeks from the period used for the first Wage Subsidy August 2021 payment, but the comparator period will remain the same. The revenue test period for a second payment will be the 14 consecutive days from 31 August to 13 September 2021.”

“We are encouraging employers and those self-employed once again to ensure the accuracy of the information they provide, as that will delay processing if it isn’t correct,” Carmel Sepuloni said.

Businesses can also apply for the Leave Support Scheme and Short-Term Absence Payment as appropriate, as well as the Resurgence Support Payment, which is a one-off payment administered by Inland Revenue to help meet fixed costs.

(With Inputs from New Zealand Government Press Release)