Latest Update | Covid Financial Support for Businesses (15 September 2021)
The Third COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme
A third Wage Subsidy Scheme payment for eligible businesses has been announced. This is because Auckland is remaining at Alert Level 4. If your business is eligible, you can apply from 9am, Friday 17 September 2021.
The wage subsidy is paid in a 2 week lump sum. You can get:
$600 per week for each full-time employee
$359 per week for each part-time employee
Businesses must meet the eligibility criteria to apply.
Applications for the second round of the Wage Subsidy Scheme will close at 11:59pm on Thursday 16 September 2021.
Who can apply
Businesses that experience or predict a 40% revenue drop due to a combination of the effects of Alert Levels 4, 3, and 2 on their business (but not the effect of Alert Level 2 alone) are able to apply for the second wage subsidy payment, if they meet all the eligibility criteria. This is in addition to businesses that are able to apply if they are affected by the continuation of Alert Levels 3 and 4 from 17 August 2021.
Businesses that already applied before this clarification can include the effect of Alert Level 2, as well as the continuation of Alert Levels 3 and 4 from 17 August 2021, when calculating their revenue decline. These businesses should update the evidence they prepare and retain to support their applications.
The full eligibility details and obligations are set-out in the declaration, which you must read and agree to when you apply for a COVID-19 Wage Subsidy August 2021 payment.
https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/covid-19/wage-subsidy/how-to-apply.html
You cannot get the Wage Subsidy August 2021, Leave Support Scheme and Short-Term Absence Payment for the same employee at the same time.
If you applied for the first August 2021 Wage Subsidy, you can also apply for the second Wage Subsidy 2 weeks after your previous application, if you meet eligibility criteria.
Do not send in early applications — they will not be accepted as each payment is for 2 weeks.
The Second Round of Resurgence Support Payment (RSP)
You can also apply for the second round of the Resurgence Support Payment from 8 am Friday 17 September 2021. The payment and eligibility criteria are the same as the current scheme.
You can receive $1,500 per business plus $400 per full-time employee (FTE), up to 50 FTE.
The maximum payment is $21,500.
If you're a sole trader, you can receive a payment of up to $1,900.
Who can apply
To be eligible, your business must have experienced at least a 30% drop in revenue in a 7-day period from 8 September until immediately before all of NZ returns to Alert Level 1, compared to a typical 7-day period in the 6 weeks before 17 August.
You can apply if you have received the first payment.
Businesses anywhere in New Zealand can apply if you meet the eligibility criteria.
Reminder
The eligibility criteria also changed for newer businesses on 9 September 2021, when those who had been in business for at least one month before the alert level increase can now apply.
You can apply for both the COVID-19 Resurgence Support Payment and the COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme if you meet all the eligible criteria.