Members have been enquiring about what support could be available if your business has been impacted because of the latest cases of COVID-19 community transmission in Auckland, and the change in Alert Levels.
There are two COVID-19 support payments currently available.
Businesses can apply for the Short-Term Absence Payment, to help pay staff who can’t work from home while they wait for a COVID-19 test result.
It’s to help you keep paying eligible workers who:
- can’t work from home, and
- need to miss work to stay home while waiting for a COVID-19 test result (in line with public health guidance).
It’s a one-off payment of $350 for each eligible worker. You can only apply for it once for each eligible worker in any 30-day period (unless a health official or doctor tells the worker to get another test).
Read more https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/covid-19/short-term-absence-payment/index.html
The COVID-19 Leave Support Scheme is available to help pay workers who’ve been told to self-isolate, can’t work from home and meet certain health criteria.
The Leave Support Scheme changed on 9 February when the Short-Term Absence Payment became available. Previously it covered people who were sick with COVID-19 ‘like’ symptoms who met the Ministry of Health’s ‘higher index of suspicion’ criteria, as well as health and disability support and age-care workers who were self-isolating while waiting for a COVID-19 test result. They can now apply for the Short-Term Absence Payment.
The Leave Support Scheme is paid at a flat rate of:
- $585.80 for people who were working 20 hours or more per week (full-time rate)
- $350.00 for people who were working less than 20 hours per week (part-time rate).
Read more here https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/covid-19/leave-support-scheme/index.html