We’ve bundled all of the information, resources and updates that you need to manage your business through Covid-19 and beyond, in this Restaurant Association Covid-19 hospitality hub.
Traffic light levels 2022
- Since 11.59pm, 13 April, 2022 all regions in New Zealand are in ORANGE.
Omicron response phase: Since 24 February, 2022 Aotearoa is in Phase 3.
Golden rules for ORANGE in 2022:
- There are no limits on the number of people who can be at the venue — either indoors or outdoors.
- Customers do not have to be seated, or separated.
- Customer-facing staff are still required to wear medical-grade masks, when they are serving customers indoors (but not outdoors).
- Customers are not required to wear masks indoors, or outdoors.
Since 11.59pm, Monday 4 April:
- My Vaccine Passes no longer required by customers in order to enter those venues covered by the Pass.
- Vaccine mandates removed for the hospitality industry. Workers are not required to be vaccinated to work in hospitality businesses.
- In addition, since 25 March, 2022 individuals are no longer required to QR scan and businesses no longer required to provide QR codes.
Helpful guidance:
Government business support available:
- Leave Support Scheme (LSS)
- Short-Term Absence Payment (STAP).
- The Covid Support Payment (CSP)
- three fortnightly payments (applications for all 3 CSPs close on 5 May 2022)
- each CSP = $4,000 per business, plus $400 per full-time employee (FTE), capped at 50 FTEs or $24,000
- the business must have experienced the revenue decline of 40% or more as a result of 1 or more COVID-19 circumstances
- two time periods against which you can compare your current revenue to be eligible for the payment.
- 5 January 2022 to 15 February 2022, which can be applied for in applications on 28 February onwards, and
- 5 January 2021 to 15 February 2021. Applications from 14 March onwards can use this date comparison.
- The Small Business Cashflow Scheme (SBCS) –
- Applications are open until 31 December 2023.
- In February 2022, the SBCS base loan increased to $20,000 (from $10,000). From end of March, the amount that can be borrowed is $20,000, plus $1,800 per full-time equivalent employee (up to 50 employees). The loan repayment period is 5 years (60 months).
- The first 2 years of existing loans will be interest-free provided the loan is not in default. Interest will apply at a rate of 3% per year on the remaining loan balance from the first day of the third year of the loan period.
- IRD support
- can apply flexibility for tax payment dates and terms to assist firms with cashflow pressures
- businesses struggling to pay tax because of impacts of COVID can potentially delay starting payments, or write off – log on to myIR.