Whether your business is thriving and needing more workers, or struggling and you’re thinking of closing, downsizing, or reducing people’s hours, talk to the Early Response Team at the Ministry of Social Development before you make any decisions.

MSD’s Redeployment Support Service aims to help businesses retain or retrain staff, or help staff into new employment or upskilling opportunities. They can provide regional support and advice for you and your employees.

For any information about the below services please contact MSD directly:

Redeployment Support Services

The MSD Early Response Teams have a range of Redeployment Support Services available including:

• Redeployment seminars: these provide information about support available to help transition into new employment and/or upskilling opportunities.
• One-to-one consultations: strength-based assessment of support catered to a staff member’s aspirations and needs.
• Redeployment expos: provide opportunities for staff to connect directly with employers and other organisations providing support and services.
• Collaborative events tailored for those at risk of losing their jobs, with a range of employers and organisations taking part.

Retain and/or retrain staff

There’s financial support available for businesses to help retain and/or retrain staff into other areas of a business. If you can retrain staff into a different role, or have a business that can hire staff, ask about Flexi-wage. MSD may be able to help with a wage contribution, in-work support, or training while new staff gain the skills needed for the job.

Mana in Mahi may be available if you hire one of our candidates who is keen to gain an industry qualification. Support includes funding and on-the-job support. If you want to hire, train, and employ staff in large numbers across multiple regions, ask about Mana in Mahi and Skills for Industry.

Skills for Industry could be available if candidates need industry-specific skills for a job. This may include funding, and support to help with short-term, pre- employment, or in-work training.

Apprenticeship Boost provides monthly payments to help you keep, or take on new, apprentiAes.

Free Recruitment Services

MSD offer a range of free employment services to support businesses, including:

• help to recruit staff
• financial assistance to take on new staff
• training opportunities to help new staff gain necessary skills
• genuine partnerships to support business and industry.

Recruitment services
MSD offer free recruitment services to help find the right candidate. MSD will work with you to understand your needs, and connect you with people we think will be a good fit in your business. For example, MSD can advertise vacancies, shortlist candidates, and coordinate interviews

To support people whose jobs have been impacted by the economic fallout of COVID-19, MSD have introduced a free job board where you can list vacancies and connect with New Zealanders looking for work.

Support for wages and training
There are lots of ways MSD may be able to support businesses, including:

• a financial contribution to wages and pre-employment, in-work, or short-term training
• ongoing support and advice to help new staff settle into your workplace
• assisting candidates with a health condition or disability into work through a financial contribution to wages, workplace modifications, or on-the-job support.

Employment Programmes

MSD offer several programmes that support employers to take on staff. MSD can also help people at risk of losing their job who need help or training to take on a role.

In-Work Support is a dedicated team offering wrap-around help for people entering new employment. The MSD team may be able to help with financial assistance, Working for Families, childcare costs, and regular check-ins.

Te Heke Mai is a coaching programme aiding people looking for work, in training, or starting a new job. Through an app and real-life coaches, participants are assisted and coached to set and achieve goals. It’s available with or without employer participation.

Mainstream programmes may be able to help with wage subsidies, other funding, and on-the-job support when you hire a candidate with a disability.

Modification Grant funding may also be available for modifications or equipment for employees with a disability or health condition.

Connected is a service that helps New Zealanders access the wide range of employment, education, and training support and advice available through government agencies, including Work and Income.

Redundancy Support

If you’re thinking you might need to make staff redundant or reduce their hours, MSD can provide ˜Rapid Response confidential support and advice for you and your staff whether your downsizing, closing or relocating. They can:

• talk with you about your situation
• coordinate services with other agencies including:
  • Inland Revenue
  • Careers New Zealand

• help your employees:
  • identify their skills
  • find another job
  • identify re-training/upskilling opportunities
  • access financial support

Contact Auckland_Early_Response@msd.govt.nz (this is the correct email for all of NZ) to discuss this service

Retraining for free
MSD can tell your staff about further training that might interest them. For example, some tertiary institutes have reduced or waived their fees for people experiencing redundancy, and some courses are available online.

MSD can advise staff about free training available through local tertiary institutes, and training courses offered through other community or industry groups.

$5k to work
As well as helping your staff look for new work or training, MSD may be able to help with the costs of getting started in a new job. If staff need to move to take up a new job, they may be able to get a lump sum payment. They’ll need to be eligible for a benefit and have a confirmed job that meets our criteria.

Help with essential costs

Work and Income may be able to help people, even when they’re still in employment.
If someone is worried about their job, or is working fewer hours and has a lower income, they may be able to get some financial assistance help from MSD.

MSD could help with:

• food
• accommodation (rent, mortgage, board)
• power, gas and water bills or heating
• medical and dental costs
• car repairs

Even if someone doesn’t think they qualify, they should talk with MSD about their situation.