COVID-19: Wage Subsidy March 2021

What is it?

The Wage Subsidy March 2021 is a payment to support employers, so they can continue to pay employees and protect jobs for businesses affected by the rise in alert levels on 28 February 2021.

You can apply to cover the wages of your employees over a 2 week period. You can't apply for the same employee twice. Self-employed people can also apply for this.

Who is it for?

New Zealand businesses who have had or expect to have a 40% decline in revenue over a consecutive 14-day period between 28 February and 21 March, compared to a typical 14-day period between 4 January and 14 February 2021 (6 weeks before the change in alert levels), may be able to get it.

Businesses with highly seasonal revenue will be able to compare their decline in revenue to the same period of 14 consecutive days in 2020 or 2019.

Criteria you need to meet:

- You must be an eligible employer
- Your employees must be legally working in New Zealand
- You must have a 40% decline in revenue related to the recent rise in alert levels
- Your business must have taken active steps to mitigate the financial impact of COVID-19
- You must retain the employees you're applying for
- You can't receive more than one COVID-19 payment for the same employee at the same time

How to Apply?

You can apply online now through the Ministry of Social Development website.

You may not get your payment straight away. For businesses applying for the COVID-19 Wage Subsidy March 2021 between 4 March 2021 and 7 March 2021, your 14-day subsidy period begins on 8 March 2021.

For businesses applying for the COVID-19 Wage Subsidy March 2021 from 8 March 2021, your 14-day subsidy period begins from the date of application.

Applications close on 21 March at 11.59pm.

‍

More Information

More information can be found here: COVID-19 Wage Subsidy March 2021

‍

Campbell Tyson

COVID-19: Wage Subsidy March 2021