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Our Rural Future: New Voucher Scheme for Remote Working Hubs goes live From:  <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-rural-and-community-development/">Department of Rural and Community Development</a>Published: on 28 June 2022Last updated on 28 June 2022💻 At least 10,000 hot desk days to be provided free of charge- Register for your vouchers at ConnectedHubs.ieThe Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has today announced that the Connected Hubs Voucher Scheme has gone live.At least 10,000 hot desk working days will be provided free of charge over the course of the Scheme, which is aimed at both existing hub users, as well as those accessing hub facilities for the first time.It is intended that the scheme will run over two phases. Phase one will run from now until August 31st with the second phase starting in September and expected to run into early 2023.Initially, the first phase sees three vouchers been credited to the accounts of all registered ConnectedHubs.ie users, with each voucher redeemable for a day’s hot-desk working in participating hubs.Anybody wishing to register for their free vouchers can do so online at <a href="https://www.connectedhubs.ie/">www.connectedhubs.ie</a> or via the ConnectedHubs mobile app.Speaking today, Minister Humphreys said:<blockquote>“I am delighted to announce that the Connected Hubs Voucher Scheme is now live. This scheme gives people an opportunity to try out our many remote working hubs across the country for free. This Voucher Scheme will help more people to realise the benefits of remote working and will provide an opportunity to ‘try before you buy’. Whether you are fitting in some work while on holiday in Ireland or looking to relocate to rural Ireland, Connected Hubs has an option for you.”</blockquote>Minister Humphreys continued:<blockquote>“The census figures released last week show population growth in every county with some of the largest increases happening in rural counties like Longford and Leitrim. This bucks previous trends where we have seen some rural counties experience population decline. The fact is there are now more people living and working in rural Ireland than ever before. Through the implementation of Our Rural Future and the continued drive towards remote working, I want to ensure we continue these positive trends for the benefit of our rural communities. The Connected Hubs Voucher Scheme will allow people to try out their local hub for free and I believe many will see it is a much better option for them than working from the kitchen table or facing a long commute. They may also decide that the hubs in our wonderful regional towns and villages would make the option of relocating, or moving home, a viable one.”</blockquote> Original press release: <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/736a3-our-rural-future-new-voucher-scheme-for-remote-working-hubs-goes-live/">https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/736a3-our-rural-future-new-voucher-scheme-for-remote-working-hubs-goes-live/</a>

Remote Working Hubs - Voucher Scheme

NEW YEAR, NEW CAREER - Looking for WORK or NEW HIRES? At JobAlert.ie we specialise in resolving BOTH!JOBSEEKERS – check out our FREE supports, including CV Templates here; <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/blog?tag=jobseekers&amp;fbclid=IwAR0-8-gE5k7c-ijRWCOO0C2S4kCQ3EOPqzFsIvL7qS6LUeT0BqF1VNGgnf8">https://www.jobalert.ie/blog?tag=jobseekers</a> and jobs opportunities here; <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jobalert.ie%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2rSJk7CUFMahbhr8J6y9D67aqzTwi-VES4VzcocQ4XKzlUVTaGGqyzCpQ&amp;h=AT2UUW377PPUxrJ1LP31DzinJMt4oXKW0sVrbLmipiYEntkrhiqjlpm44u6CkTt-drDgZdzQvj8ZiCZKL8edUQzZNtdDoQ6CZ8tn7XgQi7LySSHd2c7g_vF_40TXD-j9d5NWzS4&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c%5b0%5d=AT1ZwuHkMipX6ypGz_Xi-iL63HgTgg379QGGsjXwhk9Cx_Zn4TgsV6RingeZEoV7xMQ8ZVFJcfAxZVNbjBeQdE1kUSad0PBcwYRirWAqGR5sDko_0sSGyta3OlHRAIC9mUysejrHD0pVWHNSsn2j9vY9CD1dO1yeokH83dM4e_Om7pIWyvxhDv_ZtOVNUUdm5D98eX5xqPW3ad2eL4yW">www.jobalert.ie</a>RECRUITERS – Simply upload the details of your vacancy and we’ll do the rest – click here: <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/employers?fbclid=IwAR0nz14hjGMWwVXN9a_CumDCFq9F2A6Ymu33w2XUHZEOeeMiHfTbVET7YWU">https://www.jobalert.ie/employers</a>

New Year! New Career!

Have you tapped into the hidden jobs market? Statistics show that the majority of jobs are not advertised. That’s worth repeating. All of the jobs advertised make up only a small proportion of total opportunities out there. A natural next question is, but why are these jobs not advertised? Well often companies already have a bank of potential candidates that have applied without advertisements. Another huge proportion of jobs are filled through employee referrals. This relates back to trust mentioned in an earlier article. Finally companies often directly target employees through LinkedIn or social media. Ok says you, I see your point but I’m not yet convinced to put in all that extra effort. Well then, let me bring out the big boys...There is a fundamental difference of character in this active approach of contacting companies rather than waiting for them to advertise positions. It’s all well and good including key character traits like proactive on your CV. It’s another thing entirely to demonstrate these traits from the get-go in your very first interaction with your potential new company. This sends a clear message to them that you are a proactive individual, ready and willing to take the reigns of your life. You’re not sitting back waiting for life to happen to you but instead going out there and making life happen.More importantly than how you’ll be perceived by employers is how you will change how you feel about yourself. Our self-image is built largely through our actions. If we build a habit of going to the gym regularly we begin to think of ourselves as ‘somebody who goes to the gym or a disciplined/healthy/fit/active person’. This perception has the potential to spread into other areas of our life and can have real impact on how we live in those other situations. By thinking for ourselves about our own values first, and then going out and finding a company or field that fits who we are, we are affirming our own inherent worth as an individual. This is a way for us to take back our power. It can be easy to feel like a small cog in a massive often multinational machine of a company. But the truth is each of us have valuable skills, character traits and strengths to offer. It’s time to reframe the inward dialogue and start seeing how lucky most companies would be to have us as part of their team. With that all in mind, how can we get a piece of that hidden jobs market pie?Put simply we need to let the companies know about us before they even know they need us. First we need to make the companies aware of us and then keep contact well before a job even arises. This might mean identifying the key person in your area of interest within the company. Send them an email telling them why you are interested in the company, how you think you are a good fit and most importantly, what you can contribute. Follow up with a phone call after two weeks to keep cultivating that relationship. This makes sure we’re in their bank of potential candidates when they start the recruitment process as soon as a position becomes available. Secondly, we should definitely make sure we are included in any of our friends&#39; referrals. To make sure this happens, <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/article/making-an-ask-an-unconventional-approach-to-your-next-job">we need to make an ask</a>. Lastly, the onus is on us to have our LinkedIn profile tailored to the specific role or industry we want to pursue. It’s important to remember these are only some ways to go about it. I’m sure you have plenty of ideas of your own. I’d be happy to hear of the creative ways you figured out yourself to build a direct relationship with companies. You can find my email above.

The Hidden Jobs Market - An unconventional approach to your next job

Paddy O' Leary

Have you tapped the huge potential in telling as many people as possible that you know personally about your job search? This is especially worthwhile in such a small country like Ireland where if you don’t already know somebody in your desired industry or job, you probably know somebody who knows somebody. This might sound like the headbangers whose claim to fame is that their sister’s fourth cousin’s uncle is the president of Ireland. But hold your cynicism for a second. Any human connection is better than no connection. People like to work with, hire, do business with people they already know including people who the people they know, know! This is about trust. Those who can be even reasonably trusted get more doors opened for them and faster. But this won’t happen by itself. First we need to make an ask. In other words, let people know we&#39;re on the lookout for opportunities so that they can open them for us. Or they can connect us with their friends who can.People love to help. It’s important we reframe this idea of asking for help. Think of it this way. By asking for help we are giving people the opportunity to help us. When we consider how much meaning, purpose, and how much of a kick we get out of helping others, why not give this same feeling to them by asking for a hand? Of course there’s a difference between making an ask and being a pain in the ass. As long as we show initiative and don’t expect others to do all of the heavy lifting for us, people are always happy to help.In order to make an ask we first need to have a general sense of what we are asking for. We don’t even need to be specific. For example, we don’t need to know that our former colleague has a sister who could get us an interview with a company we’d like to work for. How could we possibly know that information anyway? However we do need to have a strong sense of a general direction from our side. This direction might be knowing what role we’d like to work at, what industry we’d like to start in, the people or company we’d like to work for or even the location we’d like to be employed in. All we need is one general sense of our desire. After that it’s about naturally expressing this desire with as many people as you can. Not in the sense of complaining that we are not there yet. Nobody wants to listen to or help a moaning Michael. Instead with a sense of excitement about the possibility of your desire becoming a reality. That’s all we need to do. We often underestimate the power of speaking our desire. Perhaps no opportunities arise the first few times. But each time we speak our desire, we become clearer and clearer on what it is we want. On top of that, those we talk to can help us see different routes towards our goals we might never have considered. People are inherently helpful. When we affirm their good qualities and put things out there by making an ask, we can be surprised by how opportunities will seem to unfold out of nowhere.

Making an ask - An unconventional approach to your next job

This article is the second of a series of four articles titled ‘An unconventional approach to your next job’ dropping each week for the rest of December. “What do you do?” We’ve all heard and asked this question too many times than we’d like to remember. Some might say it’s a way to get a sense of who somebody is, what they’re about. It helps in continuing the conversation when we meet new people in the hopes that what they do is somehow fundamental to who they are. While our work can be the source of great meaning and purpose in our lives, we are not our job. We are not the amount of hours we clock in, the money we’re paid or even the things we get paid for. We as individuals and our lives are not defined by how we happen to make a living. A job also doesn’t need to provide us with all we want out of life. If we are to wait around until we find the perfect job that ticks all of our boxes, we might sooner end up in a box before we find what we’re looking for. We are not saying that a job isn’t important. Of course it is. But as most of us during this last year are beginning to realize, there is much more to life than what we get paid for. 
So instead of asking “what do you do?”, we might ask “what do you create?”. If you find yourself or the other person giving you a knee-jerk bullshit response, in some form of “I’m not creative”, it is your responsibility to rid them of this self-limiting belief immediately. Creating or being creative is not limited to the traditional art forms and whether you are a professional at it or not. Creativity is by definition, as wide and varied as you can imagine. Some people might create delicious homemade bread, others create a loving home for their family, others still might create comedy sketches. The point is we don’t all need to become ‘professional’ for us to experience the value in the act of creating. Of course, being paid a living for these passions can be a bonus, but monetary payment doesn’t need to be the standard from which we measure the value of creating itself. It&#39;s important to remember the great satisfaction we can get out of other areas of our lives independent from our jobs. 
So if we let go of the idea that our job needs to tick all of the boxes, how else are we to decide which position is right for us? There are no universally correct answers to this question. This requires an honest look at the totality of our own current life which includes our relationships, our hobbies and passions, our health and our job. In this way we can assess which boxes are or can be ticked by different aspects of our lives. This then takes the pressure off on how much a job needs to provide for us to be satisfied. For example, perhaps we’re a football coach in our local town. This will probably provide us with plenty of meaning and social value. If we already get these benefits from a hobby like coaching, we may not need to get it from our job. Instead we can really narrow down on what is currently lacking in our lives and decide upon our next job by considering which one would best provide what we want. While at the same time letting go of the imaginary notion of a perfect job which allows us to get on with the less desirable aspects and focus on the positive ones. You might have got to the end of this article now without the sense of completion inside that usually comes from finding an answer or next course of action. It might be worth repeating, we&#39;re not giving you any answers because we trust you can do that for yourself.

You are not your job - An unconventional approach to your next job

This article is the first of a series of four articles titled ‘An unconventional approach to your next job’ dropping each week for the rest of December. 
What if someone was to tell you that you’ve spent enough hours racking your brain over what your life long career should be. What if we were to tell you that life long careers are complete nonsense. A rare case. You’ve better odds of winning the Irish lotto than you do of finding and keeping the same job for your entire life. Unless you get lucky and die on your first job that is. This type of thinking is a couple of generations old. In fact it isn’t even yours, so why think it? This thinking belongs to your Grandparents who grew up in a different world where resources were scarce and manifestation slow. Things happen at a much faster rate these days, companies come and go, people outgrow their jobs, have different careers at different points in their lives or change industries multiple times. So the next logical question is, where does this leave us? Or more importantly, what are the alternatives?
One alternative is to think instead in terms of life stages or phases. The benefits of thinking in terms of your next project, life stage or phase is that it breaks things down into nice, easily digestible chunks. Rather than asking yourself the question ‘What do I want to do with my life’, we instead ask something like ‘What would I like to do with the next couple years of my life’ Or ‘How do I envision my dream life going 3 years from now?’ or ‘What project would I like to take on for the next six months?’ Now that’s more digestible than a three in one on a Saturday after a well earned night on the town. Can you already sense how much better these questions feel when asked? Immediately the pressure is off. We’re not talking Mount Everest, we&#39;re talking about a tough but doable hike up the Sugar Loaf. And who knows, maybe we can get enough Sugar Loaf’s under our belt, and Everest will be within our reach. 
This all sounds very reasonable, you might say. But what does it actually mean? It’s up to you to decide what that could mean. We’re not here to give you all the answers. Instead our aim is to provide new questions and perspectives you may not have considered yet so that you can breathe some fresh life into your job search. The bottom line is, if you are reading this in between jobs at the moment, then you have a massive opportunity on your hands. An opportunity to reinvent yourself for the next stage of your life in whatever way you like. You may be struggling financially but you are most definitely time rich. This resource that you have in abundance can be used to get clear about how you see your next life phase. Some people like journaling, others like talking to friends to brainstorm about ideas, others again prefer to think in nature. Your preferred tool is irrevelant, your objective is everything. What will I aim at for the next six months, one, three or five years. We all know how easy it is to get stuck in a boring habit of checking any and all jobs, while we slowly lower our standards as the time we’re between jobs lengthens. It’s for this very reason it’s so important to remember the gift of freedom we have to even consider these sort of questions. If you’ve gotten this far and have realized the opportunity that lies ahead of you, there’s only one question left, what are you going to do next?

Forget the question ‘What will I do with my life’

If you&#39;re working remotely, you may be able to claim tax relief on the additional costs of working from home, including electricity, heat and broadband.
<a href="https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/money_and_tax/tax/income_tax_credits_and_reliefs/eworking_and_tax_relief.html">Citizens Information</a> have detailed exactly how to go about claiming a tax relief at the end of the year. Here is everything you need to know;
How much can I claim?
You may have extra costs when you are working from home including heating, electricity and broadband costs. Your employer can pay you a contribution towards these costs or you can make a claim for tax relief at the end of the year.
If your employer pays you an allowance towards these expenses, you can get up to €3.20 per day without paying any tax, PRSI or USC on it. If your employer pays more than €3.20 per day to cover expenses, you pay tax, PRSI and USC as normal on the amount above €3.20. You should note that employers are not legally obliged to make this payment to their employees.
If your employer does not pay you an allowance for your expenses, you can make a claim for tax relief at the end of the year. You will get money back from the taxes you paid.
Your refund of tax is based on:
- How many days you worked from home
- The cost of the expenses
- Revenue’s agreed rate for calculating the cost of running a home office
Revenue’s rate for the cost of running a home office is 10% of the cost of electricity and heating. This means that you can claim 10% of the total amount of allowable utility bills against your taxes. You can also claim 30% of broadband costs for the tax year 2020. This applies for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.
You can only claim for the days that you work from home. This does not include times you may have brought work home to do outside your normal working hours.
If your employer pays you an allowance towards your expenses, the amount paid is deducted from the amount you can claim back from Revenue.
Example
Mary works from home for 6 months while her office is closed due to the COVID-19 emergency. During that 6 months her household bills for heating and electricity come to €1000 and her broadband comes to €300. At the end of the year she can claim tax back on expenses of:
- €100 for heating and electricity (10% of €1000)
- €90 for broadband (30% of €300)
- €190 in total
The amount she gets back depends on her rate of tax. If she pays tax at the higher tax rate of 40% she will get €76 back from her taxes (40% of €190). If she pays tax at the lower rate of 20%, she will receive €38 back (20% of €190).
How to apply
You can claim tax relief online using Revenue’s myAccount service. You can also access the <a href="https://www.ros.ie/myaccount-web/home.html">myAccount service</a> on mobile and tablet devices using Revenue’s <a href="https://www.revenue.ie/en/online-services/support/mobile-and-desktop-applications/revapp.aspx">RevApp.
</a>To complete an Income Tax return online use the following steps:
1. Sign in to <a href="https://www.ros.ie/myaccount-web/sign_in.html?execution=e2s1&amp;lang=en">myAccount
</a>2. Click on ‘Review your tax’ link in PAYE Services
3. Select the Income Tax return for the relevant tax year
4. Select ‘Other PAYE Expenses’ in the ‘Tax Credits and Reliefs’ page and insert the amount of expense at the ‘Amount Claimed’ section
You must be able to account for each expense you intend to claim. This means keeping a record of all receipts and bills. You should keep all documentation relating to your claim for 6 years from the end of the tax year to which the claim relates.
You may also need a letter from your employer stating that you work from home.
More information can also be found <a href="https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/money_and_tax/tax/income_tax_credits_and_reliefs/eworking_and_tax_relief.html">here.
</a>Take care and best wishes from
The JobAlert.ie Team

How To Claim Work From Home Expenses

<h2>Further Education and Training (FET) courses
</h2>FET offers a wide range of free courses for anyone over 16 who is looking to learn new skills or build upon their existing skills in order to find a job. The FET courses are provided through the Education and Training Board (ETB) network. Get started <a href="https://www.fetchcourses.ie/course/finder">here.</a><h2>eCollege by SOLAS
</h2>SOLAS is the state agency for further education and training in Ireland, giving learners the opportunity to succeed in the workforce. Since March 2020, they have made their online training platform eCollege completely free. There is a wide range of training courses available. More information can be found <a href="https://www.ecollege.ie/">here.</a><h2>National Learning Network (NLN)
</h2>The National Learning Network provides training and support to anyone struggling to find a job. Regardless of your circumstances, the National Learning Network can help you. Currently, NLN offers over 70 different training programmes, which include courses in computer and business skills. All courses provided by the NLN are free and you’re able to keep your benefits. A small lunch allowance is also given to students and you may be entitled to travel allowance. Visit the <a href="https://www.rehab.ie/national-learning-network/">NLN&#39;s website</a> for all the details. <h2>Springboard+ Courses
</h2>Springboard+ are currently offering 11,000+ free or subsidised places on courses. Upon completion of these courses, you will be awarded a certificate, undergraduate or postgraduate degree. The courses are co-funded by the Irish Government and the EU social fund, so take full advantage! More information can be found <a href="https://springboardcourses.ie/">here.</a><h2>Education and Training Boards (ETB’S)
</h2>Further education and training courses are provided by ETB’s. As there is an education and training board for every county in Ireland, we recommend reaching out to your local training centre and see if they have any administrative training opportunities. ETB’s offer a wide range of traineeship programmes and specific skills training, with a number of courses being offered free of charge. More information can be found <a href="https://www.etbi.ie/">here.
</a><h2>Skillnet Ireland
</h2>Skillnet Ireland funds a number of upskilling courses for unemployed people in Ireland, helping job seekers acquire the necessary skills to join the workforce. Learn more on their <a href="https://www.skillnetireland.ie/about/developing-your-skills/developing-irelands-future-workforce/">website.</a><h2>Intreo - for jobseekers 
</h2>If you’re currently receiving jobseeker&#39;s payment, there are a number of short term courses that you’ll qualify for which are provided by Intreo. <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/directory/category/e1f4b5-intreo-offices/?referrer=https://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/List-of-Social-Welfare-Local-and-Branch-Offices-by-County.aspx">Get in touch with your local branch today.</a><h2>Local employment centres/Job clubs
</h2>Research and discover what local employment services or job clubs are located in your area as they may have training opportunities available. Many job clubs are active on social media so try searching for them on Facebook or Twitter to see what they have to offer. Best of luck on your career journey!

Free training courses to build your professional skills

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Work From Home Office Equipment

UPDATE;The Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe TD has asked the Revenue Commissioners to reinstate Proprietary Directors to the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) from 1 September where they meet the objective of the scheme of retaining ordinary employees on payroll.“Over the past 48 hours he said; &quot;I have listened to the concerns of certain Proprietary Directors in relation to provisions of the EWSS. These Proprietary Directors have been using the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) to retain “ordinary” employees in their business over recent months and they would wish to continue to do so under the new EWSS.Having considered the points raised with me, I have decided to ask the Revenue Commissioners to reinstate Proprietary Directors to the EWSS from 1 September where they are retaining &quot;ordinary&quot; employees on their payroll. Minister Donohoe has also asked his department to review the provision with the Revenue Commissioners during August consistent with achieving the above objective while also protecting the integrity of the EWSS.Guidance will issue from the Revenue Commissioners in good time for the commencement of the scheme on 1 September.Any legislative amendments will be included in the Finance Bill later in the year.https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/50a6d-minister-donohoe-reinstates-proprietary-directors-to-the-employment-wage-subsidy-scheme/PREVIOUSLYIn an open Letter to the Government from a self-employed couple, running a café following the Governments previous decision to cut directors / owners from the Wage Subsidy Scheme, fears grew for small businesses Nationwide.&quot; It read; “Having slipped this announcement into a paragraph in the law, the Government are slipping away on holidays, for six weeks, in the height of a pandemic, as the economy slips into an abyss.I’m tired of fighting, tired of being taken for granted and tired of paying the salaries of those who put themselves ahead of the citizens of Ireland.Those who had the courage to open a business in Ireland are #InItTogether, but it’s not the same place as our “leaders”.You have given us two choices. Close our business permanently and claim the dole or close our business for 12 months and minimise our losses to just the annual rent and claim the dole.We still make the coffee and cook the food, but because we own our business, the Government are saying that they will not subsidise our wages” “in a loss making business”, “To do so would be illegal under Company law.”PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION TO MAKE A CHANGE <a href="https://www.change.org/p/heather-humphreys-td-undo-decision-to-cut-directors-and-owners-from-the-wage-subsidy-scheme-to-save-businesses?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_23818486_en-GB%3A6&amp;recruiter=767983555&amp;utm_source=share_petition&amp;utm_medium=copylink&amp;utm_campaign=share_petition">HERE</a>Read their full letter <a href="https://idahocafe.tumblr.com/post/625099536724000768/an-open-letter-to-paschal-donohoe-and-the-irish?fbclid=IwAR3hmoJX9dBcmAOQhXmiHyPZu2gM5qR6NfvwFKxnNUliivKNmiv7zPW9BL4">here.</a>Here&#39;s more Information about the details in the July Stimulus PackageAs part of the July Stimulus package released on 23 July, the government announced the introduction of a NEW Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) which will apply from July 31st until the end of March 2021. It will run concurrently with the existing Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) until 31 August at which stage the TWSS will cease.The EWSS provides many employers with an important financial lifeline for the next 9 months. The government is setting aside €2.35 billion in employment subsidies under the EWSS which underpins the importance being placed on maintaining current employment levels within the economy. The inclusion of new hires under the scheme will provide welcome support to employers who will look to expand their workforce in the future.Financial Provisions (COVID-19) (No.2) Bill 2020, which was published on 24 July, provides the legislative footing for this new wage support scheme and sets out various details of the scheme, including the employer and employee eligibility criteria; the rates of subsidy payable; and other administrative and operational aspects.How are employers and employees eligible for the new EWSS?Employer EligibilityTo be eligible to participate in the EWSS, the employer must be able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Revenue that, they their business have been significantly disrupted by reason of COVID-19. Specifically the employer needs to demonstrate at least a 30% decline (or such other percentage as the Minister for Finance may specify) in either the turnover of the employer’s business or in customer orders received during the period 1 July 2020 to 31 December 2020, as compared to the same period in 2019.In cases where the business of the employee has not operated for the whole of the corresponding period in 2019, the following will apply:Where the business operations have commenced on or before 1 November 2019, the 30% decline test must be determined in 2020 by reference to the same reference period last year in which the business was in operation. For example, if the employer’s business commenced on 1 September 2019, then a 30% decline in the period 1 September 2020-31 December 2020 must arise as compared to 1 September 2019-31 December 2019.Where the business operations have commenced after 1 November 2019, the employer must be able to show that the turnover or customer orders during the period 1 July to 31 December 2020 will be at least 30% less than what the turnover or customer orders would have been had there been no disruption caused by COVID-19.While the introduction of a further wage support scheme is welcomed, the reference period for eligibility of 1 July to 31 December 2020 is likely to be a disappointing condition for many employers who may have suffered significantly as a result of COVID-19 in the first half of 2020 and are now expected to need a further 30% decline in the second half of the year in order to avail of any government wage supports from 1 September. Helpfully, under the new EWSS, there is no requirement for the employer to have to demonstrate an inability to pay wages which caused significant confusion and uncertainty amongst employers under the TWSS.The Bill provides that Revenue will publish guidelines to assist employers in determining whether the reduction in turnover/customer orders will occur by reason of COVID-19 and the disruption that COVID-19 is causing to business.Any employer who is entered in the register established and maintained under the Child Care Act 1991 will be considered eligible for the scheme without having to satisfy the reduction in turnover or customer order tests. This would include pre-schools, play groups, creches and other services catering for pre-school children in addition to creches etc that cater for primary school children. In order to be eligible for the EWSS throughout the entire period, the employer must be entitled to a tax clearance certificate.The Bill requires employers to review their eligibility criteria at the end of each month for July to March 2021. If as a result of the review, it transpires that the employer does not meet the eligibility criteria they should withdraw themselves from the scheme on ROS with effect from the first day of the following month. Eligible EmployeesAny employee who was considered an eligible employee under the existing TWSS provisions will also be considered an eligible employee for the EWSS.The new EWSS extends the definition of eligible employee to now include an individual who is on the payroll of the employer at any time in the “qualifying period” i.e. at any time between 1 July 2020 and 31 March 2021. This does however exclude an individual who is a proprietary director of the company and someone who is connected with the employer (unless such connected person was on the payroll of the employer between 1 July 2019 and 30 June 2020 and received pay from the employer during that time).Previously, with a small number of limited exceptions, an employee was only considered eligible for the TWSS where they were included on the employer payroll on 29 February 2020.The extension of the EWSS to seasonal workers and new hires is a very welcome development, particularly to those sectors such as hospitality or other seasonal businesses who perhaps were closed in February 2020 or operating at a reduced capacity.  Rates of subsidy payableUnder the EWSS, eligible employers will receive a per-head subsidy on a flat rate basis which will be determined based on the amount of gross pay that the employer pays to the eligible employee as follows:Gross Pay Subsidy Payable&lt;€151.50, €0€151.50 - €202.99 €151.50 per week€203 - €1,462 €203 per week&gt;€1,462 €0The rates payable under the new EWSS have been simplified considerably compared to the rates payable currently under the TWSS. Under the existing TWSS, those employees with gross pay in excess of €960 per week are not eligible for the subsidy. This upper gross pay limit has been increased to €1,462 under the new scheme. However, a lower gross pay limit of €151.50 is now provided for which doesn’t exist under the TWSS. Operational aspects of the EWSSi) Registration for the EWSSThe employer will be required to register for the EWSS in the same way as it would have done for the TWSS. In other words, for those employers who are looking to enter the EWSS, they will be required to login ROS and register by way of declaring that the eligibility criteria are met.  ii) Claiming the EWSSWhile the existing TWSS is considered a payment to the employee (albeit it is administered by the employer), under the new EWSS, the subsidy to be paid to the employer is now more akin to an employment support grant. Under the new scheme, the employer will pay the employee their normal wages and will then receive a subsidy from the Revenue in respect of each eligible employee following submission of the payroll return based on the table set out above.The subsidy will be paid by Revenue to the employer via a bank transfer (as is the case now) within a few days after the employer submitting their payroll return to Revenue for the relevant pay period.  iii) Tax and PRSI positionWhile the Bill is silent on the tax treatment of the subsidy payments, it does provide that employers will be required to operate PRSI on all gross payments to be made to their employees having regard to guidelines to be published by the Revenue.Revenue has confirmed that all gross payments made to employees under the EWSS should be fully liable to PAYE, USC and employee PRSI in the normal way.However, employer PRSI at the reduced rate of 0.5% will apply for employments that are eligible for the subsidy.iv) Interaction with existing TWSSWhere an employer is entitled to receive a subsidy for an employee under the existing TWSS during July and August 2020, the employer shall not also be entitled to claim a subsidy under the EWSS in respect of the same employee. Revenue has confirmed that from 31 July, employers currently availing of the existing TWSS can claim the new EWSS in respect of new hires.From 31 July 2020, those employers who have not previously availed of the TWSS, will only be eligible to apply for the new EWSS (assuming the various eligibility criteria are met).v) PublicationAs was the case for the TWSS, the names and addresses of all employers who receive a wage subsidy payment under the new EWSS will be published on revenue.ie. vi) Anti-avoidanceThe Bill includes a specific anti-avoidance provision which seeks to counteract contrived situations whereby any gross pay due to an employee is deferred, suspended, increased or decreased with a view to securing the wage subsidy or situations where an employee is laid off and removed from the payroll and replaced with two or more employees in relation for whom the subsidy would be available. If Revenue identify any such cases, the employer will be treated as having never been eligible for the scheme and any subsidy payments received would need to be refunded, together with possible interest and penalties.Source; KMPGNEW UPDATES WILL FOLLOW

UPDATE: Directors and Owners back on Wage Subsidy Scheme

<h2>How business can help with supplies and services to respond to COVID-19</h2>Since COVID-19 arrived in Ireland, organisations have been contacting government bodies to offer to supply or donate goods and services. We are creating a central database of these offers on behalf of the whole of the public service, including the HSE.Goods and services required by the health services are currently a priority but this may change as the situation develops.This form can be used by business as well as publicly-funded and voluntary bodies, (including educational institutions) who wish to offer goods or services to assist in Ireland’s response to COVID-19.If your organisation is already supplying goods or services to the government, you do not need to do anything as normal arrangements will apply.Anything you donate or sell as part of this fight against COVID-19 will not be considered in any future government procurement.<a href="https://offersofsupport.gov.ie/offers/new">Submit details of your offering to the government here.</a>

Can your business help with supplies and services to respond to COVID-19?

What is the Guinness Fund?€1.5 million fund to provide support to bar staff and communities<h3>Supporting licensed venues 24/7</h3>The Guinness FundGuinness announces the establishment a €1.5 million fund to provide support to bar staff and communities during the COVID-19 crisis. With outlets temporarily closing their doors in Ireland, our aim is to reach as many affected bar staff as possible through the fund.How it worksGuinness is providing 10,000 x €/£100 pre-paid Mastercards to bar staff that need them most. The fund will be open on the MyDiageo website from 10:00am April 1st and close 10:00am April 3rd 2020. We are asking our customers to play a part in the process by applying for the cards on behalf of their bar staff.More informationThere will be high demand for the cards and we only have a limited amount to share but we will do our best to allocate as many cards per outlet as possible based on demand. Once processed, the cards will be delivered by post to customers to distribute to bar staff directly.GUINNESS IRELAND FUND TERMS AND CONDITIONS<ol><li>In order to be eligible to make an application for the support offered by this fund, on your employees’ behalf, you must be a Diageo customer, with a live Diageo ship to number in ROI and/or NI (‘Eligible Customer’).</li><li>Guinness has pledged a fund of €1,100,000 (the ‘Guinness Ireland Fund’) to support bartenders across Ireland who have been impacted by the Covid-19 crisis (the ‘Intended Purpose’). In order to administer the Guinness Ireland Fund, Guinness will make available a total number of 10,000 x €/£100 prepaid MasterCard gift cards (the ‘Gift Cards’). It will be open to Eligible Customers to apply for a Gift Card (or Gift Cards) on behalf of their impacted employees that need this support most.</li><li>The Gift Cards will be preloaded with €/£100 and may be used anywhere you see the Mastercard acceptance mark including in supermarkets and online.</li><li>Eligible Customers must submit their application through the MyDiageo.com website. It will not be necessary for Eligible Customers to have registered on MyDiageo.com previously in order to apply for the Gift Cards, but you will need to provide all the required information, through the platform, in order to be considered for an allocation of Gift Card(s). The Gift Cards will be non-transferable.</li><li>Applications will open through the MyDiageo.com platform from 1st April 2020 and close on 3rd April 2020, at 10am.</li><li>Eligible customers may apply for any number of Gift Cards for a given outlet but may only make one application per outlet.</li><li>The Gift Cards will be issued and allocated entirely at Diageo’s discretion, and you may not receive the total number of Gift Cards you have requested in your application.</li><li>Once the information submitted by Eligible Customers has been reviewed and verified the Gift Cards to be issued to You, at Diageo’s discretion, on behalf of your impacted employees, and will be sent to you by post to the postal address provided.</li><li>Diageo will aim to process applications in a timely way but it may take a number of weeks to validate and sort through the applications, and then for the Gift Cards to arrive for distribution by you amongst your bar staff.</li><li>If successful in receiving an allocation of Gift Card(s) on behalf of your employees, you will be expected distribute the Gift Card(s) to and amongst your bar staff fairly and equitably, limiting one Gift Card per employee, prioritising and helping those most in need of support in furtherance of the Intended Purpose. If Diageo becomes aware that you have not used the Gift Card(s) for the Intended Purpose or abused the application process, Diageo will reserve the right to reclaim the sum preloaded on the Gift Card directly from You.</li><li>You will also be responsible for documenting receipt of the Gift Cards by your employees.</li><li>Eligible Customers who submit an application for Gift Cards consent to being contacted to take part in publicity for the Guinness Ireland Fund in future.</li><li>Diageo reserves the right to withdraw or amend the terms of the Guinness Ireland Fund in the event of any unforeseen circumstances arising outside of its reasonable control.</li><li>Diageo reserves the right to terminate or temporarily suspend the Guinness Ireland Fund in the event of technical or other difficulties that might compromise its administration.</li><li>Diageo will only use the personal data provided by you for the purpose of carrying out the Guinness Ireland Fund and for no other purpose, unless Diageo obtains your consent. The personal data provided by you may be shared with trusted third parties as part of the administration of the Guinness Ireland Fund and will at all times be kept confidential and in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679). Diageo’s privacy policy can be found here: <a href="https://footer.diageohorizon.com/dfs/assets/www.diageo.com/PrivacyPolicy_en.html?locale=en-gb">https://footer.diageohorizon.com/dfs/assets/www.diageo.com/PrivacyPolicy_en.html?locale=en-gb</a></li><li>The Guinness Ireland Fund and these terms are governed by the law of Ireland and subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Irish courts.</li><li>Participant outlets are deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions by participating in the bartender pledge.</li></ol>
<a href="https://www.mydiageo.com/s/login/">APPLY HERE.</a>

Guinness is providing 10,000 x €100 pre-paid Mastercards to bar staff

COVID-19 Income Supports

Employer &amp; Employee Guidance Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Updated
 01.04.2020Table of ContentsSection 01OverviewSection 02Illness/Self-IsolationSection 03Temporary Lay-off/UnemploymentSection 04Frequently Asked QuestionsOverviewThe Government announced a number of new measures to provide financial support to workers affected by the COVID-19 crisis. As part of these measures, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection is administering a number of emergency income support payments. These schemes/payments enable employees, whose employers are affected by the pandemic, to receive significant supports during the period of the pandemic.This document provides employers and employees with additional information on the operation of these temporary supports. It also presents a number of detailed Q&amp;A and scenarios to assist employees, self-employed and employers at this challenging time.It should be read in conjunction with the individual scheme information available on our website at gov.ie/deasp.This information may be updated, and any updates will be published on our dedicated COVID-19 website at gov.ie/deaspcovid19.In considering how to respond to questions employers and employees are directed in the first instance to the public health advice issued by the HSE, available on their website www.hse.ie. It is essential that all individuals and employers abide by this advice  Frequently asked questions on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment/Illness PaymentsQuestions Answered:<ul><li>What is the best way to apply for a COVID-19 unemployment or illness payment?</li><li>How do I know if I am eligible for the COVID-19 unemployment payment?</li><li>What do I do if I have already claimed the payment but am not eligible?</li><li>I made a claim for the COVID-19 payment but have received nothing. What should I do?</li><li>I am an Irish resident worker, but I use an overseas or international bank account. How can I get a payment?</li><li>I am a worker who has been asked by my employer to stay at home, but she/he is still paying me some or all of my wages. What should I do?</li><li>I am a worker who has been asked by my employer to stay at home, but she/he cannot pay me anything. What can I claim?</li><li>I am a self-employed worker whose trade has ceased or fallen away.</li><li>I claimed a COVID-19 jobseeker payment but now my employer is paying me. What should I do?</li><li>I am a worker who was also in receipt of a social welfare payment while at work. What is my position?</li><li>I am a worker who works on one side of the border with Northern Ireland but lives on the other. What are my rights?</li><li>I am a worker aged over 66 who has lost my employment income am I entitled to a payment?</li><li>I am in employment and am concerned I might catch the virus from colleagues. Can I leave work and claim the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment?</li><li>Part-time/casual jobseekers who lose their employment – do they qualify for the €350 Pandemic Unemployment Payment?</li><li>How will employees’ PRSI contributions be affected if employer avails of the temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme or a worker claims the COVID-19 emergency payment?</li><li>How does the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment/COVID Wage Subsidy Scheme impact Maternity/Paternity/Adoptive leave?</li><li>I am a person who is required to ‘cocoon’. How can I collect my social welfare payment?</li><li>I am a worker who needs to self-isolate or who is ill with COVID-19. What should I do?</li><li>I am not an employee or self-employed worker but I do receive a social welfare payment. What should I do?</li><li>What happens when I finish my period of self-isolation or when my illness clears up?</li></ul><a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.gov.ie%2F72299%2F8548595821b442bfb16c50bd01ea7588.pdf%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0IKiG7ZKAcVOyOs6B4ZC1MQutGBGcNoT_IrJRCfdszC89HitS3ie6Y53E&amp;h=AT3woRoaTkd0rf3vWgEhfwJX-SoQpaC5hEe5H7wnymWO78XH7wXFPonJAlQlwTiZAKdyNYcVQ68yR-BsNHON00xMpH5sI3SKdRfDO63eMLdG94rBuHoZcsRU7MZ25Buxhhm70QaGBBVciT7uUSn1fAwHyQoPj6kepaPk1OhTCC6gARzllS3546pwkheIN7HsBN-kojgSsjHP1i_TaAscbA6E60tLCfu_kwELbXaESDtlRvE41iH_PgjT6Yu-BjaMo_qA6Psd8W_o4jqRcgn9BbHEGvbOhu5ekUOeMmbO4M2O1gkMOMaK1qKB521uyy5wW7vv1c3IrcYYnaSqSULG8GcYxC5ZYfc8K9r_FBBR8WNjdrAUmW05S788qxoPJWdPJ9vDRR9k_kzOC_4zB_zrmKv90tKJCGBq-4Dmk4JMN1H2Cg5jETxNjgH1QAww9MvJ4TQ5mEzTrs1zgkHxNpTgn58wr282t9QzMLzZPD-pUCaopsxphD1Q5fXqVDQoUZfATqS0dXbhmEprudldyycmxGVYXSh51upv7UnVozQthyqes2EnnA90mT6dm3u4-h9Ij_RH9wRI95D_USroejg1zKrCAfFF9OjE8wwNNob_rsmYe7uKy5Eb4H7qMlucclTuB3VyGAg">Download the complete question and answer document here.</a>Also - if you need more information on the Wage Subsidy Scheme, the Revenue have released a question and answer document too.<a href="https://www.revenue.ie/en/employing-people/documents/pmod-topics/guidance-on-operation-of-temporary-covid-wage-subsidy-scheme.pdf"> Click here to download. </a>For any further queries - The Covid_19 Income Support Phone-Line is open from 9am to 5pm: 01-248-1398 / 1890-800-024. Take care.

UPDATED: COVID-19 Income Supports - Frequently Asked Questions

<h1></h1><h2>Important Information Notice</h2>Published: 26 March 2020From: Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection<h2>Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme</h2>The <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/578596-covid-19-wage-subsidy/">Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme</a> is a new scheme introduced to help employers retain workers on their payrolls during a period of reduced trading or temporary lay-off related to the Covid-19 pandemic. This new subsidy will cover 70% the net salary of workers, up to a maximum of €410 per week. Many employers will ‘top-up’ this salary to pay their workers as close as possible to their normal full wage. If you are self-employed you should apply for the <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/be74d3-covid-19-pandemic-unemployment-payment/">COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment. </a>Is the scheme open to directors?
If directors are paid through the payroll system and are included in the relevant payroll submissions for an eligible
 employer, then they are eligible to receive the wage subsidy.For more information and to apply for the <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/578596-covid-19-wage-subsidy/">Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme</a> <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/578596-covid-19-wage-subsidy/">click here.</a><h2>COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment</h2>The <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/be74d3-covid-19-pandemic-unemployment-payment/">Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment </a>is an emergency payment of €350 per week introduced by the Government for a 12 week period and intended to compensate those workers whose employers cannot retain them on their payroll. The payment will also be made to people who are self-employed but whose trade has temporarily ceased.Do not claim the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment if your employer has not laid you off or if you were not previously in employment or if you are still in receipt of employment income, or if your employer takes you back onto their payroll.If you think you inadvertently applied for the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment, or if your employer has re-employed you under the new Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme, you must close your Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment claim now. Claims can be closed via the Department’s online portal at <a href="https://www.mywelfare.ie/">MyWelfare.ie</a> under the Covid-19 payment section.You are eligible to apply for the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment if…<ul><li>You were in employment or self-employment immediately before Friday 13 March</li></ul>and<ul><li>You have been temporarily laid-off from work or asked to stay at home from work</li></ul>and<ul><li>Your employer is not in a position to retain you on their payroll</li></ul>and<ul><li>You are not in receipt of any employment income.</li></ul>You are not eligible to apply for the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment if…<ul><li>You were not in employment immediately before Friday 13 March</li></ul>or<ul><li>You were not laid-off from work by your employer</li></ul>or<ul><li>You are continuing to receive income from your employment</li></ul>or<ul><li>You voluntarily left your employment.</li></ul>The payment also applies to:<ul><li>non EU/EEA workers who have lost employment due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic</li><li>students (and non-EU/EEA students) who have lost employment due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic</li><li>part-time workers</li></ul>The Department will review all claims. It is engaging with Revenue Commissioners to identify those workers not eligible to avail of the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and will take steps to recover any incorrect payment. Any person who knowingly claims the payment in circumstances where they are not entitled to the payment will be prosecuted.The co-operation of the public in ensuring that only correct claims are submitted is greatly appreciated. This ensures that we can process claims for people who really need the support as quickly as possible.For more information and to apply for the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/be74d3-covid-19-pandemic-unemployment-payment/">click here.</a>Payment Update for COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and Jobseeker ClaimsPublished: 26 March 2020From: Department of Employment Affairs and Social ProtectionThe Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has experienced unprecedented demand for income supports including the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and Jobseeker payments since 13 March.The level of demand equates to 10 months normal claim-load in just 10 working days.The department wishes to assure its customers that it is processing these claims as fast as possible and that staff have been working long hours, over weekends and the bank holiday to ensure that claims are processed as quickly as possible.The first COVID-19 related payments, for approximately 90% of claims received from 13 – 19 March were issued last Friday, 20 March and were in customer’s bank accounts on Tuesday, 24 March.Some payments did not go forward for various reasons. This is normal. For example some claims may not have met eligibility criteria. Other payments may have been held back due to an error with an IBAN number or an inconsistency between PPSNs. The department is working very hard to resolve these issues and is contacting the customers concerned directly.Again this week nearly all claims received since 19 March and up to close of business today (Thursday 26 March) will be processed for payment tomorrow, Friday and will be in customer&#39;s bank accounts on Tuesday 31 March.The department is processing payments into Irish bank accounts and via the Post Office network only. We wish to reassure people that where they are entitled they will receive a payment from the department as soon as possible. Should there be any issues with individual payments the department will contact the claimants directly.<h2>COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit</h2>If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or are medically certified to self-isolate as a result of COVID-19, you can apply for <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/df55ae-how-to-apply-for-illness-benefit-for-covid-19-absences/">Illness Benefit for COVID-19</a> absences which is higher than the standard rate. <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/df55ae-how-to-apply-for-illness-benefit-for-covid-19-absences/">You can apply for this whether you are an employee or if you are self-employed.</a>If you are a worker affected by COVID-19 (Coronavirus) there are various payments that you can claim from the department.As well as this, you do not need to sign on or attend back to work courses for as long as the Coronavirus pandemic lasts. Weekly dockets must still be signed, however.<h2>Helpful Information</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/6f81e1-people-who-are-diagnosed-with-covid-19/">What to do if you are diagnosed with COVID-19</a></li><li><a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/b8135c-people-who-are-not-diagnosed-with-covid-19-but-who-self-isolate/">What to do if you are not diagnosed with COVID-19 but have been told by a doctor to self-isolate</a></li><li><a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/00964f-people-who-are-laid-off-temporarily-or-put-on-to-short-time-working/">What to do if you are laid off temporarily or put on to short-time working</a></li><li><a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a75c73-what-to-do-if-you-are-a-student-who-has-lost-your-job-because-of-cor/">What to do if you are a student who has lost your job because of Coronavirus</a></li><li><a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/5cc237-what-to-do-if-youre-a-casual-worker-on-xs-and-os-during-coronavirus/">What to do if you&#39;re a casual worker on Xs and Os during Coronavirus</a></li><li><a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/9c3318-what-to-do-if-you-are-receiving-your-social-welfare-payment-into-the/">What to do if you are receiving your social welfare payment into the Post Office</a></li><li><a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/8ace3a-change-amend-your-bank-details/">How to get a social welfare payment into your bank</a></li><li><a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/8102d2-new-social-welfare-payment-details/">Temporary Social Welfare payment arrangement</a></li></ul>

Important updates on Emergency Payment, Wage Subsidy Scheme & Payment Dates

The government has today announced a National COVID-19 Income Support Scheme.This will provide financial support to Irish workers and companies affected by the crisis.In summary:<ul><li>a <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/578596-covid-19-wage-subsidy/">temporary wage subsidy of 70%</a><a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/578596-covid-19-wage-subsidy/"> (More info and apply here from the 26th of March 2020) </a>of take home pay up to a maximum weekly tax free amount of €410 per week to help affected companies keep paying their employees. This is the equivalent of €500 per week before tax</li><li>workers who have lost their jobs due to the crisis will receive an enhanced emergency <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/be74d3-covid-19-pandemic-unemployment-payment/">COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment</a> of €350 per week (an increase from €203)</li><li><a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/df55ae-how-to-apply-for-illness-benefit-for-covid-19-absences/">the COVID-19 illness payment </a>will also be increased to €350 per week</li><li>the self-employed will be eligible for the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment of €350 directly from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (rather than the Revenue scheme)</li><li>enhanced protections for people facing difficulties with their mortgages, rent or utility bills</li></ul>It follows from a range of supports already in place to help business through the crisis.The government is taking these extraordinary measures to help ordinary Irish citizens and families during this period of great economic and social stress.These measures will be costly – with an initial estimated cost of €3.7 billion over a twelve week period.The government believes these costs are necessary to ensure social solidarity with workers and their families affected by the crisis.<h2>Income Support Scheme</h2>An eligible employer will be supported up to 70% of an employee’s take home income up to a maximum weekly tax free payment of €410 (that is, 70% of take home weekly income of €38,000 per anuum).The scheme will provide support on incomes up to €76,000 or twice average earnings. It will be capped at net €350 for incomes between €38,000 and €76,000.The employer is expected to make best efforts to maintain as close to 100% of normal income as possible for the subsidised period.Revenue will provide further guidance on operation of the scheme.There will be severe penalties for any abuse of the scheme.<h2>Eligibility for the Income Support Scheme</h2>Employers must self-declare to Revenue that they have experienced significant negative economic disruption due to COVID-19, with a minimum of 25% decline in turnover, and an inability to pay normal wages and other outgoings, in accordance with guidance to be issued by Revenue.This scheme is open to impacted employers in all sectors. This recognises the impact that COVID-19 is having across all parts of the economy.The employee must have been on the payroll in February 2020.<h2>Self-employed workers</h2>Self-employed who qualify will be paid the <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/be74d3-covid-19-pandemic-unemployment-payment/">COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment</a> of €350 rather than through the Revenue scheme. They will be eligible on a similar basis as the Revenue scheme for employees.<h2>How to apply</h2>Revenue and the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection will provide details to employers today on how to apply.<h2>Eligibility for COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment</h2>People who have already been approved for the<a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/be74d3-covid-19-pandemic-unemployment-payment/"> COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment</a> will now get an increased payment of €350 per week (instead of €203) at their next payment date. Anyone else who loses their job due to the COVID-19 crisis can apply to the department for payment at the new rate.The COVID-19 illness payment will also be increased to €350 per week.Further details are available from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.<h2>Duration of the Income Support Scheme</h2>The new Scheme will be in place for twelve weeks.<h2>Cost of the schemes</h2>It is estimated that these new measures will cost approximately €3.7 billion over the 12 week period.<h2>Exchequer affordability</h2>The full economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis is subject to considerable uncertainty but will clearly have a very significant negative impact on the Exchequer.However, these measures are necessary to provide support to workers, their families, and companies at a time of great economic and social stress.The State will be able to fund these measures, but it will generate additional debt which will need to be paid off in the future.Ireland is well placed to increase its borrowing activity in the coming years. This additional borrowing will take place against a backdrop of a strong improvement in Ireland’s debt position in recent years, which has been reflected in a solid trend of lower borrowing costs, strong demand for Irish sovereign debt among international investors over a protracted period and ratings upgrades by each of the major credit rating agencies.Our strategy in recent years of prefunding liabilities means we have already built up strong cash balances. At the end of February, we had €26 billion in cash effectively funding this year’s €19 billion of redemptions.<h2>Measures in place for renters</h2>The government is introducing legislation to prevent both the termination of residential tenancies and any rent increases for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis.The banks have also said they will support buy-to-let bank customers with tenants affected by COVID-19 with an opportunity to seek a payment break of up to 3 months – so they can in turn offer forbearance to their tenants.Rent Supplement is also available as a short-term income support to those in the private rented sector who are experiencing difficulty paying their rent. In view of the difficulties created for many in the private rented sector who have lost significant employment income, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection will use the full flexibility of the scheme to provide the necessary support.<h2>Measures in place for mortgage holders</h2>A series of measures to support people impacted by COVID-19 have been announced by the banking sector.These include:<ul><li>flexible arrangements, including a payment break for mortgages and other loans. Customers affected by COVID-19 must contact their bank to discuss the flexibility available to them, including the possibility of a payment break of up to 3 months. Non-bank mortgage lenders and credit servicing firms have also announced their support for this measure</li><li>support for buy-to-let bank customers with tenants affected by COVID-19 – customers with rental property in which the tenants are adversely impacted by COVID-19 will also be provided with flexibility including with an opportunity to seek a payment break of up to 3 months, which will allow them to exercise due levels of forbearance to their tenants</li><li>payment breaks as a result of COVID-19 will not affect credit records</li></ul><h2>Measures in place for people struggling with utility bills</h2>The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has issued a moratorium on disconnections of domestic customers for non-payment to the gas and electricity suppliers.The suppliers have arrangements in place for any domestic/residential customers in arrears which are overseen by CRU and have a number of emergency provisions to assist Pay As You Go customers.<h2>Supports for business</h2>In addition to the Scheme being announced today, the government has already announced a range of measures including:(i) financial supports, including a €200 million Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland Working Capital scheme; a €200 million Rescue and Restructuring Scheme available through Enterprise Ireland for vulnerable but viable firms; the maximum loan available from Microfinance Ireland has been increased from €25,000 to €50,000 (these loans are now interest free with no repayments for 6 months); Local Enterprise Offices in every county will be providing vouchers from €2,500 up to €10,000; a Finance in Focus grant of €7,200 will be available to Enterprise Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta clients.(ii) other supports including a First Responder support service through the Intreo Offices and development agencies, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland in each region to provide tailored supports for affected businesses; the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection Short Term Work Support Scheme.(iii) deferral of Business Rates: the government has agreed with local authorities that they should defer rates payments due from the most immediately affected businesses, primarily in the retail, hospitality, leisure and childcare sectors, until the end of May.(iv) Taxation Measures to alleviate short-term difficulties: Revenue has also posted specific advice for businesses experiencing trading difficulties as a result of COVID-19 including information on tax returns, the application of late payment interest, debt enforcement, tax clearance and customs.These are the highlights:<ul><li>interest on late payments is suspended for January/February VAT and both February and March PAYE (Employers) liabilities</li><li>all debt enforcement activity is suspended until further notice</li><li>current tax clearance status will remain in place for all businesses over the coming months</li><li>the Relevant Contract Tax (RCT) rate review scheduled to take place this month (March) is suspended</li><li>critical pharmaceutical products and medicines will be given a Customs ‘green routing’ to facilitate uninterrupted importation and supply</li></ul>(v) Banking and Credit Measures: All the banks have announced that they will offer flexibility to their customers, and they may be able to provide payment holidays or emergency working capital facilities.The main non-bank lenders also confirmed their intention to also support the range of measures announced by the country’s main retail banks which is to be welcomed.A deferral of up to 3-months on loan repayments will be available to many businesses. In addition, the banks are adopting a customer-focussed approach to these businesses with a wide variety of tailored supports including extensions of credit lines, risk guarantees, and trade finance. These supports complement the range of government supports available through the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland.The Central bank has confirmed that it will allow banks to dip into their rainy-day capital reserves to keep lending flowing. It is anticipated that this move could free up considerable additional credit for households and businesses.A small but important change for many businesses is the limit for contactless credit card payments has been raised from €30 to €50.COVID-19: Get all of the latest updates for Employees and Employers <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/blog/covid-19-all-the-latest-updates-for-employees-and-employers">here.</a>

Govt announces National Covid-19 Income Support Scheme

Independent.ie have announced that the Coronavirus Unemployment Payment is set to rise to €350 per week and that the Government are to pay 70pc of retained workers&#39; salaries.This news if officially confirmed later today will ease the pain for a lot of affected workers and business owners across the country.They also mention that in a significant new move the Government will also pay 70pc of employee wages up to €410 per week for businesses who are willing to meet the remainder of their staff’s weekly payment.MORE TO FOLLOW........

Self Employed