- Miread Larsen
UPDATE: COVID-19 Financial Support
For more information on any of the available COVID-19 Support Schemes, see here
Resurgence Support Payment
Finance Minister Grant Robertson announced on 15 Feb 2021 that the Government would be tweaking the eligibility criteria of a new payment for businesses affected by Covid-19.
The initial criteria were originally released in December 2020, where Robertson said businesses nationwide would be eligible for a Resurgence Support Payment if any part of the country moved to levels 2, 3, or 4 for seven or more days.
They would need to have experienced a 30% drop in revenue over a 14-day period, caused by a change in Alert Levels, to be eligible.
On Tuesday, Robertson said this is being shortened to seven days.
The Resurgence Support Payment will provide $1,500 base payment per business plus $400 per employee, up to $21,500.
If the current Alert Levels restrictions are extended beyond seven days, businesses can include the initial three-day restriction period to assess their eligibility.
In a nutshell:
A new payment for Alert Levels 2 and above
Available Nationwide
Available after restrictions have been in effect for 7 days or more
Businesses are eligible if they show a 30% drop in income over one week
Base payment of $1,500 per business, plus $400 per employee (capped at $21,500)
Wage Subsidy
If any part of the country is in Alert Level 3 or 4 for seven days or more, the wage subsidy will become an active payment again.
In a nutshell:
The value will remain the same ($585.80pw for full-time workers, $350 for part time)
The decline in income test changes to a 40% decline in revenue compared to the previous 6 weeks (instead the previous year)
The support will be paid in fortnightly payments
Total support will match the duration at Alert Level 3 or 4, rounded to the nearest fortnight
For more information, see here
Short-Term Absence Payment
There is a new Short-Term Absence payment available.
This is available for the employers of any employee who needs to stay home while awaiting a COVID-19 test, or needs to stay home with a dependent while they await a result.
The support is $350 per employee, see here for guidelines and more info.
Leave Support Scheme
A one off payment of $585.50 (fulltime employee rate), or $350 (employee works 20 hours or less per week) to the employer of anyone who needs to self-isolate because of COVID-19. More info available here.
