New Employer Incentive Scheme Introduced With An Aim To Boosting Job Creation

JobsPlus – A New Employer Incentive Scheme

JobsPlus is a new employer incentive which encourages and rewards employers who employ jobseekers on the Live Register.

This incentive replaces the Revenue Job Assist and Employer Job (PRSI) Exemption Scheme which are already in operation from 1 July 2013, and is aimed at boosting job creation.

It is designed to encourage employers and businesses to employ people who have been out of work for long periods. Eligible employers who recruit full-time employees on or after 1 July 2013 may apply for the incentive, which will operate on a pilot basis for a period of 6 months.

The Department of Social Protection will pay the incentive to the employer monthly in arrears over a 2-year period. It will provide 2 levels of regular cash payments:

• A payment of €7,500 for each person recruited who has been unemployed for more than 12 but less than 24 months
• A payment of €10,000 for each person recruited who has been unemployed for more than 24 months

Employers

JobsPlus is available to all employers in the private (including commercial semi-state), community, not-for-profit and voluntary sectors. It is not open to public service employers. Employers can avail of Jobsplus when filling positions that arise as a consequence of natural turnover.

Employers must meet the following conditions:

• The business must be registered as a PAYE employer with the Revenue Commissioners
• Employers must have a tax clearance certificate.
• The employer must offer full-time employment of over 30 hours per week, spanning at least 4 days per week. The eligible employee must be on payroll and subject to PAYE and PRSI.
• Employers must be able to prove that this is an increase in the workforce.

Employees

Eligible employees must:

• Be getting Job Seekers Benefit or Job Seekers Allowance or signing for credits. Time spent on certain activation schemes, or time spent in prison may count this time towards the qualifying period once entitlement to one of the qualifying payments outlined above is re-established prior to commencing employment. Jobseekers’ payments paid in conjunction with periods of casual employment may count towards satisfying the qualifying period, as will breaks in jobseekers payments as a result of periods of illness during which Illness Benefit is paid.
• People taking part in internships under JobBridge and the Work Placement Programme (WPP) who were getting a qualifying payment prior to their internship may be employed directly from these schemes once the required qualifying period and conditions are satisfied.
• Employees employed under the scheme may still be entitled to Family Income Supplement, Medical card, Rent and Mortgage Interest Supplement.
• Full details on how to apply for Employers and Employees can be found on jobsplus.ie.