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Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 November 2020

Wednesday, 25 November 2020

Questions (54)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

54. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some employers are basing the new wage subsidy scheme off workers contracted hours rather than hours worked or 2019 weekly earnings and that this is affecting many workers whose contracts do not reflect their normal working practices. [39091/20]

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Written answers

The Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) is an economy-wide scheme that focuses primarily on business eligibility, delivering a per-head subsidy on a flat rate basis. A subsidy of between €203 and €350 may be claimed by the employer retrospectively for every worker who is paid between €151.50 and €1,462 per week.

This is different from the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) where the level of income given for each individual employee was based on previous wages received in January and February 2020.

The purpose of the EWSS is to maintain the link between the employee and employer insofar as is possible. It is therefore based on the number of employees on the payroll and the employer is expected to make best efforts to maintain as close to 100% of normal income as possible for the duration of the subsidy period.

Where an eligible employer makes a payment of wages, within prescribed limits, to a qualifying employee during the scheme, the employer can claim an EWSS subsidy in respect of that employee. Outside of that, the position in relation to the EWSS does not affect any legal obligations that the employer may have to their employee as regards any terms, conditions or entitlements of their employment, including pay and hours worked.

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