Hiring new employees can be a big investment, but there are government programs that can ease the cost.
The Tasmanian and Australian Governments offer a range of employment incentives and subsidies to encourage businesses to hire, train, and retain people, especially those who are young, returning to the workforce, or developing skills through training.
These programs are designed to help you grow your business while also creating job opportunities for all Tasmanians.
Programs:
The Australian Government offers financial incentives to employers who take on apprentices or trainees. These programs help reduce training and wage costs, making it easier to invest in developing your workforce.
Depending on your industry and the type of role, you may be eligible for:
wage subsidies
training support payments
employer incentives for priority occupations.
These incentives are administered through the Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System.
Delivers employment and apprenticeship support services across Australia.
Mas partners with government, industry, employers, individuals and other stakeholders to facilitate apprenticeship sign-ups, deliver targeted mentoring and create workforce participation opportunities across all industries.
These subsidies must be arranged before the employee starts work and requires a formal agreement with a Workforce Australia provider.
Hiring people with disability through a Disability Employment Services (DES) provider may make your business eligible for a range of wage subsidies and support designed to offset employment costs.
Wage Subsidy Scheme
If you employ people with disability through a DES provider, you could receive up to $1,650 over a 13-week period as a one-off payment to support their transition into your workplace.
Restart Wage Subsidy
Employers who hire people with disability aged 50 or over may be eligible for up to $10,000 in financial support.
Wage Start Subsidy
For job seekers with disability who have been registered with a DES provider for at least 12 months, businesses can access up to $6,000 paid over 26 weeks.
All these subsidies are managed through DES providers and must be arranged before the employee starts.
Eligibility checks and formal agreements are required to access the funding.
The Supported Wage System allows employers to pay a fair, pro-rata wage to employees with disability whose productivity is affected by their condition.
This ensures individuals are paid in line with the work they can perform, while still receiving the same leave and conditions as other employees.
Eligibility:
employees must be aged 15 years or over
have a disability that affects productivity
meet eligibility criteria for the Disability Support Pension (DSP).
Job requirements:
the role must comply with award or legal employment standards
minimum of eight hours work per week.
How it works:
participants begin with a work trial
a Department of Social Service appointed assessor reviews the employee’s productivity
an agreed pro-rata wage is set based on assessed capacity
regular reviews are conducted to ensure fairness.
Additional support:
Employers who sign up for the SWS may also be eligible for a $1,000 one-off payment to help cover setup costs.
The SWS promotes inclusive employment while ensuring fair compensation based on the employee’s contribution.