Apart from the skills and maturity that come from employing a worker who’s over 55, the Queensland Government are providing incentives of up to $20,000 to businesses that hire eligible employees.
The Government initiative is part of the ‘Back to Work – South East Queensland’ program, which is designed to give businesses the confidence to employ unemployed mature age workers in South East Queensland.
What’s on Offer?
This program is similar to the Youth Boost incentive, in that it provides up to $20,000 (in 3 parts) to employers for employees who:
- Must be a permanent resident of Australia with their principal place of residency in Queensland and
- Was unemployed for at least four weeks directly prior to commencing employment with the eligible employer and
- Has not worked for the eligible employer in the 12 months directly prior to commencing employment with the eligible employer and
- Commenced employment with the eligible employer during the eligible timeframe period (1 January 2018 and 30 June 2018 inclusive) and
- At the time the initial payment application is made, has been in paid employment with the eligible employer for at least four weeks and
- Is not a full-time student and
- Must not have displaced any existing workers and
- Must be aged 55 years or over on the date they commenced employment with the eligible employer.
The eligible employee must commence employment between 1 January 2018 and 30 June 2018.
What’s not covered
The Government has also outlined what types of jobs are ineligible for this scheme as:
- a casual job
- short term work eg weekly hire basis
- employees transitioning from casual or short term work to ongoing part time or full time work
- where the applicant isn’t directly employed by the employer eg labour hire
- a job that offers a full time salary above $120,000 per year
If your business is seeking the additional life experience and skills a mature age worker can offer, then this incentive may be of benefit to you and your business.
