Federal funds to pay businesses to take on over-50s unemployed

THE Federal Government is planning to introduce a Seniors Employment Incentive Payment which will pay a business up to $3250 if it hires an over-50 job seeker who has been unemployed for at least six months and is receiving income support.

 

Assistant Minister for Employment, Luke Hartsuyker, said it was part of a commitment of more than $393 million in December’s Mid Year Economic Fiscal Outlook to fund three job seeker-support programs to help solve a debilitating long term unemployment problem nationwide.

"The funding includes a Job Commitment Bonus payment of up to $6500, which will encourage long-term unemployed young Australians to find a job and remain off welfare,” Mr Hartsuyker said. A similar amount was planned to help people relocate to find full-time work.

"The Relocation Assistance to Take Up a Job programme will be implemented which provides up to $6000 to assist job seekers move to take up a job,” he said.

Mr Hartsuyker said the Federal Opposition was having an negative impact on the government’s plans to tackle long-term unemployment by not passing legislation that would remove the carbon tax and mining tax, which had a negative impact on jobs creation.

Mr Hartsuyker said Federal Labor should acknowledge its appalling legacy to job seekers and get behind the Federal Government’s plan to assist long-term unemployed people back into work.

“Under Labor the number of unemployed rose by 200,000,” Mr Hartsuyker said. “Since the carbon tax was introduced in 2012 the number of unemployed Australians has increased by 87,000.

“Labor’s legacy was to leave more than 700,000 unemployed Australians, the highest number in 15 years. The best thing Labor can do is get out of the way and let the government deliver on its mandate to get rid of the carbon tax, rid of the mining tax and get on with the job of building a stronger economy.”

Mr Hartsuyker said the Federal Government was also reviewing how it could “reinvigorate” the former Work for the Dole program.

http://www.deewr.gov.au/

 

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