Decrease in hours threshold for the Wage Subsidy Scheme for Employees with a Disability

by HRHQ Editorial Team

Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys has announced a decrease in the hours threshold for the Wage Subsidy Scheme for employees with a disability.

The weekly threshold for employers to avail of the Wage Subsidy Scheme is reduced from 21 to 15 hours from 1 April.

The Wage Subsidy Scheme is an employment support which aims to encourage the employment of people with disabilities in the open labour market.

The scheme provides financial incentives to private sector employers to employ people with a disability. The basic rate of subsidy is €6.30 per hour giving a total annual subsidy available of €12,776 per annum based on a 39-hour week.

From 1 April the work offered must be for a minimum of 15 hours per week (reduced from 21 hours as a result of this measure) and the subsidy is available up to 39 hours per week.

More information on the Wage Subsidy Scheme can be found at: Wage Subsidy Scheme.

The review included a four-week public consultation last year with people with disabilities, employers and the general public, that received over 1,000 submissions.