STATE’S NEW JOB PLAN
GOVERNMENT announced last night an employment subsidy program designed to boost employment opportunities for the jobless.
Attorney-General and Economy Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said under the “Stronger Together Employment Support Scheme”, Government would subsidise anyone employed under the scheme by providing the minimum wage rate of $2.68 an hour.
“So for example, if somebody gets hired as a forklift driver, Government will pay the $2.68 an hour,” he said.
“The minimum wage rate for a forklift driver is $3.31, so the employer will have to pay the difference between $2.68 and $3.31 an hour.
“The employer, of course, must also, as a second condition, bear the cost of any FNPF (Fiji National Provident Fund) contributions and any other employee associated costs for new hires to the scheme – so, you know, meal allowance, overtime, somebody maybe working in a construction site, so things like wet allowances, all of that has to be paid by the employer.”
The A-G said Government could not fill the hiring void on its own and this was where the assistance of the private sector was needed.
“This scheme is temporary. “Government will make a determination to extend the scheme if necessary.
“And it will continue for the first phase for three months, employees in the private sector, public enterprises, registered NGOs and municipal councils are all invited to express their interest in partnering with Government for this initiative.”
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said individuals who were not FNPF members would be given preference.
He said those who were currently receiving assistance under FNPF phase two and three were also eligible for employment through the scheme.
He also said recipients of the recently announced micro, small and medium enterprise concessional loan or FNPF pensioners would not qualify for employment under the new program.
The A-G said people successfully employed under the initiative would forego continued assistance under FNPF phase two and three.
He said anyone receiving $220 per fortnight from FNPF would stop receiving the payment.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said Fijians who were currently receiving social welfare payments were eligible for employment under the scheme, however, they will have to forego social welfare payments if they were successfully employed.
The minister said the initiative would be managed by the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service in collaboration with FNPF and the Economy Ministry.