COVID19 SUPPORT

WELLINGTON: New Zealand businesses have already received more than $6,580,000 under the Government’s latest Covid19 support scheme.

The Resurgence Support Payment was only made available to employers last Tuesday.

The cash was paid out to more than 2500 firms in less than two days.

The scheme intends to boost businesses that suffer when there is an increase in alert levels.

It provides each eligible business $1500, plus $400 per staff member for up to a total of 50 fulltime employees.

The package is offered to businesses who can show a 30% drop in revenue over seven days.

It is one of many offerings the Government is handing out to businesses and individuals facing hardship due to Covid19.

Auckland’s Chamber of Commerce chief executive Michael Barnett said the Resurgence

Support Payment would help many employers — but some businesses could still go under.

‘‘I think the Government’s been generous. I think that having the resurgence package is probably adequate for the few days that we were in [Alert] Level 3 last week but there are definitely some sectors that all you might be doing is delaying what could be the inevitable,’’ Mr Barnett said.

For businesses needing to pay people who cannot get to work, there is government cash.

The Leave Support Scheme is given to employers who have staff who are in isolation and cannot work from home. The ShortTerm Absence Payment is a $350 payment for an employee waiting on a Covid19 test result who cannot work from home.

Employers can apply for the Leave Support Scheme and the ShortTerm Absence Payment through the Work and Income website.

Businesses can apply for the Resurgence Support Payment on the IRD website.