Prime Minister's announcement - Government moves fast to help retain jobs
11 March 2009
The Government will provide financial assistance to employers to encourage them to retain workers, Prime Minister John Key announced today.
A Job Support Scheme will be aimed at private sector businesses with over 100 full-time employees. Employers, workers and unions will negotiate voluntary agreements to reduce their hours of work to a nine-day fortnight. The government will pay employers $12.50 (the adult minimum wage) an hour per worker, for up to five hours a fortnight.
