The new JobsPlus scheme which will incentivise businesses to hire additional employees from the Live Register is being rolled out by Government. The innovative job creation scheme is focused on the long-term unemployed, providing a cash-flow benefit to businesses which hire jobseekers who have been on the Live Register for 12 months or more.
The scheme will provide a fixed grant payment to businesses for each new employee. There will be two levels of incentive
- In respect of recruits unemployed for between 12 and 24 months: €7,500
- In respect of recruits unemployed for more than 24 months: €10,000
From an employer perspective, the typical value of the incentive over a two-year period is circa 23% of the gross minimum wage cost (including employer PRSI) for a person exiting the Live Register to commence full-time employment. It is proposed that the new incentive will be payable, on a monthly in arrears basis, over a two-year period.
