COVID-19

Government July Stimulus Package: COVID19 Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme

On 23 July, the Government published draft legislation providing for a series of measures, including the successor to the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS), due to expire on 31 August 2020.

The stated purpose of the new Scheme, the COVID19: Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), is to provide support to businesses still suffering the economic effects of Covid-19 as well as those potentially affected by Brexit.

Background Both Schemes will run in parallel until the end of the TWSS on 31 August 2020, allowing new hires and employees not previously eligible for TWSS to qualify for EWSS, where they meet the new criteria.

EWSS will run from 1 July 2020 to 31 March 2021. Should economic conditions require, the Scheme can be extended to 30 June 2021.