The Pacific Business Trust team is here to support the Pacific community during this latest lockdown.

This is a challenging time which impacts our way of living and working. It’s important that we all prioritise the care we show for each other and come together as a community.

Our Business Advisors and Customer Support team remain fully contactable and available should you have any questions, issues, or concerns about your business or what the latest lockdown means for you.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us by free-phoning 0800 287 7526 Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 5.00pm or send us an email to info@pacificbusiness.co.nz

We have compiled the resources below to help you navigate the support, which is available to you, including the Covid-19 Wage Subsidy, Leave Support Scheme and the Covid Resurgence Support Payment.

1. Covid-19 Wage Subsidy August 2021

The Covid-19 Wage Subsidy is a payment to support employers, so they can continue to pay employees and protect jobs for businesses affected by the move to Alert Level 4. If you meet the criteria, you can apply for a contribution towards the wages of your employees (or yourself if you are self-employed).

The Wage Subsidy is now open for applications for two weeks, from 9am Friday 20 August 2021.

• Find more information including who can get the subsidy, payment rates, and other COVID-19 support on the Work and Income website. Click here.

• Please note: there is a dedicated team who are looking after Pacific businesses and can answer any questions you may have and assist with your application. Click here.

2. Leave Support Scheme

The Leave Support Scheme is available for employers, including self-employed people, to help pay your employees who need to self-isolate and can’t work from home.

• Find out more about the Leave Support Scheme including who can get it, payment rates and processing times, and how to apply. Click here.

Note: you can only apply for one form of payment support per employee.

3. Covid Resurgence Support Payment (RSP)

If your business or organisation is facing a reduction in revenue due to the alert level increase, you may be eligible to apply for the RSP. Criteria to apply includes at least a 30% drop in revenue or a 30% decline in capital-raising ability over a 7-day period and subject to other criteria being met you can receive the lesser of:

• $1,500 plus $400 per full-time equivalent (FTE) employee, up to a maximum of 50 FTEs

• four times (4x) the actual revenue decline experienced by the applicant.

Applications will open at 8am on Tuesday 24 August. You can find more information on the COVID-19 Resurgence Support Payment (RSP) at IRD. Click here.

Covid-19 and the Workplace

Find guidance for employees, employers, and businesses on the Employment New Zealand website. Click here.

This covers a range of COVID-19 employment-related information, such as:

• financial support schemes,

• vaccines,

• leave and pay entitlements,

• employee agreements,

• temporary changes to parental leave law,

• guidance for payroll professionals,

• health and safety, and more.

Covid-19 Information for Businesses

Find Covid-19 business information and updates on the business.govt.nz website. Click here.

You’ll find information about:

• operating at Alert Levels

• business travel across regional boundaries

• contact tracing

• financial support for businesses

• employment and work visas

• leases and tenancies

• exporters and importers

• working from home.

If You or Your Employees are Unwell

If you are unwell, you should call Healthline on 0800 611 116 or talk to your doctor. If your employees are unwell, you should encourage them to do this too.

• For the most up-to-date health-related information, click here.

• For the latest COVID-19 updates from the government, click here.

Pacific Business Trust Support Services

Learn more about the Support Services that we offer to Pacific businesses. Click here.

Stay safe and look after yourself and your loved ones.

We’re all in this together.

The PBT Team