The Wage Subsidy Scheme encourages employers to hire people with a disability by providing financial assistance to help pay their wages for a specific period of time.

Disability Employment Network services or Vocational Rehabilitation Services can access the Scheme on your behalf. The Scheme is funded by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR).

Eligibility for Assistance:

To be eligible for a wage subsidy, you must be working in a job:

• with an eligible employer
• under open employment conditions ie award wage salary
• for at least 8 hours per week for at least 13 weeks and
• have a reasonable expectation of the job continuing after 13 weeks.

You must also have a disability and:

• be receiving assistance from a Disability Employment Network service or Vocational Rehabilitation Service
• be of legal working age
• be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident
• have no outstanding workers' compensation claims against your current employer
• not be in receipt of funding or awaiting assistance from a Job Network Intensive Support customised assistance service or other wage support programs such as the Disabled Australian Apprentice Wage Scheme and
• not be receiving wage subsidy funding from another service outlet for the same position.

	Vanessa is seeking employment as a clerical assistant. She has been unemployed for six months or so but has the attributes the employer is looking for, she is enthusiastic, a good team player and has great communication skills. Her time out of the workforce means that it may take a little longer for Vanessa to reach her full potential in the job. The Disability Employment Network service provider recognises this and talks to the employer about the wage subsidy. The employer agrees that the wage subsidy will help the business buy in additional casual assistance so that productivity can be achieved. Everybody wins, Vanessa gets the job she wants and the employer gets a great employee.

Note: A worker can be accessing a Disability Employment Network service or Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) Australian Apprenticeships Incentive Payments, and be paid a wage subsidy.

Self-employed persons are not eligible for wage subsidy payments.

An employer must:

• be in the private, community, commonwealth, state or local government sector
• offer employment under a normal employer/employee relationship
• be incorporated, if a community or charitable organisation
• employ you under a legal industrial agreement
• pay the worker's wage, insurance, deduct tax, pay superannuation, and maintain occupational health and safety procedures; and
• follow industrial conditions and legislation if terminating your employment.

Subsidy Rate:

The maximum amount of subsidy DEWR will reimburse is $1,500 per wage, excluding GST.

Contact:

• Disability Employment Network Services: National database of Services
• CRS Australia: Freecall 1800 624 824 (free call within Australia , calls from mobile phones will be charged at the applicable mobile rate) TTY: 02 9242 4872
• Centrelink Senior Customer Service Officers

Further Information:

• JobAccess website: Wage Subsidy Scheme
• Centrelink Australia website: Wage Subsidies