Question #7
If we need to hire a new employee on a temporary contract for 6 months, would this person be eligible for applying the funding under the Employment Support Scheme (ESS)? What is our obligation under ESS?
For employers who have applied for the first tranche of the ESS, the funding received depends on the month that they elected for calculation of subsidies (this could be December 2019, January 2020, February 2020 or March 2020).
Hiring an additional employee any time after 31 March 2020 does not result in an increase in the subsidies that are disbursed to the employer. However, such an employee can go towards satisfying any headcount shortfall under the circumstances described below.