[Canada] Manitoba wage subsidy programme encourages hiring vaccinated workers

On June 23 Manitoba's government announced a new programme offering local businesses up to $50,000 to help pay the wages of newly hired or rehired employees who have either received a COVID-19 vaccine or who pledge to get one, CBC reports.

The Healthy Hire Manitoba programme will reportedly cover 50 per cent of wages for a maximum of 10 employees at each business, non-profit organisation or registered charity, to a maximum of $5,000 per employee. The province has set aside a total of $30 million for the programme.

"As a government, we're doing everything we can to encourage Manitobans to roll up their sleeves - not once, but twice," Premier Brian Pallister said at a news conference announcing the programme.

"It's our goal that this new Healthy Hire Manitoba programme will  also assist in incentivising employers to safely bring more employees back to work and encourage more Manitobans get fully vaccinated." 

Employees do not have to be fully vaccinated to qualify for the programme.

The new programme will cover pay periods for employees hired on or after June 10, with the last pay period ending October 15. Businesses and organisations already receiving wage support from the province will be able to apply for the new programme but wages for employees hired before June 10 will not qualify for the subsidy. 

"The businesses that have been able to stay fully open - there are a few - are not qualified for this programme because of the fact that they haven't been as affected by the restrictions," Pallister said.

As Manitoba continues to reduce COVID-19 pandemic restrictions there is an opportunity for businesses to hire more employees back, he added.

When asked what penalties might apply if an employee fails to follow through on their pledge to get a vaccine, Pallister said the programme would operate on trust.

"We're asking people to give their word, so we're hoping that they're honest people. And I think in the vast, vast majority of cases, Manitobans are honest people," he said.

"We've run our programmes on that basis. We've got enough to do making sure that people follow the health orders right now, to be frank."

Pallister said he hopes the programme will encourage people in areas with low uptake to get the vaccine. By the last week of June, Manitoba had reached 72 per cent of eligible people with at least one dose and 31 per cent with two doses.

Source: CBC

(Quotes via original reporting)

On June 23 Manitoba's government announced a new programme offering local businesses up to $50,000 to help pay the wages of newly hired or rehired employees who have either received a COVID-19 vaccine or who pledge to get one, CBC reports.

The Healthy Hire Manitoba programme will reportedly cover 50 per cent of wages for a maximum of 10 employees at each business, non-profit organisation or registered charity, to a maximum of $5,000 per employee. The province has set aside a total of $30 million for the programme.

"As a government, we're doing everything we can to encourage Manitobans to roll up their sleeves - not once, but twice," Premier Brian Pallister said at a news conference announcing the programme.

"It's our goal that this new Healthy Hire Manitoba programme will  also assist in incentivising employers to safely bring more employees back to work and encourage more Manitobans get fully vaccinated." 

Employees do not have to be fully vaccinated to qualify for the programme.

The new programme will cover pay periods for employees hired on or after June 10, with the last pay period ending October 15. Businesses and organisations already receiving wage support from the province will be able to apply for the new programme but wages for employees hired before June 10 will not qualify for the subsidy. 

"The businesses that have been able to stay fully open - there are a few - are not qualified for this programme because of the fact that they haven't been as affected by the restrictions," Pallister said.

As Manitoba continues to reduce COVID-19 pandemic restrictions there is an opportunity for businesses to hire more employees back, he added.

When asked what penalties might apply if an employee fails to follow through on their pledge to get a vaccine, Pallister said the programme would operate on trust.

"We're asking people to give their word, so we're hoping that they're honest people. And I think in the vast, vast majority of cases, Manitobans are honest people," he said.

"We've run our programmes on that basis. We've got enough to do making sure that people follow the health orders right now, to be frank."

Pallister said he hopes the programme will encourage people in areas with low uptake to get the vaccine. By the last week of June, Manitoba had reached 72 per cent of eligible people with at least one dose and 31 per cent with two doses.

Source: CBC

(Quotes via original reporting)