Introduction – General Principles Job Support Fund Legislation and Administration The government provides funding for the Job Support Fund (Job Support) through the Ministry of Social Development (Ministry) as part of the Employment Work Readiness and Assistance Programme (EWRAP). The is a Ministerial programme under the Social Security Act 1964 and is the overarching programme that enables the Ministry to grant funding assistance and provide a wide range of employment and work readiness assistance. The Support Funds (the Funds) are provided under Clause 7 (Extra or Specialist assistance for eligible people with sickness, injury or disability) of the Schedule of the EWRAP. The consist of Job Support and Training Support and provide assistance to people disabled people or people with a health condition to cover the cost of disability (costs that would not be incurred by people without that disability or health condition) incurred whilst in employment or training. Workbridge administers Job Support on behalf of the Ministry. This handbook outlines Operational Policy in respect of Job Support only. Purpose of the Job Support Fund The purpose of the Support Funds is to increase disabled people’s (including people with a health condition) participation in open employment by meeting the additional costs incurred as a direct consequence of their disability when undertaking the same employment or training as a person without a disability. Job Support aims to make individualised funding available to purchase employment support services, workplace modifications and provide productivity allowance wage subsidies for disabled people or people with a health condition to work in open employment while receiving appropriate rates of pay for the job.
Self-Employment the business is established, applicants in self-employment can apply for Job Support. Applicants will need to meet the minimum wage requirement, as required by law, and be able to establish that the business is financially viable in addition to all other Job Support criteria. Approvals by Workbridge for Job Support, combined with any other funding from Work and Income Flexi-wage cannot exceed $16,900 in any one year. Applications that exceed this amount will be referred to the Ministry. See also 3 See also 4 ‘Profit principle’ For costs of self-employment, the objectives of the business must be to make a profit, not occupational therapy or ‘hobbies’. Using Job Support as an income stream Job Support cannot be shown as income to the business. The purpose of Job Support is to offset any expenses that are the direct result of a person’s disability or health condition and are not intended to supplement business income. Business viability Any application for Job Support, where the applicant is in self-employment, must also meet all criteria for a viable business before the application can be approved. In some circumstances, information supplied by the applicant will be referred to an independent agency to be vetted. Any cost incurred in the vetting process will be met from the applicant’s yearly funding allocation. Minimum worked per week To receive Job Support for self-employment, the applicant must be providing a minimum of 15 hours personal effort in the business each week.