The Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) has advised the details of the Employment Aid Programme for Gozo, which provides employment aid to enterprises in Gozo or Maltese enterprises with a base in Gozo to promote the recruitment of disadvantaged and persons with disability.

This programme, the ETC said, is intended to increase the employment rate. In particular it will increase the employment opportunities for disadvantaged workers and persons with disability, who usually find difficulty in securing employment in the open market.

The Employment Aid Programme is co-financed by the European Social Fund, the Maltese Government and Employers.

The Scheme is in line with Commission Regulation (EC) No.800/2008 of the 6th August 2008 on the application of Articles 107 and 108 of the EC Treaty to State Aid for employment and published in the Official Journal of the European Communities on the 9th August 2008.

The ETC said that the Employment Aid Programme facilitates the integration of disadvantaged and disabled persons in the labour market by:

– Enhances the employability and productivity of vulnerable groups with low employment rates; – Facilitates access to employment and upgrade the skills of those furthest away from the labour market; – Contributes to increase the country’s labour supply and achieve greater social cohesion.

The Programme will be entirely managed and monitored by the Employment and Training Corporation.

Rules and conditions to be followed by the employer to be eligible for the aid are listed in the Guidance Notes available under the ‘Employers Section – Financial Assistance for Employing People’ of the ETC website.

The Employment and Training Corporation said that it accepts applications through this programme from Gozitan or Gozo-based Undertakings/employers that fit the eligibility criteria. Gozo-based enterprises are those which are located in Gozo and those whose operational base is partly in Gozo and partly in Malta.

It added that “eligible applicants cover all undertakings, including a partnership, company, self-employed persons, family businesses, association or other body of persons, whether vested with legal personality or not, carrying out an economic activity and are recruiting newemployees eligible to participate in the programme.”

A more detailed definition of an undertaking can be found in the EAP Guidance Notes and in Annex I of the Commission Regulation (EC) No 800/2008.

The client groups eligible: Participants that must have their Identity Card showing a Gozo address.

Any person who has not been in regular paid employment for the previous 6 months and does not have a job.

Any person who wishes to enter or to re-enter working life and who has been absent both from work and from education for at least two year – particular any person who gave up work on account of the difficulty of reconciling his or her working life and family life.

Any person who lives as a single adult with one or more dependants. By dependants, ETC understands person who are either under 18 years of age or bedridden or who are severely mentally/physically disabled because they need continuous care.

Any person who has not attained an upper secondary educational or vocational qualification (ISCED 3).

Any person older than 50 years.

Any long-term, registered unemployed person, i.e. any person who has been unemployed for twelve of the previous sixteen months, or six of the previous eight months in the case of persons under 25.

Any person who is a registered disabled person and who has a recognised, serious, physical, mental or psychological impairment.

The ETC said that through the Employment Aid Programme, employers receive a subsidy equivalent to 50% of the basic wage cost plus half the employer’s National Insurance for 52 weeks.

“In the case of persons with disability the subsidy is 75% of the basic wage costs for 52 weeks. Undertakings benefiting from the 52 weeks will be requested to retain recruited persons with disability in employment for a further 4 months.

“Furthermore, employers can claim their part of National Insurance Contribution in respect of the disabled persons for the first three years of employment (Budget 2008 measure).”

Bonuses, overtime payment, allowances, commissions, and other fringe benefits are excluded from the reimbursement, the ETC said.

“The subsidy is reimbursed to the employer after the end of the Grant Agreement (31st December 2014) or following premature termination of the grant agreement upon the ETC EAP Project Leader’s approval of related documentation. The Corporation will verify that all the conditions listed in the Grant Agreement and Guidance Notes have been adhered to. After verification and certification from the relevant entities, the Treasury of Malta will subsequently issue the payment due,” the ETC said.

Applicants should submit one original copy of the Application Form and related documents. For the application to be considered complete and eligible, all relevant attachments must be submitted with the Application Form.

Detailed information can be obtained from the Guidance Notes available under the Employers Section – Financial Assistance for Employing People’ on the ETC website or from the following address.

All duly filled applications and related documentation are to be submitted by hand at: Employment & Training Corporation Sir Arturo Mercieca Street, Victoria, Gozo

Tel: 22201957 Email: eap.etc@gov.mt Website: www.etc.gov.mt.

Terms and Conditions apply.

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