At the highest level, the intention of the wage subsidy is to keep people employed through these difficult times.
The specific legal structure of your business, or specific employee & contractor agreements, should not preclude you from being eligible.
The wage subsidy is designed to be accessible by all NZ employers with NZ employees.
So, you can be an incorporated society, trust, charity, etc and still qualify. A sole trader or contractor will claim for themselves and any staff that they employ.
The wage subsidy will not apply to any state sector employers.
What are State Sector Employers?
State sector employers include the following;
- Government agencies
- Crown entities eg Kāinga Ora, ACC
- Schools
- Tertiary Education Institutions such as:
- Universities
- Polytechnics/Institutes of Technology
- Wānanga
Private businesses contracted to provide services to state sector employers (e.g. Cleaning, security) are not state sector employers, and can apply for the wage subsidy provided they meet the other criteria.