Wage subsidy program encourages Manitoba employers to hire vaccinated workers

Manitoba's government announced a newprogram Thursday that will offer 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.

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

"As a government we're doing everything we can to encourage Manitobans to roll up their sleevesnot once, but twice," Premier Brian Pallister said at a news conference announcing the program.

"It's our goal that this newHealthy HireManitoba program will also assist in incentivizing employers to safely bring more employees back to work and encourage more Manitobans get fully vaccinated."

To qualify for the program, employees do not have to be fully vaccinated.

WATCH|Manitoba premier announces wage subsidy program encouraging vaccination:

Manitoba premier announces wage subsidy program

3 years ago

Duration 1:43

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister announced a new program on Thursday that will offer local businesses up to $50,000 to help pay the wages of newly hired or rehired employees who have received a vaccine or who pledge to get one.

The program will cover pay periods for employees hired on or after June 10, with the last pay period ending Oct. 15.

Businesses and organizations already receiving wage supports from the province willbe able to apply for the new program. However, wages for employeeshired before June 10 won't qualify for the subsidy.

"The businesses that have been able to stay fully openthere are a feware not qualified for this program becauseof the fact that they haven't been as affected by the restrictions," Pallister said.

As the province begins to loosen COVID-19 pandemic restrictionswith capacity at most businesses increasing from 10 per cent to 25 per cent starting this Saturdaythere is an opportunity for them to hire more employees back, he said.

More information on the program'seligibility criteria will be released next week.

Clarity needed on askingfor health information: chamber

When asked what penalties might apply if an employee doesn't follow through on their pledge to get a vaccine, Pallister said the program would operateon trust.

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

"We've run our programs on that basis. We've got enough to domaking sure that peoplefollow the health ordersright now, to be frank."

Pallister said he hopes the program will encourage people in areas with low uptake to get the vaccine. As of Thursday, the province will have reached 72per cent of eligible people with at least one dose, and 31 per cent with twodoses.

The president and CEO of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce said the program is a positive step for the province to take.

That said, Loren Remillardalso hopesto see a recognition of Manitoba businesses that worked to keepstaff on the payrollthrough the pandemic despite tough economic times.

The program also won't apply to companies that were forced to cut workers' hours down and will nowwork tohikethem up to normal levels, he said.

One major issue needingclarification, Remillard said, is companies understandingtheir rights and responsibilities when asking employees about their vaccination status, which is personal health information.

He wonders if companies can require them to share it.

"We assume the province has received legal opinion saying it's permissible, but there's still some question ... no employer wants to put themselves in a situation that may open themselves to legal repercussions," Remillard said.

'Not sure if it changes anybody's mind'

He said he also wants the province and federal governments to recognize the need for subsidies will still be there past late September, when two major federal programs the Canada emergency wage subsidyand the Canada emergency rent subsidy are scheduled to end.

Businesses will still be in a precarious place, Remillard said.

"We want to ensure the investments we've made to date are fully realized.... We need to seriously push that September deadline to the end of the calendar year," he said.

It's not clear if the Healthy Hire program will help increase vaccination rates in areas of the province where vaccine uptake has been low, such asthe city of Winklerand the surroundingrural municipality of Stanley.

The presidentof the Winkler and District Chamber of Commerce said he doesn't believe the program will have much of an impact on that front.

"I'm not sure if it changes anybody's mind if they're unsure about being vaccinated, unless they're having trouble getting a job right now," Keith Gislason said.

WATCH |Brian Pallister speaks on wage subsidy program:

Premier Brian Pallister announces Healthy Hire Manitoba program

3 years ago

Duration 31:55

The province has set aside 30-million dollars for grants to employers to hire or re-hire staff, but those staff have to be fully vaccinated. Premier Brian Pallister says Manitoba-based businesses, not for profits and charities can apply.