Employment subsidy for people aged 55 or over
The employment subsidy is a benefit intended to promote the employment of unemployed jobseekers aged 55 or over that an employment authority can grant to an employer to cover pay costs. The purpose of the subsidy is to promote the employment of people aged 55 or over by improving their professional skills or entrepreneurial skills. The subsidy is granted and paid to the employer, but its granting is always based on the unemployed jobseeker's service need. The employment subsidy requires that the unemployed jobseeker hired for the employment relationship has reached the age of 55 and has been unemployed for at least 24 months in the 28 months immediately preceding the granting of the subsidy. An employment subsidy may be granted for a full-time employment contract valid until further notice or a fixed-term full-time employment contract. The person hired with the subsidy must work for the recipient for at least 25 hours a week. If the regular working hours in the sector are less than 37.5 hours per week, the working hours must be at least 65 per cent of the regular working hours in the sector. The unemployed jobseeker's employment plan or pay subsidy card includes a mention of the subsidy. The amount of employment subsidy is 70 per cent of the wage costs. The aid may be granted for a period of 10 months but not longer than the duration of the employment relationship. The maximum amount of employment subsidy paid is €1,770 per month. The pay covered with the subsidy is the pay subject to withholding tax that is paid to the employee on the basis of working hours or the performance of a contract.