#ReachOutandConnect
Our older parents and grandparents are cocooning. This effectively means that they are living in isolation within their homes and we can all help to make a huge difference to their day.
Play your part and make a real difference. It’s the simply things that mean so much. READ MORE
General Updates and Information
Trustworthy Sources of Information
HABIC fully encourages all organisations/ members to follow the guidance of the the following:
Daily Updates from GOV.ie
- Daily Updates from GOV.ie – Latest Updates on COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
- Government Releases National Action Plan for COVID-19 (source; Gov.ie) – Full details on the Action plan can be downloaded HERE
- HSE Briefing notes on COVID-19; Symptoms, conditions and treatments https://www2.hse.ie/coronavirus/
COVID-19 Information for Employers & Employees
Employer Refund Scheme
The department has introduced a refund scheme for employers. Under an arrangement developed with Revenue, employers who have to temporarily lay-off staff and who are not in a position to make any wage payment to them, are asked to keep their employees on the payroll and pay them an amount of €203 – the equivalent of the COVID-19 Support Payment.
When they submit payroll returns to Revenue via their payroll provider, Revenue will refund the employer the €203. Full details on the COVID-19 Employer Refund Scheme are available here
Income Supports
A number of income supports are available from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection for your employees during a COVID-19 (Coronavirus) related absence or temporary lay-off from work:
- employees and the self-employed who have lost employment due to a downturn in economic activity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic
- workers who are not diagnosed with COVID-19 but who self-isolate
- workers whose employers do not supplement/top-up the State Illness Benefit payment (COVID-19)
- workers who are requested to stay at home by their employer (COVID-19)
- workers who are laid off temporarily or put on to short time working (COVID-19)
- workers who need to take time off work to care for a person affected by COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
- Short-time Work Support is a form of Jobseeker’s Benefit . Applications for Jobseeker’s Benefit can be made on line via www.mywelfare.ie.
Business Supports
- SME Credit Guarantee Scheme (CGS)
- Small business loans from Microfinance Ireland for micro-enterprises impacted financially by Coronavirus.
- Advisory support available from your local enterprise office (LEO).
- Revenue have announced measures to assist SMEs experiencing cashflow difficulties arising from COVID-19
- Enterprise Ireland has published a COVID-19 Business Response Plan.
- A Business Continuity Plan template can be found (Source dbei.gov.ie ) HERE
- Information for Employers and Employees in regard to COVID-19 from the Citizen Information Office can be found HERE (Source Citizen Information)
- Support from the Workplace Relations Commission can be found HERE and contact information for the WRC can be found HERE
Minister Donohoe outlines measures to support individuals and businesses impacted by COVID-19 (Source; Gov.ie) including;
- 1. Support for bank borrowers
- 2. Central Bank Prudential Policies
- 3. BPFI actions to ensure operational continuity
- 4. Changes to assist Public Health Policy
- 5. Deferral to stamp duty
- 6. Non-Bank lending
For full information on measures announced, please see HERE.
HR Factsheet
Coronavirus Factsheet with thanks to HABIC Executive Council Member – The HR Suite.
The information in this guide is correct as of 23 March 2020 and includes the following:
- Employer Obligations
- Employee Responsibilities
- Payment & Other Options
- What we do if an employee is confirmed with COVID-19
- Medical Examinations/ GDPR
- Data Protection during Remote Working
- Q&A