Restart Continues to Benefit Employers and Employees

 Federal Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta, is encouraging employers to take on mature-aged employees under the Restart employment programme.

Mr Vasta said the programme reached 1000 sign-ups nationally this week.

The programme provides a valuable incentive to encourage and assist businesses take on new mature-aged employees.

Minister for Employment Senator Eric Abetz said that when mature-age workers lost their jobs they tended to stay unemployed for longer than the average job seeker.

“We know that mature-aged workers often face significant barriers when re-entering the workforce, despite the many skills they have to offer.

“Restart is aimed at breaking down those barriers. Restart provides a $10,000 (GST inclusive) incentive to employers to hire and keep job seekers aged 50 and over who have been in receipt of income support for six months or more, including those on age or disability support pensions.”

Mr Vasta said the ageing population meant older workers would be critical to increasing the nation’s overall workforce participation and ensuring continued economic prosperity.

“We simply cannot afford to have mature-aged workers locked out of the workforce.”

The Restart programme – worth $524.8 million over four years – is just one measure aimed at getting more people into employment.

 Other programmes include:

 Relocation Assistance to Take up a Job – providing financial support to job seekers to move to areas where work is available;

 Job Commitment Bonus – provides $6500 to young, long-term unemployed people if they get a job, and stay in continuous work and off welfare for two years;

 Work for the Dole – providing eligible job seekers with work experience to learn new skills and improve their chance of finding a job, to go nationwide from 1 July 2015; and

Employment Services 2015-2020 – this new employment services model, which starts on 1 July, promises to be more efficient and effective, and to better meet the needs of job seekers, employers and providers.

For more information on Restart visit https://employment.gov.au/restart.