Let's get to work – a new government jobs initiative

With new the government's employment initiative „Let's Get to Work“ The aim is to create up to seven thousand temporary jobs. The employment initiative is being carried out in cooperation with the business community, public institutions, local authorities and voluntary organisations. It is planned to allocate around 4.5 to 5 billion krónur to the initiative. The City of Hafnarfjörður will take an active part in this project.

See the announcement on the website of the Cabinet Office. 

For small and medium-sized businesses 

The initiative aims to make it easier for small and medium-sized enterprises to hire staff and thus prepare for a brighter future. Businesses with fewer than 70 employees can hire jobseekers who have been unemployed for 12 months or longer with generous support. Each new employee will be accompanied by support of up to 472,000 króna per month, plus a 11.51% contribution to a pension fund for up to six months. Companies can hire as many employees as needed until their total staff reaches 70. The recruitment period is six months, from April to December.

For larger companies  

Companies of all sizes and types can then take advantage of recruitment grants, which make it easier for employers to hire staff and increase job opportunities for those who are unemployed. With a hiring subsidy, an employer can receive the full basic unemployment benefit for each jobseeker who has been out of work for 30 days or more for up to six months for each new employee, or 307,430 krónur per month, plus 11.51% contributions to the pension fund. There is no limit on the number of employees companies can hire through this scheme.

For local authorities and public institutions

To assist the group who are about to exhaust their benefit entitlement within the unemployment insurance system and have not found employment by the end of their benefit period, special measures will be taken to help individuals in this group to re-enter the labour market. The Employment Service will pay a recruitment grant for up to six months, and may be extended for a further six months for individuals with reduced working capacity, for the employment of individuals who are about to lose their entitlement to benefits. The institution is authorised to pay employment grants amounting to full wages in accordance with collective agreements, up to a maximum of 472,835.- krónur per month plus an 11.51% contribution to a pension fund. The condition is that an individual with six months or less of benefit entitlement remaining is hired. Local authorities are also permitted to hire individuals who have exhausted their benefit entitlement within the unemployment insurance system during the period from 1 October to 31 December 2020. October to 31 December 2020.

For non-profit organisations 

Non-profit, public benefit organisations, This makes it possible to establish temporary projects this spring and summer with a recruitment grant amounting to full wages according to collective agreements, up to a maximum of kr. 472,835 per month, which is the maximum for income-related benefits, plus an 11.51% employer's contribution to the pension fund. A 25% surcharge will then be paid to cover the cost of the projects, such as land conservation, the maintenance of footpaths, land clearance, planting, sports and recreation for children and young people, and so on. The condition for a hiring subsidy is that the jobseeker in question has been unemployed for 12 months or longer.

See the announcement on the website of the Cabinet Office.