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Eligible employers of retrenched automotive industry workers, dairy industry workers, unemployed Latrobe Valley and retrenched Hazelwood Power Station workers can claim a second payment.

What payments are available?

While first instalment payments are closed, a second instalment payment is available to an eligible employer who received a first instalment payment in the following categories:

  • Phase 2 — Employers of retrenched automotive industry workers and dairy industry workers who started an eligible job between 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2018.
  • Phase 3 — Employers of unemployed people living in the Latrobe Valley and retrenched workers from the Hazelwood Power Station who started an eligible job between 1 January 2017 and 30 June 2020.

Applications close soon

Applications for second instalment and/or training reimbursement payments under Phases 2 and 3 of the scheme must be lodged by 5pm on 31 March 2024, or before funding is exhausted, whichever occurs first. Applications lodged after this date or after funding has been exhausted will not be considered.

You can apply for a second instalment payment provided the eligible employee has been continuously employed in an eligible job since the first instalment claim, and is still employed by you at the time the second instalment claim is lodged.

You can also apply for a reimbursement of costs incurred in providing an eligible employee with accredited training. Applications for a reimbursement of accredited training costs can only be lodged after the costs have been incurred.

Claim a second instalment payment

How much can you claim?

You can claim up to:

  • $7,000 per retrenched automotive worker employed
  • $5,000 per dairy industry worker employed
  • $5,000 per unemployed person living in the Latrobe Valley employed
  • $5,000 per retrenched Hazelwood Power Station worker employed.

Payments do not include GST. An additional amount of up to $4,000 is available to employers who provided accredited training to those eligible employees.

Reimbursement for accredited training

A reimbursement for the cost of providing an eligible employee with accredited training is available to an eligible employer up to $4,000.

A claim for reimbursement for costs incurred in providing accredited training may be lodged after the date the costs have been incurred subject to exhaustion of the relevant funding.

Employers are encouraged to keep track of their expenditure on providing eligible employees with accredited training and make their claim by email.

Eligibility for Back to Work payments

All employers who hired an eligible employee in an ongoing full-time or part-time Victorian job were eligible, except for:

  • an employer with a poor workplace safety record
  • a recent employer of the eligible employee
  • municipal councils and other public, local or government bodies.

Frequently asked questions

Privacy

All information provided to us is treated in accordance with the Back to Work Act 2015 and our Privacy Policy. Where allowed by law, information can be shared with other state and federal authorities including the Australian Taxation Office.

Last modified: 14 February 2024

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