Following the emergency two-week closure of the construction industry, the Victorian Government has injected nearly $200m in funding to support businesses in the sector who have been affected by the shutdown.
The Business Costs Assistance Program Round Four – Construction will provide support to eligible businesses, including sole traders, who were impacted by restrictions between 21 September to 4 October. Non-employing businesses will receive a $2000 grant and employing businesses will receive grants ranging from $2800 to $8400 depending on their payroll size.
More than 70,000 construction businesses in metropolitan Melbourne, the City of Greater Geelong, Mitchell Shire and Surf Coast Shire could be eligible for grants under round four of the program.
Eligibility
Applications for the program will open in mid-October. To be eligible, businesses must be registered under a relevant construction-sector ANZSIC codes, have a turnover of less than $10 million a year, be unable to operate remotely, have incurred direct costs due to restrictions, and be registered for GST. Businesses must have not previously received support under the Business Costs Assistance Program or the Small Business COVID Hardship Fund.
Guidelines for the Program are available on the Business Victoria website.
Restart plan
The Victorian Government also announced plans last week for the COVIDSafe restart of the construction industry.
Under this plan, the Victorian Chief Health Officer has made it a requirement for all workers to have received their first dose of a COVID‑19 vaccine prior to returning to the worksite.
Additionally, all site operators must complete a COVIDSafe construction declaration form prior to reopening.
Q&A Guide for Employers on Victoria’s COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate
HRIA, EWPA and TSHA partners MST Layers, have compiled a Q&A Guide for Victorian Employers that seeks to answer some frequently asked questions about mandatory vaccinations, including the 1 October 2021 announcement that all authorised workers must be vaccinated.
To access the guidance, please access HRNet in the member services portal.