General FAQs What does "EI-eligible" mean? What are the characteristics of individual work seekers registered with Hire Power? Does the employer and/or the work seeker need reside in Kamloops? Does Hire Power offer any kind of "job matching" service for EI-eligible work seekers and employers?
Employer FAQs Why does an individual I want to hire under the TWS program need to be registered with Hire Power? What if I want to receive a wage subsidy on an individual who is not registered with Hire Power? What kind of employers are eligible to negotiate wage subsidy assistance with Hire Power? What kind of paperwork is involved? Do I need to follow any special hiring procedures? What kind of monitoring or reporting is involved once I hire a wage-subsidized employee? How much subsidy assistance (money) can I negotiate? Can I receive a wage subsidy for someone I hire for a seasonal job? Can I receive a wage subsidy for someone I hire for a term-certain job? Can I negotiate multiple subsidies if I hire several Hire-Power registered individuals? Can I receive a wage subsidy on someone I hire on a contract or self-employed basis (as opposed to employment)? Can I receive a wage subsidy on someone I hire for commission-based earnings? Can I receive a wage subsidy on an employee who is already working for me? What happens if I am having problems with the wage-subsidized employee's job performance? What happens if the subsidized employee quits his/her wage-subsidized job with me? What happens if I terminate the wage-subsidized employee's job with me? Do I have to repay any subsidy monies I receive under the TWS program?
What Does "EI-eligible" Mean? "EI-eligible" means that the potential employee is legally entitled to work in Canada, is currently unemployed (or severely under-employed), and is either on a current EI claim, has had a regular EI claim in the past 3 years, or has had a maternity or parental claim within the past 5 years. The potential employee's EI status is discussed with his/her employment advisor at the case management agency who refers the client to Hire Power, and is confirmed by Hire Power staff directly with Service Canada. (Back to Top of Page)
What are the characteristics of individual work seekers registered with Hire Power? In most cases, individuals registered with Hire Power are 'everyday' work seekers who have an immediate goal of returning to the workforce but may be experiencing more difficulty than those whose skills, education, or 'network' are already well-attached to current labour market conditions. Specific issues may include being new to the Kamloops area, having skills that are outdated relative to the needs of current employer demands, or having education in a specific field but no related work experience. (Back to Top of Page)
Does the employer and/or the work seeker need reside in Kamloops? The work seeker should reside in the community in which the case management agency who referred them to Hire Power is located. It is preferred that the employer's place of business is also located in close proximity to that community; however, exceptions can be made - please contact us for more information. (Back to Top of Page)
Does Hire Power offer any kind of "job matching" service for EI-eligible work seekers and employers? We do not offer any direct job matching service, as our preference is that employers and work seekers connect on their own and determine their mutual suitability for one-another through typical recruitment and selection processes (resumes, interviews, reference checks, etc.). However, Hire Power staff may recommend that registered work seekers contact certain employers who may also be registered with us for potential employment opportunities. (Back to Top of Page)
Why does an individual I want to hire under the TWS program need to be registered with Hire Power? Service Canada has entered into a Contribution Agreement with TQM Consulting to administer the TWS program through establishment of the Hire Power office. Registering individuals through Hire Power promotes accountability for proper administration of the program, as eligible individuals have developed a Return To Work Action Plan with a case management agency in his/her community and determined that participation in the program is in the individual's best interests. (Back to Top of Page)
What if I want to receive a wage subsidy on an individual who is not registered with Hire Power? The first step is to advise the individual to make an appointment with the case management agency in his/her community. An employment advisor at this agency will assess the individual's situation and, if it is determined that the TWS program is the most appropriate intervention for the individual, the employment advisor will refer the individual to Hire Power for formal registration. Wage subsidy assistance through Service Canada's TWS program is NOT available to employers who by-pass this process when hiring a new individual. (Back to Top of Page)
What kind of employers are eligible to negotiate wage subsidy assistance with Hire Power? Employers from all industries and offering all kinds of jobs may be eligible to negotiate wage subsidy assistance for hiring an EI-eligible individual. Employers must be properly registered with relevant authorities (ex. CRA, WorkSafeBC, etc.) and generally must have been in business for at least one year. (Back to Top of Page)
What kind of paperwork is involved? Paperwork for employers is relatively minimal. A two-page Employer Registration form must be reviewed and signed by the employer for initial registration with Hire Power. When the employer is ready to hire an EI-eligible individual, the employer and Hire Power representative negotiate a wage subsidy contract which outlines the job description, rate of pay, and amount and duration of the actual wage subsidy itself. Once the employee is hired and starts work, the employer is required to submit, on a monthly basis, a simple employee progress report, copies of the employee's timesheets for the pay (claim) period, and copies of the employee's statement of earnings for the pay (claim) period to show gross pay, deductions, hours of work paid for, etc. (Back to Top of Page)
Do I need to follow any special hiring procedures? No, you simply follow your own hiring processes as usual. The only thing to remember is that you must negotiate the wage subsidy contract with Hire Power BEFORE the employee's first day of work. We encourage all employers to incorporate due-diligence in their hiring practices, such as proper resume reviews, interviews with potential candidates, reference checks, and so forth (no different than hiring any non-wage subsidized employee you might hire). (Back to Top of Page)
What kind of monitoring or reporting is involved once I hire a wage-subsidized employee? During the wage subsidy period, an Employment Coordinator from Hire Power will conduct incidental, pre-scheduled monitoring visits with both the employer and the employee to ensure the employment situation is working for both parties and, if needed, assist in resolving any problems or concerns presented by either party. (Back to Top of Page)
How much subsidy assistance (money) can I negotiate? Wage subsidy amounts will depend on the wage rate you are paying the employee, the number of hours of work you are providing for the employee each week (on average), the extent/intensity of training you are providing for the new employee, and the potential for continued, year-round employment once the subsidy period has ended. All subsidy agreements are negotiated independently based on the employer's offerings and the individual's needs. (Back to Top of Page)
Can I receive a wage subsidy for someone I hire for a seasonal job? We will consider subsidizing seasonal employment. However, the amount and duration of the subsidy will (in most cases) be less than what we would negotiate with an employer who is offering full-time employment that is year-round, given that the employee will likely be dis-employed at the end of your operating season. Additionally, seasonal (and any other short-term) positions must demonstrate some clear skill enhancement for the employee that s/he will be able to use/apply in other occupations or with other employers once your operating season ends and the individual is laid-off. As an example, if you operate a golf course and need to hire someone to assist with groundskeeping and hope to negotiate a wage subsidy on an EI-eligible individual, we would not consider a subsidy on someone who has already acquired such skills through previous employment at other golf courses. (Back to Top of Page)
Can I receive a wage subsidy for someone I hire for a term-certain job? Term-certain positions may be considered when such positions are of reasonable duration (such as covering for a one-year maternity leave), and involve work that is a regular part of your everyday business operation. Incidental projects expected to last only for a few months or less are typically not considered subsidizable; however, you may wish to apply directly with Service Canada to hire individuals for such projects under a Job Creation Project. (Back to Top of Page)
Can I negotiate multiple subsidies if I hire several Hire Power-registered individuals? Yes, we will consider negotiating multiple subsidies on multiple Hire Power-registered individuals, so long as all positions meet the general requirements and intent of the TWS program (skill development, potential for maintained employment after subsidy periods end, etc.). (Back to Top of Page)
Can I receive a wage subsidy on someone I hire on a contract or self-employed basis (as opposed to employment)? No, self-employment or contract work positions cannot be subsidized under Service Canada's TWS program. (Back to Top of Page)
Can I receive a wage subsidy on someone I hire for commission-based earnings? We cannot subsidize positions that are 100% commission-based. We may be able to consider positions offering base salary plus commissions; however, we would only be able to provide subsidy assistance against the base salary, not on any commissions earned or paid. (Back to Top of Page)
Can I receive a wage subsidy on an employee who is already working for me? No, existing employees in your operation cannot be subsidized under this TWS program. (Back to Top of Page)
What happens if I am having problems with the wage-subsidized employee's job performance? As with any other employee, we would first encourage you to attempt to solve the problem or issue directly with the employee. We would encourage you to contact us if you feel our assistance may be able to help solve the problem. We would also hope that you advise us of any issues during our monitoring visits so that we can discuss and perhaps strategize some solutions with you. (Back to Top of Page)
What happens if the subsidized employee quits his/her wage-subsidized job with me? You must report this to us immediately. In these cases, the wage subsidy contract is considered terminated as of the last day that the employee worked. Any subsidizable wages earned and paid-out up to the last day of employment will still be reimbursed. Depending on the reason(s) for the employee quitting early, the employee or the employer (or both) may be excluded from future opportunities for participation in the TWS program through Hire Power. (Back to Top of Page)
What happens if I terminate the wage-subsidized employee's job with me? You must report this to us immediately. In these cases, the wage subsidy contract is considered terminated as of the last day that the employee worked. Any subsidizable wages earned and paid-out up to the last day of employment will still be paid-out. Depending on the reason(s) for the employer terminating employment, the employer or the employee (or both) may be excluded from future opportunities for participation in the TWS program through Hire Power. (Back to Top of Page)
Do I have to repay any subsidy monies I receive under the TWS program? Monies are only repayable in situations where accidental overpayments were administered by Hire Power, or in cases where Hire Power discovers misuse or abuse of subsidy dollars by the employer. In cases where the employer has met all of the requirements of the wage subsidy contract but the subsidized employee is dis-employed early, no monies are repayable. Again, however, future subsidy opportunities through Hire Power may be jeopardized when a subsidized employee becomes dis-employed before, or even soon after, the end of the wage subsidy contract period. (Back to Top of Page)
