Walloon Region: "Tremplin 24 mois +", a new aid measure

The Walloon Government has created a new aid measure for specific sectors that are heavily affected by the health crisis. This is the "Springboard 24 Months +" grant

It aims to promote the hiring of long-term jobseekers in sectors where there is a critical shortage of staff. The subsidy is only available for 600 full-time equivalents in the year 2021.

The legal text has not yet been published in the Belgian Official Gazette. So bear in mind that this measure can still change.

Can you benefit from this subsidy?

You must operate in one of the following 14 sectors:

1. Approved structures providing services to people in a situation of exclusion (social integration services or social relays);
2. Reception, accommodation and support services for people in difficulty (“AHA”);
3. Support services for families and seniors;
4. The following facilities for seniors:
   1. Rest homes
   2. Rest and care homes
   3. Service residences
   4. Evening and/or night and short stay reception centres
5. Youth residential services (“SRJ”) accredited by the AVIQ or ONE;
6. Adult residential overnight services (“SRNA”);
7. Adult residential services (“SRA”);
8. Supervised housing services (“SLS”);
9. Youth reception centres (youth centres, meeting and accommodation centres and information centres for young people and their federations);
10. Residential youth care and youth protection services;
11. Early childhood care facilities (crèches, ONE day-care centres);
12. The operators of the extra-curricular reception;
13. Local shops, in the food sector, which employ less than 3 employees;
14. Companies active in the food sector whose production and marketing methods meet the definition of "short chain” sales. The term "short chain" refers to a production and marketing method that aims to bring the producer closer to the consumer in all sectors.

Who can open the right for this subsidy?

The employee you hire must:

• have his principal residence in the French-speaking part of the Walloon Region;
• be registered with the FOREm as a jobseeker;
• be unemployed for at least 24 months (the day before the hiring);
• in the two years prior to his hiring:
  • have benefited from a job placement via article 60, §7 or 61 of the CPAS law;
  • OR have taken one of these courses:
    • "PFI” of minimum 3 months;
    • Training for jobseekers of minimum 3 months via a MIRE;
    • Professional immersion agreement of minimum 3 months;
    • “Coup de poing pénuries” training
    • Alternating training for jobseekers organised by the FOREm or IFAPME for a minimum of 3 months
  • OR have been accompanied to and in a job placement by a MIRE or a CPAS in the context of "jobcoaching" for certain functions with an eligible employer who falls under the competence of the AVIQ.

What is the amount of the subsidy?

The subsidy is €1,000/month. This amount is granted for a full-time equivalent. It is reduced pro rata if your employee is employed part-time.

It is granted to you for 24 months.

This subsidy can be combined with an “Impulsion 12 mois +” plan which allows you to benefit from a work allowance that can be deducted from the employee's net salary.

On the other hand, it cannot be combined with SESAM, APE or the “Impulsion -25 ans” plan.

What formalities do you have to go through?

The FOREm has put an online form on its website since 10 December 2020.

Please note that you can submit an application form even if you do not yet have a candidate for employment.

You can only apply for this subsidy for a maximum of two FTEs.

Do you have any obligations?

You will be required to:

• Conclude an employment contract with your candidate for at least 24 months in, at least, a half-time work regime. The employment contract can be a contract for a definite term of 24 months or an employment contract for an indefinite term.
• Ensure the training of the worker up to a minimum of 40 hours/year during the duration of the subsidy;
• If you apply for the subsidy without having a candidate for the employment, you must realise the employment within 6 months from the 1st day of the month following notification of the decision to award the subsidy. Failure to do so will result in the loss of the subsidy;
• Every quarter, send the FOREm, for each employee, a statement of the work performances for the quarter concerned, including the national register number, the number of actually paid and worked days, the total number of days included in the DMFA declaration and the contractual working regime. The FOREm has established a model declaration that you will have to use to fulfil this obligation.

Source: FOREm; Special Powers Order No. 58 of the Walloon Government of 1 December 2020 relating to the various measures taken, within the framework of the “plan rebond COVID-19”, with regard to employment and socio-professional integration, social economy included, Belgian Official Gazette 10.12.2020