The Employee Retention Grant Scheme is a scheme that aims to assist employers to retain employees who acquire an illness, condition or impairment that affects their ability to carry out their job. In a changing employment climate, experienced capable staff are very valuable and the onset, (or progression of), a condition or disability does not always immediately throw up issues of retention for employers.
The scheme is administered by FÁS employment services which were transferred to the Department of Social Protection in January 2012. It aims to maintain your employability by providing funding to:
The scheme is open to every company in Ireland in the private sector. Any existing employee (working at any level in the organisation) who acquires an illness, condition or disability that affects his or her job is covered under this scheme.
Public sector employers in Ireland are not eligible to apply for these grants. Public sector employers in Ireland are obliged to promote positive attitudes toward disability and ensure they put in place all arrangements to ensure the full integration of staff with disabilities into employment.
Funding under this scheme is made available in 2 stages:
Stage 1: Assists employers by allowing them to "buy-in" expert skills from outside the company to develop a written individual "Retention Strategy" for any employee who acquires a disability. The Retention Strategy could set out steps needed to accommodate and, if necessary train the employee to remain in his or her role. Alternatively, the Retention Strategy could outline where the employee could be re-deployed in the company and the accommodation/re-training needed to do this.
Stage 2: Provides funding (grant aid) to the employer towards the implementation of the written Retention Strategy. This will include grant aid towards re-training, job coaching and/or hiring an external co-ordinator to oversee the way the individual Retention Strategy is implemented.
The following activities are not eligible for funding under the Employee Retention Grant Scheme:
The employer contacts a specialist (for example, an occupational therapist) who evaluates the employee's occupational capacity and carries out a job/workplace assessment. The specialist then develops the Retention Strategy in collaboration with the employer, the employee and if it is appropriate, the employee's advocate/representative (for example, a trade union representative) and line-manager. The Retention Strategy must accompany an application for Stage 1 funding and must have been received before an application is made for Stage 2 funding.
Stage 1: Under the scheme 90% of the programme costs are paid (up to a maximum amount of €2,500 for each employee) in order to enable the employer to hire a specialist(s) to evaluate the employee's occupational capacity, to carry out the workplace/job assessment and to develop a Retention Strategy.
Stage 2: Funding of 90% of eligible costs to a maximum of €12,500 is paid to help with:
An employer cannot make an application for funding under Stage 2 without having the assistance of an individualised written Retention Strategy. There is a maximum limit of €15,000 payable to an employer for the purposes of retaining any one employee i.e. the total funding available for both Stage 1 and Stage 2.
The employer must complete and return the Stage 1 application form (pdf) which is available online or from the local FÁS office.
The application form must be accompanied by:
The application form must be signed by the employee, the employer (or nominee), the employee's line-manager (where appropriate), the employee's representative (where appropriate) and the specialist.
The employer must complete the parts of the standard claim form (pdf) that relate to Stage 1. The claim form must be accompanied by:
The claim form must be signed by the employee, the employer (or nominee), the employee's line-manager (where appropriate), the employee's representative (where appropriate) and the specialist.
Employers can apply for Stage 2 funding once Stage 1 has been completed. Applications for Stage 2 funding must be approved by FÁS before the Retention Strategy is implemented. The Stage 2 application form (pdf) must be accompanied by:
The application form must be signed by the employee, the employer (or nominee), the employee's line-manager (where appropriate), the employee's representative and the Specialist.
Where the value of an application is greater than €7,600 and a single provider provides services, the employer must obtain 3 independent quotations and present them to FÁS. If the lowest quote is not accepted, the employer must state the reason for the selection.
The employer must complete the parts of the standard claim form that relate to Stage 2. The claim form must be accompanied by:
The application form must be signed by the employee, the employer (or nominee), the employee's line-manager (where appropriate), the employee's representative (where appropriate) and the specialist.
Your local FÁS office will forward a copy of the general conditions governing the scheme. General information about the scheme and the forms required are available on the FÁS website. Staff in your local FÁS office will also be happy to answer any queries and provide any assistance you require.