On Tuesday May 12th, the NWT’s government announced the top up of wages for workers making less than $18 per hour.
The NWT’s Minister of Finance said the GNWT will allocate up to $6.2 million to temporarily top up these wages.
Caroline Wawzonek says businesses are asked to apply for temporary funding to increase the wages of their employees who make less than $18 per hour
- for a maximum of 16 weeks between April 1 and July 31, 2020.
The program is available to all workers in the NWT that are currently earning less than $18 per hour and are over 15 years old.
Of the total $6.2-million provided for this program, the feds are contributing $4.74 million for the NWT Wage Top-up Program.
Businesses can start applying immediately for funding to top up employees’ wages from April to $18/hour.
The GNWT is also asking businesses to partner with them to deliver the program, as the funding will flow through the employer.
- Employees are encouraged to make sure that their employer is aware of the program and notify them if not.
- The wage top-up is a taxable benefit for employees.
Businesses will receive a one-time payment from the GNWT to cover the administrative costs of adjusting their employees’ wages and the employer CPP and EI contributions for the top-up portion of the employee’s wages.
Businesses will also be asked to complete an application, providing eligible employee hours and wages.
- Once approved, the GNWT will issue monthly payments to employers to cover the cost of the top-up.
