MAIN POINTS OF JOBSTART SCHEME

. Employers receive a subsidy of £80 a week to recruit people, who have been on the live register for at least three years.

. Employers receive a subsidy of £80 a week to recruit people, who have been on the live register for at least three years.

The subsidy lasts for a year and should not exceed 50 per cent of their gross weekly pay.

. The person recruited must not replace existing staff and must be given comparable rates of pay and working conditions to other employees.

. Employees cannot be dismissed or made redundant to recruit someone under Jobstart and firms with redundancies in the 26 weeks preceding their application for a Jobstart subsidy will not be considered for the scheme.

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. Any employer wishing to recruit more than 20 per cent of the workforce through Jobstart will be reviewed by FAS.

. Jobstart recruits will be entitled to join a trade union if they so wish.

. Jobstart recruits will retain secondary welfare benefits up to a maximum of £2,50 a week.