Protecting Manitobans
 

Healthy Hire Manitoba Program


Program Update

  • Please be advised: This program is now closed. 
  • Deadline to submit final claim extended to November 30, 2021
  • Latest a pay period must end to qualify under the program extended to November 15, 2021

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Overview


Under the Healthy Hire Manitoba Program, local employers can apply for up to $50,000 in provincial support to help cover the wages of new employees who can attest* they have been vaccinated, intend to be vaccinated or are unable to be vaccinated. Eligible employers will receive a grant equivalent to 50 per cent of wages for a maximum of 10 employees, with a maximum of $5,000 per employee. The wage support covers full pay periods for employees hired on or after June 10, 2021 with the last pay period ending November 15, 2021.

Employers must be an active and permanent Manitoba-based business, not-for-profit or registered charity physically operating in the province. Employers must declare they have supported public health protocols in the workplace, including providing new hires with public health vaccine information.

The Healthy Hire Manitoba Program is available for newly-hired employees who started working no earlier than June 10, 2021 or a rehired employee who worked for that employer in a previous year or who was laid off as a result of the public health restrictions.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Attestation under this program cannot be used as a condition of employment.



Key Dates


The earliest an employee can be hired to qualify under the program

June 10, 2021

Application opens

July 13, 2021

Deadline to claim an advance payment - UPDATED

**CLOSED**

Final claim application opens

September 16, 2021

**Application deadline** - UPDATED

**CLOSED**

The latest a pay period must end to qualify under the program - UPDATED

November 15, 2021

**Deadline to submit final claim** - UPDATED

**November 30, 2021**


Eligible Employers


To qualify under the program, an employer must meet all of the following requirements:

  • Employers must be an active and permanent Manitoba-based business or organization physically operating in the Province of Manitoba as a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, co-operative, non-share corporation, not-for-profit organization or registered charity.
  • Possess an active and valid Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) issued Business Number/Charity Registration Number.
  • Be in good standing with the Manitoba Companies Office at the time their application is assessed (not required for sole proprietors, registered charities)
  • Have a valid bank account with a Canadian financial institution. When applying to the program, employers must submit a void cheque/direct deposit form from their financial institution.  The bank account holder name must be associated with the Business Number you submit.
  • Have an active email address and maintain communication with the program.
  • Must declare they have supported public health protocols in the workplace, including providing new hires with public health vaccine information.

Employers that do not meet all of the eligibility requirements at the time of their application will not be accepted into the program. Rejected applicants can re-submit a new application for re-assessment until the application deadline. 



Employers Not Eligible




Eligible Employees


To be eligible under the program, the employee must:

  • Be a current Manitoba resident eligible to work in Manitoba.
  • Be directly employed by the applicant employer in ‘insurable employment’ for the purposes of establishing entitlement to Employment Insurance (EI) benefits. For more information about ‘insurable employment’, visit: www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/canada-pension-plan-cpp-employment-insurance-ei-rulings/cpp-ei-explained/canada-pension-plan-employment-insurance-explained-8.html
  • Be a new hire, having started working for the employer no earlier than June 10, 2021. The employee is allowed to be a re-hire from a previous year or if the employee was laid off as a result of the restrictions.
  • Temporary foreign workers legally entitled to work in Canada are eligible under the program. Employers are required to retain copies of work permits for these workers and provide to government officials when requested.

Employers are responsible for ensuring employees meet the eligibility requirements.



Employees Not Eligible


The following employees are not eligible under the program:

  • An immediate family member or an individual who lives with someone who has a direct financial interest in the business (owner, major shareholder), board member, director, executive member of the applicant organization or any person who is involved in the hiring or responsible for the supervision of the employee. Immediate family is defined as a person's smallest family unit, consisting of their closest relatives, such as parents, spouse, siblings, and children. This includes biological, adopted and relatives through marriage.
  • Employees hired that result in the lay-off, reduction of hours or dismissal of any current employees.
  • Self-employed individuals, independent contractors or sub-contractors. Workers must be employees of the applicant employer to be eligible.
  • Individuals with a financial interest in the applicant business/organization. Owners are not eligible to receive reimbursement for wages paid to themselves.
  • Individuals not legally entitled to work in Canada.
  • Individuals that do not attest that they have been vaccinated, intend to be vaccinated or are unable to be vaccinated.


Financial Support


Eligible employers will receive a grant equivalent to 50 per cent of wages for a maximum of 10 employees, with a maximum of $5,000 per employee.

The wage support covers full pay periods for employees hired on or after June 10, 2021 with the last pay period ending Nov. 15, 2021



Eligible Wages


Eligible wages used to calculate the grant include all regular, overtime and statutory holiday wages, including for hourly and salaried employees.

Payments not related to hourly/salaried wages are not eligible including, but not limited to:

  • Bonuses
  • Incentives/commissions
  • Remote pay
  • Meal allowances
  • Travel allowance and lodging

Commissioned sales persons with a minimum wage guarantee are eligible under the program; however, the program will only subsidize their hourly wage.  Employers will be required to submit documents supporting hours worked and hourly wages for these employees.

The program does not reimburse any Mandatory Employer Related Costs (MERCs) employers are required by law to pay including:

  • Employment Insurance premiums and Canadian Pension Plan contributions
  • Vacation Pay
  • Workers’ Compensation premiums or equivalent liability insurance (if applicable)
  • Health and Post-Secondary Education Tax Levy (HE Levy)


Program Period


The grant is calculated based on full pay periods that entirely fall between June 10, 2021 and November 15, 2021.

Partial pay periods are not eligible.

Pay period definition: This is the period of time the employee performed work. Pay periods can be weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly or monthly. Paystubs should clearly outline the start and end of the pay period.



Program Requirements


To receive a grant under the program, employers must demonstrate they have complied with the following program requirements when they submit their final claim under the program. Employers that are unable to provide proof they have complied with program requirements will not receive a grant, and will be required to pay back to Manitoba any advance payments issued to their business.

Employers must:

  • Obtain and provide the following documentation to Manitoba government officials demonstrating the employee meets eligibility requirements:
    • Declaration that they have received attestation from all employees applied for under the program. Employees will attest that they have been, intend to be or are unable to be vaccinated.
    • Declaration that they have supported public health protocols in the workplace, including providing new hires with public health vaccine information.
    • Evidence the employee is a Manitoba resident through government issued ID. This information may be recorded on a Record of Employment (ROE) or on a pay stub issued by the employer.
    • Be a new hire as of June 10, 2021. This information may be demonstrated through year-to-date amounts on their first pay stub, a signed letter of offer or another form of communication with the employee at the time of hire.
    • Employed in ‘insurable employment’. This may be demonstrated through EI deductions recorded on pay stubs or a Record of Employment.
    • Have a valid Social Insurance Number. Employers are required to obtain consent from employees to provide the Social Insurance Numbers of employees to Manitoba under this program.
    • Have a valid work permit (if applicable). Employers are required to retain a copy of the employees' work permit and obtain consent from employees to provide the copy of the work permit to Manitoba under this program.
  • Comply with Manitoba employment standards including:
  • Remit all applicable payroll deductions to the Canada Revenue Agency. www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/payroll/calculating-deductions.html
  • Issue pay stubs showing hours worked, gross pay by sub-category, vacation pay, deductions and net pay to all eligible employees participating in the program. 
  • Obtain proof of payment for wages paid to the employee. This may include bank statements and copies of cheques.  
  • Comply with all public health orders related to COVID-19 and pay COVID-19 related fines (if applicable).

Manitoba will not be responsible for any injury, harm, or damage or loss of property to the employer or employee participating in the Healthy Hire Manitoba Program. All parties are responsible for working in accordance with applicable laws of Manitoba. Manitoba reserves the right to suspend, hold back or end its commitment to provide funding under this program if the employer:

  • Owes money to Manitoba.
  • Becomes, or is about to become, bankrupt or insolvent, go into receivership or take the benefit of any statute relating to bankrupt or insolvent debtors.
  • Has an order or a resolution is passed for the dissolution or winding-up of the business, or for any other reasons the business is likely to lose corporate status.
  • Stops operating or are about to stop operating.
  • Any statement made by the applicant or by someone else on their behalf, including any statement in their program application or claim, is false or misleading.
  • It is reasonable for Manitoba to believe that the business did not comply with, or the business is about to fail to comply with any term or obligation of this program.

In the unlikely event that Manitoba pays more than the employer is entitled to receive under the program, the extra amount will be considered to be an overpayment. Any overpayment must be repaid by the business to Manitoba as soon as Manitoba asks the employer to pay it.



Supporting Document Reference Tables


Employee eligibility reference table:

The table below outlines that various documents employers can use to demonstrate their compliance with program eligibility requirements.


Document Type:

Eligibility Criteria

Manitoba Residency

Eligible Start Date

Insurable Employment/
Employment standards compliance

Eligible to Work in Canada

Vaccination

Record of Employment (ROE)

X

X

 

  

 

Third Party Pay Stub

X 

X - First paystub with Year to Date Amounts

X

  

 

Internal Pay Stub

X 

X - First paystub with Year to Date Amounts

X

  

 

Letter/Email with Start Date

  

X

    

 

Drivers license

 X

      

 

Work Permit

      

X

 

Attestation - template provided

Healthy Hire Attestation (Word)

       

X

Employer Proof of Payment Requirements

First and last paystub from the program employment period. Both paystubs must include YTD amounts for hour and wages.

If YTD amounts are not included, a template outlining hours and wages certified by a certified financial officer or equivalent will be accepted.



Application Process ***CLOSED***




Advance Payment ***CLOSED***



Final Claim Process


Eligible employers are required to submit a final claim for all eligible employees.

Final claims will be accepted starting on September 16, 2021 and may be submitted until November 30, 2021.

Final claims will not be accepted after the deadline.

Eligible employers will receive email directions on how to submit their final claim for all eligible employees under the program. The final claim will be made using an online final claim form. Employers must include all employees they are claiming under the program in one final claim submission.

Final payments will be made through Electronic Funds Transfer.

Important:

  • Employers are responsible for ensuring their final claim submission is complete and does not contain any errors.
  • Employers will not be permitted to amend their final claim submission, including adding or exchanging employees.


For General Inquiries


Call: 204-945-3744 or 1-866-626-4862 (Toll-Free)

Email: mgi@gov.mb.ca



Frequently Asked Questions


Employers:

No. Employment must be finalized prior to asking the employee to sign the attestation. The requirements for this program are not a condition of employment. Furthermore, the Human Rights Code protects the rights of individuals to prevent discrimination against employment unless there is a bona fide and reasonable requirement or qualifications for the employment/occupation.


No. The attestation reflects employee status at a particular point in time and does not need to be updated.


No. The requirements of this program cannot be used as a condition of employment. As per the Human Rights Code, you cannot discriminate against an individual unless there is a bona fide and reasonable requirement or qualification for employment/occupation.


No. The attestation does not require employees to specify their vaccination status and you are not required to do anything to verify. The program only requires that the employee sign the attestation.


No. The program only requires that the employee sign the attestation.


Yes.


Yes. You are eligible as long as the employees you claim meet the eligibility criteria.


Yes, as long as the employee meets the eligibility criteria.


Paystubs that entirely fall within the program period of June 10 - October 15 are eligible. Paystubs that start or end outside of the program period are not eligible.



Employees:


No. Employment must be finalized prior to asking the employee to sign the attestation. The requirements for this program are not a condition of employment. Furthermore, the Human Rights Code protects the rights of individuals to prevent discrimination against employment unless there is a bona fide and reasonable requirement or qualifications for the employment/occupation.


No. The attestation reflects employee status at a particular point in time and does not need to be updated.


No. The requirements of this program cannot be used as a condition of employment. As per the Human Rights Code, you cannot discriminate against an individual unless there is a bona fide and reasonable requirement or qualification for employment/occupation.


No. The attestation does not require employees to specify their vaccination status and employees should not disclose this information by underlining, circling or marking in any way on the attestation form. The program only requires that the employee sign the attestation.


No. The program only requires that the employee sign the attestation.




Links and Resources


manitoba.ca/covid19/updates/resources.html

protectmb.ca/