The purpose of the Employee Retention Grant Scheme is to assist employers to retain employees who acquire an illness, condition or impairment which impacts on their ability to carry out their job. It helps to explore the employees continuing capacity to operate as productive members of the workforce.
This scheme assists in maintaining the employability of the employee when s/he acquires an illness, condition or impairment (occupational or otherwise) by providing funding to:
- Identify accommodation and/or training to enable the employee to remain in his/her current position; or
- Re-train the employee so that s/he can take up another position within the company.
The scheme is Structured in 2 stages according to the development and implementation of a retention strategy.
Scheme Structure
Stage 1 facilitates employers by enabling them to buy-in external specialist skills and knowledge needed to develop an individualised ‘retention strategy’ for the employee who acquires a disability.
Stage 2 provides funding to the employer towards the implementation of the written retention strategy, including re-training, job coaching and/or hiring of an external co-ordinator to oversee and manage its implementation.
Eligibility
The Employee Retention Grant Scheme is open to all companies in the private sector. Funding is available to support the retention of any existing employee, at all levels and occupations within the company, who acquires an illness, condition or impairment which impacts on their current ability to do their job.
Funding & Application
Stage 1 – Development of the Retention Strategy
Funding of 90% of eligible programme costs is available to companies up to a maximum of 2,500 towards the development of a retention strategy for any 1 employee. Download Stage I Form.
Stage 2 – Implementation of the Retention Strategy
Funding of 90% of eligible programme costs is available to companies up to a maximum of €12,500 towards the implementation of a retention strategy for any 1 employee. Funding for the specialist personnel is limited to a set number of hours and, application may not be made without the support of an individualised retention strategy (refer to Stage 1).
Contact FÁS
If you have recently become ill or impaired, or you are an employer with an employee who has suffered an illness or impairment, and are looking for further information about the Employee Retention Grant Scheme or other schemes, contact your local FÁS Office.
