OPPORTUNITY: Highland Employment Recruitment Offer - grant support up to £6,000 to employers
17th March 2021
The Highland Council has opened applications for the Highland Employment Recruitment Offer (HERO), which offers grant support of up to £6,000 to help employers meet the cost of recruiting and employing someone who fits the criteria.
Full details of the HERO fund can be found on the Highland Council website , and we have summarised the key eligibility criteria below.
Employers
Have less than 50 employees based in the Highland Council area
Are not planning redundancies
Will not be receiving any other public funds to support the creation of the post
Have not filled the post before written approval of the application has been provided
Must have appropriate employer's liability insurance
Note that employers do not need to have a recruit identified at the initial application stage, and can apply for a maximum of two HERO grants.
Jobs
Must be within the Highland Council area, be for a minimum of 16 hours a week and be either:
a permanent contract
a fixed term contract for 52 weeks or more (with potential flexibility for seasonal businesses)
a Modern or Graduate Apprenticeship
Must pay at least the age appropriate National Minimum Wage/Living Wage
Must pay a salary greater than the funding received
Must have a signed written contract of employment within 2 months of starting
Must not be a zero hour contract
HERO can be used to support the filling of vacancies and the creation of new roles - it cannot cover sickness or maternity leave, be used to replace a redundant post, or be used for someone who is already in post
Recruits
You can employ someone who meets ALL of the following criteria:
Unemployed, completing a paid work experience payment (e.g. Kickstart and Community Jobs Scotland), or has been issued with a formal redundancy notice
Has not left another job voluntarily to take up an opportunity supported by HERO
Are aged between 16-67 years, has the right to live and work in the UK, and has permanent residence within the Highland Council area
Further information for employers on how to apply and the evidence required in support of an application can be found on the Highland Council website
Related Businesses
Related Articles
Highland Council has announced that the closing date for applications to the Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Driver Support Fund this scheme has been confirmed as 5pm on Thursday 25 March 2021. The Scottish Government has also now clarified that if you have received a grant through the Taxi Fund this will not now affect any Universal Credit payments you are also receiving.
To meet the growth in visitors to the Highlands of Scotland, The Highland Council's Tourism Committee has agreed a Visitor Management Plan for 2021 which will be adapted to provide a 5-year plan for the future. The Council will work with other agencies involved in tourism and visitor management to deliver the plan.
On Thursday 6 May residents in the Highlands and Western Isles can have their say on who represents them in the Scottish Parliament. In order to vote in the election, residents must be on the electoral register.
The Scottish Government has just announced that the Strategic Framework Business Fund grant scheme will close to new applicants on 22 March 2021. The Highland Council has already assessed and approved 5178 applications for this grant fund.
The Highland Council will be removing padlocks and any other attachments from the Coghill Bridge at Wick Riverside. These padlocks detract from the historic nature of the bridge as well as causing paint damage and encouraging rust spots to the recently refurbished guard rails.
Highland Council has said that illegal fly-tipping is costing the region's taxpayers thousands and is encouraging people to report anyone they see doing it. Council operatives were alerted to an incident of fly-tipping at the Attadale Estate on the A890 at Strathcarron, where 153 tyres were dumped at the side of the road.
A letter has been distributed today to update parents and carers on the next phase of the re-opening of schools in Highland. The Scottish Government announced last week that more pupils are to return to school (external link) from Monday 15 March.
The Highland Council Trading Standards team have been alerted to a smishing scam that is currently targeting Highland residents. The scam involves a text message claiming to be from Royal Mail advising the recipient that they are holding a piece of mail due to unpaid postage.
The First Minister announced yesterday (2 March 2021) to the Scottish Parliament that all remaining primary school children are to return to school full-time from 15 March, with all secondary pupils returning in some form from the 15 March and until the 2 April. Welcoming the announcement, Chair of the Education Committee, Cllr John Finlayson said: "I am delighted that we can see the return of more of our pupils to school settings in the next couple of weeks.
A visitor management strategy with £1.5 million investments will be at the heart of proposals being considered by Highland Councillors as they decide the local authority's 2021/22 to 2023/24 revenue budget tomorrow (Thursday 4 March 2021). Chair of the Council's Tourism Committee Cllr Gordon Adam said: "Members will be asked to support a long-term Highland Visitor Management Strategy which could provide a range of investment opportunities in roads; parking and visitor management; public toilets; enhanced litter and waste collection services; and provision for motorhomes; and public transport.
