So let's review what happened, shall we?
The wage subsidy was made available to ALL companies based upon the criteria * below - so that employers and companies KEPT staff on, while still paying the staff Kiwisaver, ACC and holiday pay etc.
Nobody knew at that time how grave the downturn was going to be and how bad things were going to get.
But almost all non-essential companies met the criteria * because the lockdown resulted in many instances 100% drop in revenues, let alone 30% drop in revenues.
Some companies have gone into receivership, even after receiving the subsidy while some others like Briscoe & Hallenstein, because they are very well managed, have somewhat recovered the loss in revenues and profits due to the lockdowns.
What the 'outraged' listeners are effectively saying is that :
1. If a company or employer loses money and goes broke, and their employees lose their jobs - then that's okay for said companies to get the wage subsidy.
2. If a company manages to do well and keeps all their staff, then said companies are at fault?
I say to the 'outraged' listeners : Get ... and Get a life! You are going to reward losers but punish winners?
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* Criteria :
"Your business has experienced a minimum 30% decline in actual or predicted revenue:
over the period of any month from January 2020 through to the end of this scheme when compared to the same month last year, or a reasonably equivalent month for any business operating less than a year;
and
that loss is attributable to the COVID-19 outbreak;
and
your business has taken active steps to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on their business activities (such as engaged with your bank, Chamber of Commerce, industry association or the Regional Business Partner programme);
and
you agree you will, using best endeavours, retain the employees named in your application in employment on at least 80 percent of their regular income for the period of the subsidy."