Subsidies
The loss of performance associated with employees who have difficulty accessing the labour market is compensated with subsidies.
Social enterprises for customised work can access three types of subsidies from the VSAWSE (Flemish Subsidy Agency for Work and the Social Economy).
The subsidies from the VSAWSE constitute the largest share by far of government income for the sector. In addition, other forms of government support also exist:
• Lower social security payments
• Structural reductions in taxes and contributions
• Certain grants from the provincial governments
PARTIAL COMPENSATION OF THE PAY AND SOCIAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTIONS FOR CUSTOMISED WORK CREWS
A set amount is granted for every working hour or equivalent hour for a person with difficulty accessing the labour market. Furthermore, an additional subsidy is allocated for taking on workers with more need for support.
ASSISTANCE WITH THE PAY AND SOCIAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE SUPPORT STAFF
Social enterprises for customised work receive a contribution for the costs of support staff. However, the number of subsidised staff is limited. The table below shows both the maximum number of subsidised staff and the maximum subsidy. In practice, we have found that this subsidy covers less than 25% of the effective wage cost of support.
Maximum # subsidised
Maximum subsidy (1/2/2012)
Leader: 1 per sheltered workplace (min. 25 people with a disability)
20,914.70 euros
Assistant leader: 1 per 100 people with a disability
19,264.56 euros
Social worker: 1 per 100 people with a disability
14,948.52 euros
Monitor (team leader / team coach): 1 per 10 people with a disability
3,182.12 euros
Administrative employee: 1 per 50 people with a disability
13,225.28 euros
Economic challenge employee: ½ per sheltered workplace (sheltered workplace with more than 150 people with a disability receive ½ extra for numbers of employees with a disability exceeding each bracket of 100 people)
47,096.70 euros
VIPA GRANT
The VIPA (Flemish infrastructure fund for matters relating to the individual) has regulations that provide for possible subsidisation of investments in real estate.
Would you like to find out more about the grants and subsidies? See the Groep Maatwerk.