Solving your recruitment needs

Workbridge gives employers access to skilled and capable workers, and gives people with disabilities a fair go in the workforce.

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Employer Resources

We tailor our services to the individual needs of each workplace.

We are the largest New Zealand-owned employment agency for people with a disability, injury or illness, with 22 service centres nationwide. Workbridge fills up to 4000 job vacancies each year – at no charge to employers or jobseekers.

We tailor our services to the individual needs of each workplace. Our jobseekers are ready for work and have the required skills in fields ranging from law to accountancy to manufacturing.

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Our services

Our services to employers include:

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job matching

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advice on interview and making the recruitment process accessible

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assistance to access funding for disability-related costs, if required

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support with induction, on-site training and making reasonable accommodation if required

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post-placement support for up to a year or longer if required

Workbridge works with public and private organisations in all sectors and of all sizes. We support workplaces to become confident in hiring people with a disability and forge partnership agreements with large employers.

We can assist employers who need employees for as little as five hours’ work a week. As well as filling vacancies, we can arrange internships and work experiences for disabled jobseekers.

We also work with employers who need assistance to retain a staff member who develops a disability.

Our commitment to you

We will:

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work with you to understand your business needs and provide a good match between position and candidate
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provide quality post-placement support, including site visits, as appropriate
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respond to feedback in a timely and professional manner
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strive to fill the position within the required timeframe. If we can’t, we will link with other disability and/or employment agencies in your area, if you wish.
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Employer resources

Support Funding

Job Support Fund

The Government anticipates employers will make reasonable accommodation when employing people with disability, and provides funding to cover any additional costs an employee has as a direct consequence of their disability, when undertaking the same job as a person without a disability.

More information about ‘reasonable accommodation’ is available here.

Job Support funding is available for, but not limited to:

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workplace assessments to establish the level of workplace support required
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modifications to a workplace
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job coaching (generally short-term) to assist the disabled person learn a new job, if their disability means they require extra assistance or a different format for learning the role
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purchase of additional physical support necessitated by the demands of the job (including on-the-job physiotherapy or attendant care)
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NZ Sign Language interpreter services – for Deaf or hearing impaired people
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special equipment to accommodate a person’s disability
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additional costs of transport and parking, over and above the costs that a person without a disability would have
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a support person to provide on-the-job guidance and instruction to the employee
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Productivity Allowances that can cover any shortfalls in productivity related to a disabled person’s disability. Each Productivity Allowance is tailored to the individual’s needs
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induction training that is required because of the person’s disability, or assistance with your standard induction programme to make it accessible to a new disabled employee
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disability awareness training for colleagues to promote a smooth entry into the workplace for both the disabled employee and other employees.

For more information about funding or eligibility, go to MSD’s Job and Training Support Funds page.

Modification Grants

Modification Grants are administered by Work and Income. Modification Grants provide financial assistance to disabled people to help them gain or retain open employment, by removing barriers.

Open employment is defined as a job that is available to anyone in the community and meets the minimum terms and conditions of employment.

What can Modification Grants help with?

Modification Grants are paid to employers or suppliers to fund, or help fund, the following:

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modifications to the workplace, such as ramps and handrails
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adaptation of equipment, such as cordless phones where the equipment will remain with the employer should the employee leave
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purchase of specialised equipment necessary to take up or retain work, such as visual aids or computer equipment where the equipment will remain with the employer should the employee leave.

How does my employee apply?

Applications for Modification Grants can be made through Workbridge or Work and Income.