The Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme has been amended to allow women who were on maternity leave to access the payment. Revenue has agreed that this provision will be implemented retrospectivly from March 26 for employees who were retained on payroll by their employers.
Up to now, women who were on unpaid maternity leave wouldn't be eligible for the scheme, and women who were on paid maternity leave would be only entitled to a fraction of their former salary.
The TWSS makes up to €450 available per employee on the basis that employers keep workers on their books. The anomaly also affected people who are on paternity leave, illness benefit or off-pay leave, and it had been widely criticised as having the "potential to be discriminatory".