The aim of the Programme actions concertées pour le maintien en emploi (PACME) is to provide direct support to businesses experiencing a reduction in activity due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including self-employed workers, notably through collective promoters recognized by the Commission des partenaires du marché du travail, i.e. organizations whose actions affect several businesses and people in employment.
The program provides direct assistance to companies for their human resource management and worker skills development activities, whether in the workplace, online or remotely, so that they can take advantage of the current pause to enhance the skills of their workforce and thus be ready for the economic upturn.
Customers eligible for the program are
- employers;
- self-employed workers (incorporated or unincorporated) with employees;
- employee and employer associations;
- professional groups;
- employer groups;
- groups of workers;
- Group promoters recognized by the Commission des partenaires du marché du travail for the Group Promoters component of the program:
- Collective promoters are groups of employers or workers who are able to create employment-related projects, and who can supervise or ensure their implementation, such as sector-based workforce committees, training mutuals and recognized employers' associations, legally constituted workers' associations, and so on.
- cooperatives;
- social economy companies;
- non-profit and community organizations active in the community.
Eligible activities include training and human resources management. Eligible training activities for the Corporate and Group Promoters components are as follows:
- basic employee training;
- francization;
- digital skills training;
- ongoing training linked to the company's activities, whether or not directly related to the position held by the employee being trained;
- training recommended by professional associations;
- training required to resume business activities;
- training linked to a strategy of adjustment or modification of company activities in the context of economic uncertainty linked to COVID-19, enabling the company to maintain or diversify its activities (sanitation, teleworking, etc.);
- training courses to requalify workers.
In view of the current situation, it is strongly recommended that training courses be taken online or remotely, in order to comply with public health guidelines and directives This hyperlink will open in a new window.
For the Business segment, eligible human resources management (HRM) activities are:
- diagnosis of the human resources function and, where applicable, other functions;
- HRM consulting mandates (e.g. organizational communication, teleworking policy, employee mobilization, workforce planning for business continuity and recovery, support for business diversification);
- coaching and management skills development.
Eligible expenses for the program are
- wages for workers in training (excluding payroll taxes) up to a maximum of $25 per hour;
- professional fees for consultants or trainers up to a maximum of $150 per hour;
- indirect expenses for trainers (travel, meals, accommodation, etc.) at actual cost;
- indirect costs for workers in training (travel, meals, accommodation, etc.) at actual cost;
- the development, adaptation and purchase of teaching and learning materials at actual cost;
- equipment and supplies needed to carry out activities at actual cost;
- development and adaptation of training content at actual cost;
- the transfer of face-to-face training to online training at actual cost;
- registration fees or other charges related to the use of a platform at actual cost;
- if applicable, management and administration costs (bank charges, equipment, supplies needed to carry out activities, etc.) incurred by the delegated organization, up to a maximum of 10 % of eligible costs.
Financial assistance
This program can be combined with and complement any other measures announced by the federal or provincial governments during the period in question.
Reimbursement of eligible expenses for corporate training projects :
- 100 % expenses of 100,000 $ or less;
- 50 % of expenditure between 100,000 $ and 500,000 $.
Eligible expenses
Reimbursement of salaries up to:
- 25 % of the payroll of workers in training (maximum eligible wage of $25 per hour), if the company receives Canada's emergency wage subsidy of 75 %;
- 90 % of the payroll of workers in training, if the company receives the temporary Canadian wage subsidy of 10 %;
- 100 % of wages for workers in training, if the company receives no wage subsidy from the federal government.
- Reimbursement of up to 100 % for training expenses, related costs and costs associated with human resources management activities, according to applicable scales (e.g. professional fees).
Program duration
Projects are accepted until September 30, 2020, or until the $100 million budget is exhausted.
The training or human resources management projects submitted may vary in duration (from a few days to a few weeks or months).
Additional information: https://www.quebec.ca/entreprises-et-travailleurs-autonomes/programme-actions-concertees-pour-le-maintien-en-emploi-pacme-covid-19/