Employers FAQ

MH Enterprises Employment Services offers employers access to our resource center job board, human resources support (conflict resolution, mediation), recruitment and retention plans, job placement services, interview space, connections to qualified candidates, and valuable community resources. Additionally, we broker government funding for new hires, including wage funding for new hire training, skills training (courses) necessary, and acquiring tools and clothing necessary to start work.

All of the programs and services are offered by various entities within the provincial and federal governments.  Currently, we are working with the Government of Canada’s Economic and Social Development branch and Alberta Seniors, Community and Social Services as well as Alberta Jobs, Economy and Trade. Each funding partner has specific programming focuses and we have been entrusted with funds to connect local job seekers to employers.  All departments of government understand the importance of offsetting the cost of hiring and training new staff and strengthening the rural labour market, and this is why these programs have been developed.

Engaging in MH Enterprises offered programs can provide wage funding to employers that assist in offsetting the cost of training new staff. The wage funding for training typically ranges from approximately $9.75 to $15 per hour, depending on the specific program your new hire qualifies for. We strive to secure maximum funding for your business, but each program provided by the government will have specific criteria for wage reimbursement.

Wage funding for training is a pre-agreed amount, outlined in our program contracts, designed to offset the cost of training new staff members. It is not a grant; employers pay staff through their regular payroll process, then receive reimbursement for the agreed-upon amount through the invoicing process. Employers are responsible for making all source deduction remittances (income tax, CPP, EI, etc.), and the employer expense portions are not currently eligible for reimbursement.

Most of our programs provide wage funding for 12 weeks of training.  However, we do have the ability to provide wage funding for training for up to 24 weeks, if a new hire qualifies.

The first step to determining if your business may qualify is to schedule a consultation with one of our Career Advisors. However, the basic information needed to qualify is a job description for the hiring position, proof of Commercial Liability Insurance Coverage and proof of WCB Coverage or exemption. Once you have completed the eligibility determination you are free to send potential new hires to MH Enterprises for assessment, or our agency can provide potential candidates to your business for you to interview. After you have selected the person you would like to hire, we will need to create a funding training agreement to be signed with yourself, MH Enterprises, and the new hire.

The funding training agreement outlines your business details, the new hire’s name, title, job title, working hours, rate of pay, and other pertinent information related to the new hire training plan and government funds reimbursement to your organization.

Invoicing is straightforward, and our staff are available to guide you through the process. MH Enterprises offered programs operate on cost reimbursement, and not as an upfront grant. New hires using a wage funding for training program are directly employed and paid by the business. Reimbursement occurs monthly through an invoicing process. You submit an invoice based on total hours worked and the agreed-upon reimbursement rate. Attach copies of new hires' training progress, timesheets, and pay stubs to the invoice for reimbursement by cheque. Please note that the employers portion of the source deductions (EI, and CPP) are not eligible for reimbursement.

MH Enterprises will assist you with all of the paperwork outside of your invoicing processes completed monthly.  We aim to take tedious paperwork out of the equation and assist you with all the reporting, approvals and associated paperwork so you can focus on your business. If you would like to be provided testimonials from other employers about how programming works, please get in touch and we would be happy to share the experiences of employers who have used our programming and can speak to its ease of access.

We require that all new hires be assessed for eligibility in our programs prior to starting work. If you have someone you want to hire, have them call us to book an appointment. Typically, the more advanced notice, as we must meet with your potential new hires, the better.  This will ensure we can offer you the best programming to meet your needs and meet the needs of your new hire. Once we have met with your new hire, we will contact you to explain the next steps required.

Our programming is intended to support the connection to long term employment and career advancement opportunities. We are not able to use wage funding for training with employers who are seeking short-term staff. However, we are happy to refer your business to alternate programs to meet these needs.

Yes, we have government funding to assist new hires in obtaining employment related training (courses) prior to and during the funded work placement agreement. All training courses typically need to be outlined prior to the new hire starting work.

MH Enterprises makes every effort to ensure that the new hire is a good fit for the business prior to entering into an agreement. We also provide ongoing support to employers, such as mediation, to ensure if any struggles arise, we can assist you to work through them. However, we understand how difficult it can be if a new staff member is not fitting into their role and it is up to the business make decisions to terminate staff.  We will support any staff that aren’t deemed a good fit for the organization in connecting to new employment.

If you think that the candidate you have selected has the skills you require and does not need extensive training, you can enter a short-term Paid Work Experience placement to ensure they have the personal attributes and attitude you are looking for. This will include wage funding for the individual, for a 3-week duration.

There is no catch! The Government of Alberta and Government of Canada have allocated this funding for rural Alberta to have ease of access and provide maximum benefit to job seekers and employers.  MH Enterprises has been entrusted to ensure the funds reach rural communities and we can’t wait to talk to you about how they can help your business!