Catalogue description Department of Employment: Temporary Short-Time Working Compensation Scheme, Registered Files (EPM, Y and YT Series)

The Temporary Short-time Working Compensation Scheme (TSTWCS) was established in April 1979 as a successor to the Temporary Employment Subsidy and the Short-time Working Compensation Schemes. It was intended to be a temporary measure pending the introduction of a statutory scheme, but the latter was not introduced following the change of government at the general election of 1979. The TSTWCS was a discretionary scheme set up under powers given to the Secretary of State for Employment by the Employment Subsidies Act 1978, and its rules could be altered without reference to Parliament. No further applications were allowed to the TSTWCS after 31 March 1984. The scheme was administered by the Department of Employment's regional staff.

The main purpose of the TSTWCS was to help employers preserve endangered jobs: it was intended to allow employers a breathing space during which they could make necessary adjustments to safeguard jobs and thus avoid redundancies. Each threatened job would only be supported once, for a maximum period which varied between six and twelve months, at levels of reimbursement which dropped from 75% to 50% during the operation of the scheme; it was also necessary for the job itself to have a recognised long-term future. Occupations excluded from qualification for TSTWCS assistance included police, dock workers, and share fishermen.