Companies which come up with schemes to boost employment levels, especially for youngsters, will be able to claim help with financing from the government from October.

Social affairs minister Lodewijk Asscher on Thursday published guidelines for grants to boost employment. The government has set aside €600m for job creation grants between now and 2015. Projects will be funded on a 50:50 basis by government and company.

The guidelines show that schemes which involve early retirement or reducing hours for older workers will only be in line for help ‘if they clearly contribute to maintaining employment levels and create opportunities for youngsters’.

Early retirement schemes were first introduced in the 1970s as a means of boosting youth employment but are now being phased out.