The Coalition Government is working to build a stronger more prosperous economy with more jobs by making it easier for small businesses in New England to hire new employees with the release of a new employment guide.

Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce said the guide was the latest measure in a suite aimed at assisting small business by reducing red-tape and cutting taxes to keep and generate more jobs.

“The guide will help small business owners understand the process and conditions around hiring staff,” Mr Joyce said.

“An interactive online learning course has also been developed to help employers improve their skills in hiring and inducting new staff.”

Mr Joyce said the new guide added to measures to assist small businesses including a priority Small Business Hotline inside the Fair Work Ombudsman.

“The hotline has already fielded 50,000 calls in four months and is helping small business owners to get speedy and accurate advice so that they can get back to running their business,” he said.

“Small business operators are now able to rely on advice from the Fair Work Ombudsman, without fear of prosecution should the information be incorrect.

“We want to make life as easy as possible for small business people, which means they should be able to seek help without the fear of the information they provide being used against them.”

The guide which offers step-by-step processes, as well as best practice recruitment tips, can be downloaded at www.fairwork.gov.au/hiring.

Small business owners can call the Fair Work Ombudsman Small Business Helpline on 13 13 94.