touteleurope.eu (10.04.2020) Le 9 avril 2020, les ministres des Finances de l’Union européenne ont approuvé la proposition de la Commission européenne de financer une partie du chômage partiel dans les Etats membres, à hauteur de 100 milliards d’euros. En quoi consiste cette mesure ? Pourquoi l’idée d’un mécanisme de réassurance chômage au niveau européen refait-elle surface dans le cadre de la crise sanitaire ?

pmo.gov.my (27.03.2020) The Government will introduce the Wage Subsidy Programme to assist employers in retaining their workers. Through this programme, the Government will provide salary of RM600 per month to every employee for 3 months. This programme is dedicated to workers earning less than RM4,000 and employers experiencing more than 50% decrease in their income since 1 January 2020. This measure is estimated to benefit 3.3 million workers with an allocation of RM5.9 billion.

dol.georgia.gov (13.04.2020) United States: The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) is updating its current systems to distribute federal unemployment funds as part of the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) bringing economic relief to many Georgians. It includes:
- The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program, or FPUC, provides an additional $600 weekly payment to any individual eligible for any of the Unemployment Compensation programs - State and Federal.
- Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or PUA, is the program that will provide unemployment benefits to those not ordinarily eligible for them. This includes individuals who are self-employed, gig workers, 1099 independent contractors, employees of churches, employees of non-profits 501C3s, or those with limited work history who do not qualify for state unemployment benefits (application is done online).
- The Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, or PEUC, allows for up to an additional 13 weeks of benefits added to the end of regular unemployment benefits. 

pressoffice.gov.bz (03.04.2020)

On Friday, April 3, 2020, the Government of Belize launched the COVID-19 e-Services Portal through which persons may apply to receive benefits from the COVID-19 Unemployment Relief Program. This Program will provide $150.00 every two weeks for three months to persons (employed and self-employed) who have been laid off as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. This program will also provide $100.00 every two weeks for three months to persons who were unemployed prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and are now experiencing even more difficult circumstances. These latter persons will also be referred to the Ministry of Human Development for consideration for further assistance through the social programs operated by that Ministry. The program doesn't apply to persons receiving benefits from other government or social security programs.

pio.gov.cy (16.03.2020) Payment of a Special Unemployment Benefit:

• For employees who qualify for unemployment benefit under the Social Insurance Law, at 60% of the value of the insurance units, in accordance with the above legislation.
• For employees who are not eligible under the Social Insurance Law and are insured with the Social Security Fund in January 2020 will be paid a Conditional Benefit, the amount of which will be determined by a subsequent decision.
• The maximum amount that may be paid as a Special Unemployment Benefit for a period of one month may not exceed € 1,214.
• The Special Unemployment Benefit is not paid for any period during which the employee receives unemployment benefit, Special Sick Leave Allowance, Sick Leave Allowance, Special Leave of Absence Allowance or other similar benefits from the Social Security Fund.

pio.gov.cy (15.03.2020)

The “Support Programme” includes the following measure on sickness cash benefits: 

Granting of “sickness benefit” of an average of €800 per month to workers who are dealing special health issues, cases of compulsory absence from work, persons over 63 years of age up to 65 years of age, who do not receive statutory pension and continue to work.
For the purpose of supporting self-employed workers, the sickness benefit will be granted the same way it does for employees, from the fourth day.

pio.gov.cy (15.03.2020)

To all businesses that have decided to suspend their operations and to all businesses that will continue their operations and will suffer losses beyond 25% of their turnover, a Suspended Operations Plan of the businesses is applied. The affected workers will receive unemployment allowance for as long as the business will be under suspended operations. A Support Plan for Small Businesses, amounting to €10mn, for businesses employing up to 5 people, under the condition that they keep employing their employees and have suffered a loss bigger than 25% of their turnover is implemented. The Plan foresees a subsidy of 70% of the workers’ salary.

pio.gov.cy (15.03.2020)

Granting of a “Special Leave” allowance to parents who are employed in the private sector for the care of children up to 15 years old (including the third grade of gymnasium) due to the suspension of classes in schools, both public and private, in nurseries and kindergartens. The “special leave”may last up to 4 weeks. (budget of €20mn, potential beneficiaries 50.000 persons).

azernews.az (08.04.2020) A program of compensating for the damage caused to the entrepreneurs and their employees as a result of coronavirus has been launched in Azerbaijan. The program will cover 300,000 employees, 42,000 employers, and about 300,000 private or micro-entrepreneurs. The Azerbaijani government allocated 215 million manat ($126 million) to preserve the salaries of the hired workers. The average monthly salary as of January - 712 manat ($418) - will be taken as the main criterion for partial payment of the workers' salaries. A program on providing micro entrepreneurs and private entrepreneurs with funds has been launched on April 8. The Azerbaijani government rendered financial support in the amount of 80 million manat ($47 million) to 300,000 individual entrepreneurs involved in the spheres affected as a result of the pandemic.

iss.sm (06.04.2020)

From Monday, April 6, the online service allowing patients to request services from the computer, tablet or smartphone is active, without having to go to the Health Center, thus avoiding travel, lines or waiting on the phone. In addition to the "repetitive prescription" and the "ordinary prescription", other requests for health services will be activated afterwards and will be promptly communicated to users. As of today, the equivalent of 400 prescriptions per day are expected to be delivered by civil protection and volunteers.

The Occupational Safety and Health Council has developed a COVID-19 OSH Information Pack, which includes a wealth of ressources for many areas of economic activity. Some of these ressources are available in multiple languages, such as Chinese, English, Filipino, Nepali and Urdu: 

1a. A Compendium of Infection Control of Epidemic for Organization：
 •  7 Infection Control Moves at Workplace
1b. Guideline on Infection Control & Prevention for Frontline Workers:
 •  Handbook on Epidemic Prevention for Frontline Workers (English version to follow)

2. Infection Control Guideline at Workplace
 •  Property Management Industry - Infection Control Guideline at Workplace (English version to follow)
 •  Retails Industry-  Infection Control Guideline at Workplace
 •  Public Transport and Logistics Industry-  Infection Control Guideline at Workplace
 •  Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities and Elderly-  Infection Control Guideline at Workplace
 •  Construction Industry- Infection Control Guideline at Workplace
 •  Construction Industry- Infection Control Guideline at Workplace (Filipino)
 •  Construction Industry- Infection Control Guideline at Workplace (Nepali)
 •  Construction Industry- Infection Control Guideline at Workplace (Urdu)
 •  Sedentary Services - Infection Control Guideline at Workplace
 •  Catering Industry - Infection Control Guideline at Workplace (English version to follow)

3. Infographic about Personal, Home and Environmental Hygiene
 •  Safety tips for travelling from home to work (CHINESE only)
 •  Pour Water To Drainage Pipes Regularly To Prevent Spreading Germs
 •  Put The Toilet Lid Down Before Flushing To Prevent Spreading Germs
 •  Areas Missed During Hand Washing
 •  Why is hand washing so important? (CHINESE only)
 •  How to wash your hands properly? (CHINESE only)
 •  5 steps for cleaning up when you return home (CHINESE only)
 •  Fact sheet - Prevention of Novel Coronavirus Infection (CHINESE only)
 •  Flexible Work Arrangements to Avoid Crowds (CHINESE only)
 •  Key Points of Cleaning Common Areas (CHINESE only)

4. Poster
 •  Prevention of Pneumonia and Respiratory Tract Infection
 •  Add soap Rub hands for 20 seconds: Step for hand washing
 •  Mind Your Hands!
 •  Maintain Cough Manners
 •  When to Wash Our Hands

5. Leaflet
 •  Guidelines for the Safe Use of Common Chemical Disinfectants
 •  Use mask properly Protect ourselves and protect others
 •  Prevent pneumonia and respiratory tract infection (simplified version)

6. Video
 •  How to wear a surgical mask properly
 •  How to clean our hands properly
 •  Maintain drain pipes properly
 •  Together, We Fight the Virus!
 •  Health advice for the Prevention of Pneumonia and Respiratory Tract Infection
 •  Prevention of pneumonia and respiratory tract infection
 •  Prevent diseases · Maintain good hygiene

7. Guidelines
 •  Use Mask Properly
 •  Health Advice on Prevention of Severe Respiratory Disease associated with a Novel Infectious Agent in Workplace (Interim)
 •  Health Advice on Prevention of Severe Respiratory Disease associated with a Novel Infectious Agent for Driver, Crew and Operational Staff of Public Transport (Interim)
 •  Health Advice on Prevention of Severe Respiratory Disease associated with a Novel Infectious Agent for Hotel Industry (Interim)
 •  Health Advice on Prevention Severe Respiratory Disease associated with a Novel Infectious Agent for Properties Management (Interim)
 •  Severe Respiratory Disease associated with a Novel Infectious Agent (Other languages)

sknvibes.com (24.03.2020)

As part of its comprehensive stimulus package announced to soften the significant health, fiscal and economic impact the COVID-19 disease (novel coronavirus) would have on the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Team Unity Government has committed to the provision of additional resources in the region of $12 million to capitalize the Severance Payment Fund. This measure is implemented because "with higher unemployment, we expect that there will be greater demand upon the Severance Fund". The $12 million provided for the Severance Payment Fund is part of the approximately $120 million stimulus package response announced by the honourable prime minister.

jadek-pensa.si (10.08.2020)

The main measures are, under certain conditions:

• A full compensation reimbursement of employees’ salaries who have been temporarily laid-off due to the employer’s inability to provide work due to the consequences of the new coronavirus epidemic in the amount of 80% of the basic salary, and the exemption of payment of contributions tied to salary compensations, both to the maximum mentioned amount;
• A full compensation reimbursement for employees’ salaries for their absence due to force majeure in the amount of 80% of the basic salary and exemption of payment of contributions relating to such salary compensations, both to the mentioned maximum amount;
• Exemption of the payment of contributions for retirement and disability insurance and the obligation of paying a crisis allowance in the amount of EUR 200 for working employees;
• Extraordinary assistance in the form of a basic monthly income for the self-employed (of 70% of the net minimum wage), religious servants and farmers (of 80 percent of full-time minimum wage to farmers or members of their farms suffering from COVID-19 disease due to their inability to work.); exemption for the payment of contributions for the self-employed, religious servants, partners and farmers;
• A right to compensation during the temporary absence from work due to illness or injury by obligatory health insurance from the first day of the absence onward.

euractiv.com (09.04.2020) Denmark has always prided itself on its “flexicurity” model that marries the free market with a welfare society, but in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has chosen another strategy. Like several other European countries, it chose to effectively fork over money to companies to pay the wages of their staff. “It is important for me here today to send a signal to companies: Keep on your employees,” Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said.

gov.si (24.03.2020) A set of measures to preserve jobs will be implemented:

•  a new regime of co-financing wages for temporarily laid-off workers will be established. All contributions for temporarily laid-off employees in the following two months – from entry into force to 31 May 2020 with the possibility of an extension if the situation continues – that must be paid into both the healthcare and pension insurance schemes will be covered by the state, and the insured persons' rights will be preserved. Affected self-employed workers will be exempt from the payment of contributions (also until May 31, 2020).
• Sick pay for all workers during the epidemic from the first day onwards will be covered by the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia, not the employer.
•  Persons employed and activated in sectors that are key in overcoming the epidemic will be rewarded with an increase in their basic salary by between 10% and 200%, based on the decision of their superiors, in the form of hazard pay and higher workload bonuses.

srbija.gov.rs (31.03.2020) The set of economic measures includes a total of nine measures, with an estimated effect of RSD 608.3 billion. Of these nine measures, three are fiscal policy measures, two are direct assistance to the private sector and measures to preserve the liquidity of the economy, and other measures include a dividend moratorium by the end of the year and fiscal stimulus - that is, a direct assistance to all citizens of legal age. All Serbian citizens of legal age (18+ years of age) will receive direct assistance in the amount of €100, for which about RSD 70 billion will be set aside from the state budget and added that this is a great sign of support and desire to bring a dose of optimism. The state will assume the payment of taxes and contributions on wages and thus it wants to encourage companies to keep all their workers and not lay off anyone.

aps.sn (06.04.2020)

L’Etat a décidé de prendre en charge les dépenses pour une valeur de 15, 5 milliards de francs Cfa pour le paiement des factures d’électricité des ménages abonnés à la tranche sociale pour un bimestre, soit environ 975 522 ménages. Un montant de 3 milliards est également alloué pour la prise en charge des factures d’eau de 662 000 ménages de la tranche sociale pour également un bimestre. (La tranche sociale, ce sont ceux qui sont dans la tranche inférieure ou égale à 250 kw/heure).

novissi.gouv.tg (08.04.2020) Le gouvernement togolais a annoncé ce jour, le lancement d’un programme destiné à aider les populations les plus vulnérables à faire face aux difficultés liées à la pandémie mondiale du Coronavirus. L’initiative dénommée « Novissi » (entraide en éwé), vise à soutenir les couches sociales les plus impactées par les mesures restrictives prises par le gouvernement afin d’enrayer la progression de la maladie dans le pays.

The Jakarta Post (13.04.2020) Indonesia’s preemployment card program, a social safety net offering aid similar to unemployment benefits, saw an immediate spike in interest within a few days of its launch, as 2.8 million people have lost their jobs nationwide as a result of businesses temporarily halting operations. Just a day after the program was launched on Saturday, 1.4 million people applied for benefits worth a total of Rp 3.5 million (US$223)  — to be given for four months — in the first registration phase, according to data from the Office of the Coordinating Economic Minister. The program, which was part of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s campaign pledge, initially aimed at providing Indonesian workers the necessary skills training for work. “Our objective is slightly shifting,” Denni Puspa Purbasari, the president director of the program’s management. “We initially wanted to reduce youth unemployment, but now we were also focusing on furloughed workers, those who have lost their jobs or small entrepreneurs who have lost customers.”

voaafrique.com (01.4.2020)

Pour lutter contre l'épidémie de coronavirus, le président du Niger Mahamadou Issoufou avait déjà annoncé la semaine dernière des distributions gratuites et des ventes à prix réduits de vivres pour soutenir les personnes vulnérables, et la prise en charge par l'Etat des factures d'électricité et de l'eau pour les tranches sociales pour les mois d'avril et mai.

Die BGHW hat eine Sammlung von Praxisbeispielen zur Bekämpfung der Corona-Infektionen aus dem HANDEL für den HANDEL auf ihrer Webseite veröffentlicht.  Diese Beispiele sollen Ihnen Anregungen geben, wenn Sie Lösungen für ähnliche arbeitstechnische Probleme suchen.

Hier geht's zum Download der Dokumente.

primeminister.kz (07.04.2020) For the period of the state of emergency, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, K. Tokaev, instructed to start making monthly payments to persons who lost income due to the state of emergency, in the amount of 1 wage (42,500 tenge). In total, at least 1.5 million of citizens can count on this assistance. The State Commission has expanded the circle of recipients of social benefits, including self-employed, who have lost their jobs, as well as some groups of socially vulnerable segments of the population. In total about 3 million Kazakhstanis will receive support in the amount of 42,500 tenge.

A new story book that aims to help children understand and come to terms with COVID-19 has been produced by a collaboration of more than 50 organizations working in the humanitarian sector, including the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and Save the Children.

Download the book here (in English) 

My Hero is You: all language versions

As countries introduce measures to restrict movement as part of efforts to reduce the number of people infected with COVID-19, more and more of us are making huge changes to our daily routines. The new realities of working from home, temporary unemployment, home-schooling of children, and lack of physical contact with other family members, friends and colleagues take time to get used to. Adapting to lifestyle changes such as these, and managing the fear of contracting the virus and worry about people close to us who are particularly vulnerable, are challenging for all of us. They can be particularly difficult for people with mental health conditions. Fortunately, there are lots of things that we can do to look after our own mental health and to help others who may need some extra support and care. Here are tips and advice that we hope you will find useful.

• Keep informed.
• Listen to advice and recommendations from your national and local authorities. 
• Follow trusted news channels, such as local and national TV and radio, and keep up-to-date with the latest news.
• Have a routine. Keep up with daily routines as far as possible, or make new ones.   Get up and go to bed at similar times every day.
• Keep up with personal hygiene.
• Eat healthy meals at regular times.
• Exercise regularly.
• Allocate time for working and time for resting.
• Make time for doing things you enjoy.
• more...