m.peacefmonline.com (10.10.2020)

The government, with support from the World Food Programme (WFP), is to disburse funds to vulnerable persons and households in the Greater Accra, Western and Ashanti regions. Under the cash transfer to COVID-19 affected daily wage earners, an amount of GH¢11 million will be disbursed to beneficiaries (75,000 people)to cushion them against the devastating effect of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).  Households would receive different amounts of money depending on the number of eligible members in a household. The minimum amount to be paid had been pegged at GH¢53, which would be transferred through mobile money wallets each month for five months.

businessghana.com (12.10.2020)

Through the National Hygiene Program, the government offered a lifeline to more than 250,000 youth hurt by COVID-19 response measures; the social protection program has transformed to provide sustainable work activities expected to last beyond life of the program; more than $92 million (Ksh10 billion) has been invested in the game-changer program created to provide employment opportunities with daily wages and that has brought positive social impact to the countries informal settlements. The program, commonly known as Kazi Mtaani  includes labor-intensive works such as street and drainage cleaning, garbage collection, bush clearance, fumigation and disinfection, while ensuring clean environs and improved urban infrastructure and service delivery. In Phase 1 of the program, which ran from April 29, 2020 to June 2, 2020, more than 26,000 jobs were created under the Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Project, at a cost of about $3 million. With the success of the first phase, the government has rolled out both Phase 1B and Phase 2, using its own financing, with another 283,210 workers recruited across all 47 counties in the country. In Phase 2, planned to run for six months, Kazi Mtaani will focus more on sustainable work activities such as construction of public spaces and infrastructure such as schools, libraries, toilets, footpaths, painting and cobblestone roads paving. A hybrid of skilled and unskilled labor has therefore been engaged in a bid to ensure that the program delivers value post COVID-19. The benefits accruing from this program are essential to building the resilience of informal settlement dwellers both during the pandemic and after.

allafrica.com (07.10.2020)

Kenya introduced, with the help of international partners, the Mobile cash transfers targeting 120,000 of Kenya's most vulnerable people living in Nairobi and Mombasa's expansive informal settlements. . Due to the reduction or loss of their livelihood sources, the beneficiaries consist of households unable to meet their basic needs during Covid-19. It includes  survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and those at risk together with other vulnerable groups specifically targeted for the safety nets such as pregnant and lactating mothers, the elderly, the disabled, the chronically ill, orphans and struggling domestic workers. The Covid-19 mobile cash transfers initiative complements the government of Kenya's flagship national safety net program, Inua Jamii. Run by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection.

UN News (25.02.2021) Job losses or reduced working hours due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic cost the world the equivalent of 255 million jobs in 2020, the UN International Labour Organization (ILO) said on Monday, noting that the “massive impact” was nearly four times the number lost during the 2009 global financial crisis. 

Oxfam (Feb 2021)  The report shows that COVID-19 has the potential to increase economic inequality in almost every country at once, the first time this has happened since records began over a century ago. Rising inequality means it could take at least 14 times longer for the number of people living in poverty to return to pre-pandemic levels than it took for the fortunes of the top 1,000, mostly White male, billionaires to bounce back.

Prishtina Insight (27.12.2020) A 30 million euro fund was launched to provide financial support for workers finding themselves unemployed due to the pandemic. Three monthly payments of up to 300 euros were made available for workers who can document that they lost their jobs between February 29 and December 30. 

Social Security Admninistation (31.01.2021) As part of its efforts to provide relief to individuals and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Kosovo enacted a law on December 7 that allows participants of the country's mandatory individual account pension program to withdraw up to 10 percent of their account balances. According to the law outlining the package, withdrawals from all individuals with savings under 9,999 euros will be reimbursed by the Government from 2023 onwards. Based on KPST data, this means 91 percent of all contributors will be reimbursed if they withdraw their savings, while only nine percent have more than 10,000 euros total savings and thus do not qualify for compensation.

Social Security Admnistration (31.01.2020) On December 21, Denmark's parliament approved a law that will allow citizens and certain other individuals with at least 42 years of employment by age 61 to receive a new means-tested early pension (tidlig pension) up to 3 years before the normal retirement age of 67. Specifically, starting on January 1, 2022, individuals can retire up to 1 year early with 42 years of employment from age 16 to age 61, 2 years early with 43 years of employment, or 3 years early with 44 years of employment. The new pension is intended to aid lower-skilled workers who tend to enter the labor force earlier and have more physically demanding occupations. The government estimates that just over 41,000 individuals will be eligible for the early pension in 2022 and that 24,000 of these individuals will apply for it. The program is estimated to cost around 2.2 billion kroner (US$363 million) in its first year and 3.1 billion kroner (US$511 million) a year by 2025.

nairametrics.com (28.01.2021)

The Lagos State Government in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) had initiated some intervention programmes to help cushion the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on vulnerable individuals and businesses. This emergency cash transfer programme is designed to help families during this period and to ensure that household poverty does not translate to deprivations for children. the project is simultaneously ongoing across the Five Divisions of the State to complement Government’s efforts in deploying assistance to SMEs, the vulnerable and the poor people in the State.

socmin.lrv.lt (05.01.2021)

A person or family facing financial difficulties may apply to their municipality for cash social assistance: social benefits, compensation for dwelling heating and water costs. In 2021, persons, whose average monthly income per person will not exceed EUR 140.8, will be entitled to social benefit. When calculating the average monthly income, the child benefit (child money), part of the work income and unemployment social insurance benefit (depending on family composition and number of children – 20%–40%) shall not be included. When establishing the right to cash social assistance, the property of the applicant held by the right of ownership shall not be temporarily assessed. Such relief will remain in place for another 6 months after the emergency and quarantine due to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. After these 6 months, if the value of the property held by the family or person by the right of ownership exceeds the established threshold, the property will be disregarded for 3 months for those who apply for support for the first time or 2 years after the last time of receiving it.

socmin.lrv.lt (05.01.2021)

The job search allowance is paid to persons registered with the Employment Services and having the status of the unemployed, who are not participating in active labour market policy measures and who have lost their job at least 3 months prior to the declaration of the emergency or quarantine. The job search allowance will not be paid to persons who are entitled to the unemployment social insurance benefit or when its payment has expired at the time of the person’s application to the Employment Services. After the end of the emergency or quarantine, the job search allowance will be paid for another 1 month. In 2021, the job search allowance will be EUR 212.

socmin.lrv.lt (05.01.2021)

Employers will be able to benefit from the supported employment measures and receive wage subsidies if they employ the most vulnerable residents and help them return to the labour market. Subsidies may be paid to employers who employ additional jobseekers referred by the Employment Authority, such as the persons with disabilities, elderly or young people, long-term or unskilled unemployed, etc.

socmin.lrv.lt (05.01.2021)

As quarantine continues, those employers, who are unable to provide their employees with work, can announce downtime for the employees. From 2021, in respect of the downtime employees the employers will receive the full compensation (100%) for the gross and net wage to the employee during downtime. The maximum compensation will amount to 1.5 minimum monthly wages, i.e. EUR 963. However, the compensated amount may not exceed the wage fixed in the employment contract before the date of declaration of the second quarantine.

cssz.cz (november 2020)
A new one-off supplement of CZK 5000,- to the beneficiaries of the Czech statutory pension was provided via CSSA. The aim of this benefit is to quickly help these vulnerable groups, especially the elderly, who are very negatively affected by the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. This extra supplement is provided only once by the CSSA without any client´s request (no claim is needed or requested) in December 2020 within the deadline set by it, in the same way (by postal order, to the account, to the account of the ZSS) as the pension is paid in November 2020. It will be paid to all type of pensions - old-age, disabled, widow's and widower's and Orphan.

Government of Andorra (23.12.2020) The Minister of Health, Joan Martínez Benazet, announced on Wednesday that the Government will offer a second free antigen self-test to all residents of the country over the age of 6: “it was a measure we had already planned but we needed more stock to be able to carry it out ”. In this sense, the holder of the portfolio has indicated that during this Wednesday they will be made available to the commons in the coming days so that they can distribute them with the operations that have been organized from the corporations. In addition, Martínez Benazet reported that the Council of Ministers has approved an amendment to the Regulation establishing the conditions for the sale of rapid antigen tests in pharmacies in order to regulate their price. Given that the Executive considers that these tests are part of the Government's strategy to combat the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in the Principality and that the network of pharmacies offers an essential and local service, it has been decided to include in the regulation a limitation on its selling price.

Advantia (06.05.2020) In the case of the contributions of salaried persons, the government and the company proportionally assume the employer's part of the contribution of the general branch. Discharges due to isolation or diagnosis due to COVID-19 are covered with 100% of salary from the first day in the case of health personnel, and 66% from the first day in the case of other professionals. In the case of the self-employed, they can benefit from a 50% reduction in the contribution to social security or even its suspension (in which case the Government assumes 10% of the contribution in the general branch, in a that health benefits are assured).

Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment (01.12.2020) The Morrison Government will provide a one-off payment to assist travel agents in recognition that many continue "to work hard processing consumer refunds, whilst unable to trade due to the COVID-19 pandemic". 

Under the $128 million scheme, eligible travel agents with a turnover of between $50,000 and $20 million a year will be able to apply for the one off payment.

Payments will be scaled, with a minimum payment of $1500 for a business with a turnover of $50 000 up to a maximum payment of $100,000 for a business with a turnover of $20 million.

 U.S. Department of the Treasury (January 2021) The Emergency Rental Assistance program makes available $25 billion to assist households that are unable to pay rent and utilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The funds are provided directly to States, U.S. Territories, local governments, and Indian tribes.  Grantees use the funds to provide assistance to eligible households through existing or newly created rental assistance programs. Eligible households may receive up to 12 months of assistance, plus an additional 3 months if the grantee determines the extra months are needed to ensure housing stability and grantee funds are available.  The payment of existing housing-related arrears that could result in eviction of an eligible household is prioritized.  Assistance must be provided to reduce an eligible household’s rental arrears before the household may receive assistance for future rent payments.  Once a household’s rental arrears are reduced, grantees may only commit to providing future assistance for up to three months at a time.  Households may reapply for additional assistance at the end of the three-month period if needed and the overall time limit for assistance is not exceeded.

worldbank.org (25.01.2021)

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved additional financing of $21.6 million to further help Maldives mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis on poor and vulnerable workers and their families. The additional financing will be utilized to expand the existing COVID-19 Emergency Income Support Project, which was approved by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors in June 2020 with funding of $12.8 million. It will help finance the extended duration of the Government’s COVID-19 Income Support Allowance scheme by continuing to provide temporary support of up to MVR 5,000 (approximately $322) per month to workers who have lost their jobs or income as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

U.S. Department of the Treasury (January 2021) The Paycheck Protection Program established by the CARES Act, is implemented by the Small Business Administration with support from the Department of the Treasury.  This program provides small businesses with funds to pay up to 8 weeks of payroll costs including benefits. Funds can also be used to pay interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The Paycheck Protection Program prioritizes millions of Americans employed by small businesses by authorizing up to $659 billion toward job retention and certain other expenses. Small businesses and eligible nonprofit organizations, Veterans organizations, and Tribal businesses described in the Small Business Act, as well as individuals who are self-employed or are independent contractors, are eligible if they also meet program size standards.

U.S. Department of the Treasury (January 2021) The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 authorized additional payments of up to $600 per adult and up to $600 for each qualifying child. In general, individuals with adjusted gross income of up to $75,000 (or $150,000 for joint filers or surviving spouses) will receive the full amount of the second payment.  For filers whose adjusted gross income exceeds these amounts, the payment is reduced. This second round of payments will be distributed automatically, with no action required for eligible individuals.  If additional legislation is enacted to provide for an increased amount, Economic Impact Payments that have been issued will be topped up as quickly as possible.

El Diario (26.01.2021) With the extension of the ERTEs until May 31st, companies will maintain high exemptions in the different ERTE modalities, which even reach 100% in some cases. For the 'ultra-protected' sectors and their dependent companies and their value chain, the savings in the Social Security contribution is 85% for companies with less than 50 workers and 75% for those with more than that level of staff, both for reinstated and suspended employees. In the case of ERTEs due to disability, which companies in any sector can take advantage of, the exemptions are 100% for companies with less than 50 workers and 90% for those that exceed that level of staff. In the limitation ERTE, the exemptions are decreasing: from 100% in February, 90% in March, 85% in April and 80% in May for companies with less than 50 workers and from 90%, 80%, 75% and 70 % (in those months) for companies that exceed that staff level.

El Diario (26.01.2021) The so-called "forbidden firing" also extends until May 31, which in reality supposes a government veto of objective dismissals motivated by the pandemic. The measure is extended, which has generated two interpretations in the Social Courts: both sentences that declare these dismissals as inadmissible (the majority) , and some that consider them invalid. A Barcelona court has declared a dismissal appropriate in this context .

El Diario (26.01.2021) The most outstanding novelties of this extension of the ERTE until May 31st, are based on facilitating administrative procedures, such as to go from an ERTE of limitation to one of impediment and vice versa, as well as that it is not necessary to re-process the unemployment benefits of workers affected by the extension. In addition, the group of sectors we consider to be most affected by the pandemic changes slightly, wider after the decree to support the hospitality industry : three activities are incorporated (camping and caravan parks, rental of means of navigation, and physical maintenance activities) and three more come out (carpet manufacturing, cold drawing and musical instrument manufacturing).

El Diario (26.01.2021) If you are in a vulnerable situation and your landlord is a "large landlord", you can request a postponement of the payment of the rent until May 9. This new decree extends the possibility of requesting a "temporary and extraordinary" postponement if the following conditions: that the tenant is in a situation of vulnerability caused by the coronavirus crisis and that the owner has more than ten properties. The assumptions of economic vulnerability are the following: being unemployed or ERTE, receiving less than three times the IPREM and that income plus expenses represent more than 35% of income. The owner can offer two alternatives: the reduction of 50% of the monthly payment while the state of alarm lasts and with a maximum of four months or the postponement itself, which will last for the duration of the state of alarm and, at most, four months following. In the latter case, the tenant will have three years to return the unpaid installments in installments, without penalty or interest.