The Guardian Nigeria News (20.01.2021) - No fewer than One million Nigerians are to benefit from the Federal Government’s COVID-19 Cash Transfer Project which aims to lift the urban poor affected by the pandemic out of poverty. The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, said this on Tuesday in Abuja while inaugurating the COVID-19 Rapid Response Registration (RRR) Cash Transfer Project.
Osinbajo said that the RRR was designed to focus mainly on the urban poor wards selected using scientifically validated methods of satellite remote sensing technology, machine learning algorithm and big data analysis. “This social protection method of targeting is the first strategy to be developed and tested in the Sub-Saharan Africa region and Nigeria will be the first country for its implementation. “With the RRR, which uses a wholly technology-based approach, we are primed to achieve an end-to-end digital foot-print in cash transfers for the urban poor. “Which also helps us achieve our financial inclusion policy under the Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access programme (EFInA).” News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the first set of 3,115 beneficiaries have already received N5,000 each cash transfer and the programme will continue until it reaches the one million target. The cash transfers will be received by the beneficiaries for six months.

EURACTIV.com (14.01.2021) The Spanish government is ready to approve before Friday (15 January) an extension of temporary lay-off schemes put in place March last year to protect jobs for around 800,000 workers affected by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the tourism and services sectors. Under the scheme, the Spanish state gives workers about 70% of their salary and prohibits companies from firing people. In case of fraud or redundancies, companies must return exemptions from contributions to the social security system and risk heavy penalties.

South African Government (27.10.2020) The R51 045 255 369.21 billion covers 1 000 824 companies that applied and was disbursed in 11 575 623 payments which is broken down as follows: For April, R21 billion has been paid to 4 240 112 workers through 410 523 employers; The payments for May month stand at just over R12 billion for the benefit of 3 108 611 workers through 280 191 employers; In June, the UIF has so far disbursed R10.5 billion to 2 904 749 workers represented by 217 982 employers; For July/August, R5.7 billion has been paid to 997 499 workers through 67 721; and R1.2 billion has been paid for August/September to 324 652 workers represented by 24 407 employers.   An amount of R1.6 billion has been paid directly to 390 996 workers and R214 million was disbursed to 60 275 domestic workers. Documented and declared foreign nationals have been paid R1.6 billion.

South African Government (18.01.2021) South Africa and the People’s Republic of China are teaming up to improve the capacity of public servants on governance as well as the management of disasters and emergencies such as the Covid-19 pandemic. South Africa’s National School of Government, falling under the Ministry for the Public Service and Administration, working with the China National Academy of Governance, will in March and April 2021 offer courses on governance and emergency management for senior and middle managers in the public service. The courses will expose South African managers to China’s governance models and responses to emergencies. The courses will cover the following amongst other themes: China’s Governance Model for Development Outcomes The capacity of the State to deal with emergencies. The Chinese model of disaster management and the management of Covid-19. 

The courses target senior and middle managers in all three spheres of government and will run from March 2021.

worldbank.org (12/01/2021)

The World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors approved today a US$246 million new project to provide emergency cash transfers and access to social services to approximately 786,000 poor and vulnerable Lebanese reeling under the pressure of Lebanon’s economic and COVID-19 crises. The Emergency Crisis and COVID-19 Response Social Safety Net Project (ESSN) will also support the development of a comprehensive national social safety nets system to allow a better response to ongoing and future shocks. 

The Employer Wage Subsidy Program for the hard hit industries under three (3) sectors of aviation, tourism and construction. This program is designed to save jobs. The program is driven by the following characteristics: a. Employers of affected industries will receive a subsidy based on their total wage bill, driven by an SSC contribution waiver and a cash injection from the state. The aim is to give employers a cash subsidy of 17% of their total wage bill and SSC contribution holiday, or both for a period of three months. b. Prospective beneficiary employers should agree not retrench staff for the three (3) months and should not be allowed to reduce staff salaries by more than 50% c. Any benefits to be received should be netted against any claims the employer in question may have received from the state or other forms of compensation (FIDIC or insurance). d. The program is designed to potentially assist 7,900 employers employing 65,420 employees. The program is budgeted to receive N$150 million which when combined with the waiver, should equate to ~25% of the total wage bill. e. Any amounts left over can be used in the Affected Employees program.

The Affected Employees program invites persons to apply for a grant designed to provide compensation for those who have lost income. This program is designed to provide a safety net for those who have been adversely impacted by COVID19. Features include: a. Applicants should have been registered with the SSC as at 1 February 2020. b. Applicants should be able to prove loss of income related to COVID19 c. Applicants should earn less than N$50,000 p.a. d. The benefit will be limited to 50% of monthly salary, subject to a minimum of N$1,000 per month for 3 months. e. The benefit will be net of other benefits received from the state (e.g. Emergency Income Grant ) f. Using these parameters and a budget allocation of N$350 million this program could cater for between 56,000 to 117,000 applicants.

NAV (01.01.2021) The most measures for care allowance will be continued in 2021 due to the coronavirus.

The measures until 31 December 2021:

• The number of care days doubles
• You can transfer care days to another caregiver when kindergarten / school / SFO is closed
• The employer cannot demand a doctor's certificate from the 4th day

The measures until 30 June 2021:

• You can use care days when kindergarten / school / SFO is closed
• You can use care days even if you have used up your days when there are special infection control considerations, or when the kindergarten / school / SFO is closed

(18.01.2020) The Star The Wage Subsidy Programme 3.0 under the Social Security Organisation (Socso) will be improved, says Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. The Prime Minister said all employers operating under the movement control order are eligible to apply, regardless of sectors. He said eligible employers would receive a wage subsidy of RM600 for each of their employees earning less than RM4,000 for a period of one month. "Besides that, the limit of 200 employees for each application will be increased to 500 employees. "This initiative involves an additional allocation of RM1bil, which is estimated to benefit 250,000 employers who hire more than 2.6 million employees," he said. Muhyiddin said this when delivering a special address on the Malaysian Economic and Rakyat's Protection Scheme (Permai) assistance package which was telecast live on television stations and social media platforms here Monday (Jan 18). For those who lost their jobs during the MCO period, he said the government had agreed to relax the application conditions for the Employment Insurance System (SIP Prihatin) assistance. "Employees who do not meet the minimum contribution, or whose service contract was not extended after at least three renewals, are now allowed to apply for the SIP Prihatin financial assistance of 30% of their salary for three months," he said.

The Social Security Fund (SSF) regulation reduces the rate of mandatory Social Security Fund contributions under section 33 of the SSA effective from January 1, 2021 to March 31, 2021. Contribution rates are calculated as a percentage of each employees’ monthly wages, based on a minimum monthly wage of THB 1,650 and a maximum monthly wage of THB 15,000. Based on the minimum and maximum wages allowed for calculation, the contributions would range from THB 49.5 to THB 450 per month for both the employer and the employees. From April 1, 2021 onwards, this will increase to THB 82.5 to THB 750.

This regulation is similar to a previous regulation from April, 2020, during the first wave of the pandemic, stating that the definition of force majeure under the Social Security Act B.E. 2533 (1990) (the SSA) includes hazards from pandemics of dangerous communicable diseases (including COVID-19). This definition therefore affords protection to insured persons (i.e., employees) in the event that the COVID-19 pandemic results in their being unable to work, or their employers being unable to operate their business normally.

The affected employee will be entitled to compensation at a rate of 50% of their daily wages during the quarantine period, period of compliance with a COVID-19 preventative measure, or period of temporary premises closure, for not more than 90 days. The payment will be calculated based on daily wages in accordance with section 57 paragraph 1 of the SSA, but will be paid monthly. The SSO will cease payment of the compensation if the employee resigns or is terminated by an employer, or the employment contract expires. In addition, the employer is obligated to issue a certificate letter to request compensation in the event of unemployment resulting from force majeure. The certificate must be in accordance with a form letter prescribed in the regulation, can be made and sent electronically, and must be retained by the employer as evidence.

The Coronavirus, Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) allows employers to defer the deposit and payment of the employer's share of Social Security taxes and self-employed individuals to defer payment of certain self-employment taxes.

Afin d’inciter au maximum les personnes présentant des symptômes à rester isolées à leur domicile, elles pourront bénéficier d’indemnités journalières et du complément employeur, sans délai de carence ou de conditions d’ouverture du droit, lorsqu’elles sont testées positives à la Covid-19 ou dès lors qu’elles sont symptomatiques, dans l’attente du résultat de leur test.

Payments for qualified child dependants will increase by €5 for children aged 12 or over and €2 for children aged up to 12, meaning parents on weekly social welfare payments will see an increase in their weekly rate of payment. These increases will take effect at various dates in January depending on the weekly welfare payment that either parent is receiving. It is expected that this increase will benefit some 419,000 children at a cost of €59.2 million in 2021.

Development Pathways (January 2021) David Hillson takes a look at the recent historical role of the social contract in social protection within the context of COVID-19. He argues that the social contract has been central to huge socio-economic advances and is a product and reflection of each political zeitgeist. David concludes that now is the moment to create an inclusive, universal social protection new normal to help reshape societies during the time of the pandemic and beyond.

brookings.edu (07.01.2021) In the spring of 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated recession, policymakers originated significant expansions to social insurance, including unemployment insurance benefits, refundable tax credits, and paid leave. Because of this expansion, the average household experienced an increase in purchasing power, even as the labor market and employee compensation sharply contracted during the spring of 2020. However, because a number of those expansions were temporary, support from social insurance significantly receded after the spring even as the labor market only partially recovered.

October 2020 (caf.fr)

In October 2020, the Cnaf released 5 million euros for the purchase of 500,000 inclusive masks (transparent) for early childhood professionals working in a childcare centre or "childcare assistants' centres".

From the beginning of the pandemic, decisions were taken to ensure the automatic renewal of social minimum entitlements. Given the reopening of all public services, this measure now only concerns certain benefits. This is particularly the case for disabled persons receiving the disabled adult allowance (Aah) or the education allowance for disabled children (Aeeh).

March 2020 (caf.fr)

In order to provide urgent financial support to families identified as being in distress in the context of the Covid-19 epidemic, since March 2020, the Caisses d'allocations familiales (CAF) have been able to release financial aid in the form of emergency relief to help the most needy families to meet basic food needs or unpaid rent.  After identifying families in difficulty, social workers assess the social emergency and, if necessary, release emergency financial assistance. The amount of this assistance varies according to the emergency situation experienced by the families and according to the CAF. 

08.12.2020 (education.gouv.fr)

Since the circulation of the Covid19 and the health crisis, the Caisse nationale des allocations familiales (Cnaf) has put in place measures to support particularly disadvantaged families, as well as various managers of services useful to families. The back-to-school allowance (Allocation de rentrée scolaire) paid to families with the lowest incomes and school-age children has been exceptionally increased by €100 per child as part of the Government's Recovery Plan.

kela.fi (21.12.2020) Several temporary changes made to the unemployment benefit laws have been extended until the end of March 2021. Self-employed persons will remain eligible for labour market subsidy payments until 31 March 2021 if their business has suffered due to the coronavirus epidemic. Higher exempt amounts of EUR 500 and EUR 465 will remain in force until the end of March 2021. Exceptions made to the rules on waiting periods, work requirements and maximum length of payment will expire at the end of 2020.

The coronavirus relief bill extends and modifies several provisions first enacted in the CARES Act, Congress’s $2.2 trillion pandemic relief law that was passed in March. With this package, lawmakers will have responded to the coronavirus and related economic hardship with a record-setting $3 trillion of fiscal support. The package extends relief through mid-March of 2021, providing support to help people and businesses get through the next several months of the pandemic. 

The Washington Post (21.12.2020) The biggest concern with the bill is that the aid doesn’t last long enough

weforum.org (06.01.2021)The use of telemedicine has surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Start-up Carbon Health is working to make it accessible to underserved communities. Its founder says it has reduced costs by using technology to improve efficiency. His company uses pop-up clinics to deliver treatments and COVID-19 tests; patients can book appointments using a smartphone app.

Public spending in health may allow consumers to decrease their precautionary savings and spend more, thus supporting aggregate demand, writes Valerio Ercolani

World Economic Forum (14.12.2020) China covers the COVID-19 medical costs for all patients including domestic migrants. The payment structure is part of the country’s “wartime” governance. It also reflects the long-term institutional transformation of the Chinese healthcare system.