COVID-19 has affected the incomes of some health professionals by reducing demand for care and increasing expenditures for treatment preparedness. In a survey of 14 European countries, we found that most countries have incentivised substitutive e-health services to avoid loss of income. Health professionals have also received financial compensation for loss of income either through initiatives specifically designed for the health sector or general selfemployment schemes, and have either been reimbursed for extra COVID-19-related expenditures such as personal protective equipment (PPE) or had these provided in kind. Compensation is generally funded from health budgets, complemented by emergency funding from government revenue.

OpenGov Asia (01.12.2020) The pandemic has fundamentally changed lifestyles and thought processes across the world. There is a paradigm shift in the way people now interact with each other. With social distancing becoming the new norm, citizens are increasingly becoming dependent on technology to communicate and interact among themselves. In order to help public sector utilise digital applications and APIs to enhance service delivery and get digital transformation right, OpenGov Asia hosted an OpenGovLive! Virtual Breakfast Insight with delegates from various public sector organisations in Indonesia.

Gov.pl website (02.12.2020) Insured persons in quarantine or isolation (including at home) are entitled to sickness benefits. In principle, you do not need to submit a declaration to receive the benefit. The IT system of the e-Health Center is a system from which the Social Insurance Institution obtains information about the imposed quarantine or isolation and places it on the Electronic Services Platform (PUE ZUS) . It is seen both by the insured and his employer. In many cases, this information is enough for an isolated sick person or staying in quarantine to receive the remuneration he is entitled to for the time of illness or sickness benefit. However, if there is no information on the PUE ZUS platform, an employee should submit a short statement to his/her employer within 3 days.  

Gov.pl website (26.11.2020) PFR 2.0 Financial Shield for micro-enterprises - up to PLN 3 billion of support

• For companies employing from 1 to 9 employees from 38 industries from the Polish Classification of Activities
• Turnover or balance sheet total for 2019 up to EUR 2 million
• Financial subsidies - 18 thousand. PLN or 36 thousand. PLN per employee
• Subsidies up to a maximum amount of PLN 324 thousand PLN
• The amount of the subsidy depends on the number of employees and the decrease in turnover
• For companies that recorded a turnover decrease in 2020 by at least 30% due to COVID-19
• Non-returnable funds, provided that the business is maintained and employment is maintained for 12 months
• Application deadline: January - February 2021 (after the approval of the European Commission)

Gov.pl website (09.11.2020) A parent can apply for care allowance if they are looking after people in quarantine or solitary confinement at home:

• a child under 14,
• a child with a severe disability certificate or a disability certificate including the following indications: the need for permanent or long-term care or assistance of another person due to the significantly limited possibility of independent existence and the need for constant daily participation of the child's guardian in the process of its treatment, rehabilitation and education until the age of 18,
• another family member.

From October 24, 2020, the basis for the payment of the care allowance is the insured's declaration of the need to care for a child or family member in quarantine or isolation at home.

US Social Security Administration (November 30th) On September 28, India's president approved a law (the Code on Social Security, 2020) that consolidates and amends nine existing social security laws. Among the law's changes are an extension of benefit eligibility to fixed-term workers under the employer-liability gratuity scheme, a broadening of the definition of wages for contribution calculation purposes, and new protections for informal-sector workers. (Over 80 percent of India's labor force is estimated to be employed in the informal sector and thus, currently excluded from most social security coverage.) Many details of the law, including the implementation date, have yet to be finalized (though it is expected to be implemented by April 2021). According to the government, the main goal of the law is to extend social security coverage to all workers in the country. It is also part of a larger effort to simplify the country's labor laws, which included the government approving three other laws on wages; industrial relations; and occupational safety, health, and working conditions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put a lot of pressure on health care services and elderly care. Staff have had an extremely heavy and often stressful workload and have worked very hard. The risk of mental ill health may have increased. This is why the Government proposes funds to support staff in regional and municipal health care and elderly care in its autumn amending budget for 2020. This will make money available for crisis support, counselling and trauma support. The proposal is based on an agreement between the government parties, the Centre Party and the Liberal Party.

blogs.worldbank.org (28.10.2020) Covariate shocks including disasters, economic crises, and pandemics threaten to reverse decades of gains achieved in poverty reduction and shared prosperity in the region. These shocks tend to disproportionately affect the poor and push near poor households into poverty.

worldbank (2020) The Sourcebook synthesizes real-world experiences and lessons learned of social protection delivery systems from around the world, with a particular focus on social and labor benefits and services. It takes a practical approach, seeking to address concrete “how-to” questions, including: How do countries deliver social protection benefits and services? How do they do so effectively and efficiently? How do they ensure dynamic inclusion, especially for the most vulnerable and needy? How do they promote better coordination and integration—not only among social protection programs but also programs in other parts of government? How can they meet the needs of their intended populations and provide a better client experience?

politica.expansion.mx (10.07.2020) A one-time cash benefit of 3,000 pesos is intended for people 18 years of age and older who live in the State of Mexico (Edomex) and who during the last four months lost their formal or informal employment, due to the health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The cash support will be delivered in two monthly installments, each of 1,500 pesos. Informal workers will need to sign a declaration under oath of saying the truth about having lost their (informal) employment due COVID-19 situation. Priority will be given to applicants over 60 years of age, and persons with disabilities.

NHK (27.11.2020) The Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare announced that the exceptional treatment of Employment Adjustment Subsidy is extended to February 2021. The exceptional treatments include the increase of maximum amount of daily allowance to 15,000 yen per an employee. The Minister also implied that the treatment would be gradually reduced after March 2021. 

canada.ca (24.11.2020)

The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), which  covers up to 65% of an employee’s wages for qualifying eligible employers, has been extended until June 2021. 

candada.ca (24.11.2020)

Business owners can apply for new support measures. If you own a small business, run a charity, or operate a non-profit that has suffered a drop in revenue because of the pandemic, the new Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) is available. It provides a direct and easy-to-access rent and mortgage subsidy of up to 65% of eligible expenses.  The subsidy rates are in effect until December 19, 2020. This support is available directly to tenants. Qualifying organizations that have been significantly restricted by a mandatory public health order issued by a qualifying public health authority can receive an additional 25% of rent support through the Lockdown Support. The combined effect of the rent subsidy and the Lockdown Support is that hard-hit businesses, non-profits and charities subject to a lockdown can receive rent support of up to 90%. The rent subsidy and the Lockdown Support are available until June 2021.

swissinfo.ch (25.11.2020) The reform of the occupational pension scheme is intended to secure the pension level, strengthen financing and improve the protection of part-time employees and thus especially women, Interior Minister Alain Berset said at a press conference on Wednesday. He said he hoped it would be the first successful pension reform in the 21st century.

Government of Iceland (20.11.2020) A one-time payment of ISK 50,000 will be made before 18 December to recipients of disability and rehabilitation pensions who are eligible for pensions during the year, in addition to the December supplement that is usually paid during the month.

Gouvernement.fr (13.11.2020) Employers can postpone all or part of the payment of employee and employer contributions for the dates of November 5 and 15, 2020, on request online from URSSAF (in the absence of a response within 48 hours, this request is considered accepted). In addition, personal social contributions for self-employed workers (excluding contracted health professionals) will not be deducted in November .

Gouvernement.fr (13. 11. 2020) This concerns companies with less than 50 employees closed administratively and those with less than 250 employees in the tourism, events, culture, sport, air transport sectors with a loss of activity of at least 50% :  

• employers benefit from a total exemption from employer social contributions excluding supplementary pensions, and assistance with the payment of social contributions of 20% of the payroll;
• the self-employed receive a lump sum reduction of social contributions.

Infobae (24.11.2020) The Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) presented the second phase of the pilot test for the affiliation of Household Workers, through which the payment process carried out by the employer is simplified and automated . This provides continuity and simplifies the operation of the pilot test, benefiting 2.4 million informal workers who carry out paid activities at home . With the operation of this program, with the modifications to the Social Security Law of July 2019 through which it is established that the employer is the obligated subject to register the domestic worker, and with the ratification of the Convention 189 of the International Labor Organization on domestic workers, firm steps have been taken to ensure the promotion and protection of the rights of this important segment of the population. Among the reported results of phase I of this pilot test, teacher Norma Gabriela López Castañeda, Director of Incorporation and Collection, highlighted that as of October 27,640 people and their beneficiaries have been incorporated into the institution and fully enjoy the social health and safety benefits provided by this scheme. In other words, this program provides coverage not only to the insured person but also to their family nucleus, thereby benefiting more than 80,000 people . Suffice it to mention that during the 18 months of operation of this phase I of the pilot test, 165 thousand medical care has been granted, both to the insured holders and their beneficiaries.

On April 8, Uruguay enacted Law No. 19,874 creating the Covid-19 Solidarity Fund , a precedent seen by the cross-sectional group of 16 economists who proposed a similar formula to address the emergency and post-pandemic recovery in Chile. The formula of creating a Covid fund, from which up to US $ 12 billion could be drawn  to finance support for  individuals and companies, seeks that the Government does not have to go to Congress for each measure: once the framework of action has been agreed, it would be issue decrees charged to fund financing.

Where there are definitely differences is that when Uruguay legislated on this fund, it established a new monthly tax that levies the average and high wages of all authorities and officials of the powers of the State; companies with state participation and people who maintain contracts for personal services with the state (such as leases, among others). The only exception is health personnel who participate in emergency care.

BPS (09.11.2020) Workers with activity and health coverage in March 2020, terminated between the 1st. August and October 31, will maintain their mutual membership for three months, as well as that of their dependents.

Membership will be extended to:

• Workers laid off between August 1 and October 31 -except dismissed for notorious misconduct- who have used unemployment benefits during the health emergency.
• Active workers, who have terminated their unemployment benefit in the mentioned period.

The extension of health coverage is three months and is assigned automatically, so workers do not have to carry out procedures at the BPS or their health providers.

The initiative was established through a decree of the Executive Power and its financing will be through the COVID-19 Solidarity Fund.

BPS (12.11.2020) Beneficiaries of family allowances (AFAM) from the Equity Plan who do not have a Uruguay Social Card will receive a reinforcement of 50% of their monthly allowance in November and December due to the health and social emergency situation that the country is going through.

BPS (20.11.2020) Transportation companies and school canteens are exempted from paying employer retirement contributions in the period between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021. There are already 293 companies that have this benefit.

Euronews (24.11.2020) How do you get by without a bank account? This is a question asked daily by millions of refugees worldwide who simply don’t have access to standard financial services. Even the digital and online services that many of us take for granted - tools that help us to save, transfer and receive money - are often out of reach for displaced people.

(25.10.2020) Le Conseil des ministres a validé vendredi la prolongation du droit passerelle jusqu’au 31 décembre et le doublement des montants du droit passerelle de crise.  Concrètement, le droit passerelle permet d’offrir une garantie de revenu minimum aux indépendants qui, après avoir temporairement interrompu partiellement ou totalement leur activité, ont pu la reprendre mais subissent une perte de chiffre d’affaires. L’accès à ce droit passerelle de soutien à la reprise aurait dû s’arrêter à la fin de ce mois d’octobre. Cependant, le gouvernement a donné vendredi son feu vert à sa prolongation jusqu’au 31 décembre. "Cette mesure vise les indépendants à titre principal ou qui cotisent comme un indépendant à titre principal. Elle permet l’octroi d’une prestation financière de 1291,69 euros pour un isolé, qui passent à 1614,10 euros en cas de charge de famille", 

State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO (29.10.2020) By paying the compensation in the event of reduced working hours (RHT), unemployment insurance (AC) covers, for a certain time, part of the wage costs of workers whose normal working hours are reduced , and this in order to prevent layoffs resulting from short but inevitable job losses. The Federal Council has decided to maintain the simplified procedure for the notice of reduced working hours (RHT) and the summary procedure for the counting of the reduction in working hours until the end of December 2020. Thus, Until December 31, 2020, only the “RHT COVID-19 Procedure” should be used to process RHT and only COVID-19 forms should be used for RHT, regardless of the rationale for RHT.