mtss.go.cr (09.03.2020) Se insta a las instancias ministeriales y de la administración pública descentralizada a adoptar la modalidad de teletrabjo temporalmente, y a coordinar los equipos para asegurarse que los trabajadores cuenten con las condiciones necesarias para seguir con sus tareas. Se insta, asismismo, al sector privado a adoptar las mismas medidas.

mtss.go.cr (20.03.2020) El Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social (MTSS) considera como razón válida de la suspensión de contratos de trabajo por consecuencia de la emergecia presentada por el COVID-19.

mtss.go.cr (23.03.2020) El decreto legislativo No. 9832 establece que la persona empleadora podrá modificar unilateralmente los contratos de trabajo para reducir hasta en un cincuenta por ciento (50%) el número de horas de la jornada ordinaria de trabajo pactada entre las partes, siempre que exista una afectación por el suceso provocador que motiva la declaratoria de emergencia nacional en los términos establecidos en el artículo 1 de la presente ley e inicie ante la Inspección de Trabajo del Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social, dentro de los tres días hábiles posteriores al inicio de la reducción de la jornada, el respectivo procedimiento de autorización. En ningún caso se podrá exceder el número de horas establecido por ley para cada tipo de jornada diaria. Las personas empleadoras deberán comprobar una reducción de al menos 20% en los ingresos brutos de la empresa, y que ésta se atribuya a las condiciones causadas por el Covid-19.

Globalnews.ca (25.06.2020) Nearly 1.1 million coronavirus relief payments totaling some US$1.4 billion went to dead people, a government watchdog reported Thursday. Legal and political issues hang over the misdirected taxpayer funds, the latest example of errors in massive aid being dispensed at crisis speed.

The New York Times (27.06.2020) Many gig-based business models help customers take advantage of workers. Let’s stop giving tech companies a free ride.

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (26.06.2020) The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has developed a new coronavirus contact confirmation application (COCOA)  to help prevent the spread of new coronavirus infections. This application uses the smartphone's proximity communication function (Bluetooth), with the consent of the user himself, to ensure privacy so that they do not know each other. The user will receive the notification that they have come into contact with a person who is positive for the new coronavirus infection.

The Ministry of Health (01.06.2020) The Ministry of Health is launching the mobile application for notification of exposure to this virus, called "Wiqaytna" available from June 1, 2020 for download on Google Play, App store, and on www.wiqaytna.ma .

"Wiqaytna", based on Bluetooth technology and whose use is voluntary, notifies its users in the event of prolonged physical proximity with another user who is positive for Coronavirus in the last 21 days after contact. Following this notification, the teams of the Ministry of Health carry out an assessment of the risk of exposure, and come into contact with the notified case if necessary.

The Ministry of Health (30.03.2020) The Ministry of Health is launching its digital community platform for health professionals from both the public and private sectors "Sante connect": This new application, available on Android and IOS, aims to create a new dynamic of strictly channeled communication with health professionals, with a view to allowing them real-time access to news and medical training.

livemint (26.06.2020) The development comes against the backdrop of the migrant issue and labour rights coming in the spotlight in the last three months. Bihar, which goes to polls later this year, was the first to demand passage of the Bill

swissinfo (25.06.2020) A contact tracing app is now available in Switzerland for newer smartphones to help tackle Covid-19.

If a person tests positive for coronavirus, everyone with whom that person was in contact in previous days – within two metres and for more than 15 minutes – is alerted via the app to isolate themselves and get tested.

SwissCovid was developed by the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology in Lausanne and Zurich. Smartphones use Bluetooth technology to communicate with each another anonymously. The system is decentralised with contacts and data stored on devices rather than on an external server. It is the first in the world to use the OS updates from Apple and Google.

https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home/krankheiten/ausbrueche-epidemien-pandemien/aktuelle-ausbrueche-epidemien/novel-cov/swisscovid-app-und-contact-tracing.html

Skatturinn - skattar og gjöld (12.06.2020) An application for a grant has been opened in accordance with Act no. 38/2020 . The operators that were made to cease their activities according to the Minister of Health's announcement of restrictions on epidemics can apply for closure grants.

 If the applicant for a closing grant is a company (legal entity), the proprietor logs on to his service page and thus enters the company's area. A self-employed person enters the application through their own service page.

The amount of closing grants shall be equal to the operating costs of the operator during the period 24 March to 3 May 2020, though never exceeding ISK 800,000 per employee who worked for the operator in February 2020, and a maximum of ISK 2.4 million per operator.

An application for a closing grant must be received no later than September 1, 2020.

Ministry of Health (28.05.2020) The health authority aims to ensure that citizens have access to counseling and guidance on the health system through an online chat on www.heilsuvera.is every day of the week from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Minister of Health has accepted the Agency's proposal in this regard and has decided to grant ISK 30 million on an annual basis for the project for two years.

The Internet chat facility has long been open for 4 - 8 hours a day, but when the first person was diagnosed with COVID-19 in this country, the healthcare managers decided to have the Internet chat open from 9 a.m. - 10 p.m. every day of the week. In March 2020, users had a high number of 16,000 interactions with nurses through the Internet chat, and 93% of users expressed satisfaction with the service.

The Guardian (25.06.2020) US Government Accountability Office said almost 1.1 million dead people received payments of about $1,200 each

Labor (28.04.2020) The option for full time workers to move to part-time with government support will be extended to 31 August, from its original finish date on 1 June. The livelihoods of tens of thousands of employees have been protected since this support measure took effect, but the economic outlook has changed markedly in the month or so. The part-time option allows employees to reduce their hours or salary to as low as 25%, or 50% from July onwards, and top up their earnings with support from the Government. An application must be filed for an extension, and the requirements for participation will be reviewed. 

Labor Insurance Bureau of the Ministry of Labor (11.03.2020) From April 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020, the insured (withdrawn) unit and professional workers meet one of the conditions may apply to the Bureau for deferred payment of labor, insurance premiums and labor pension. The insurance premium and labor retirement pension of 6 months of labor from February 2020 to July 2020 from the expiration date of the grace (limitation) period may be postponed for half a year. No late fees will be levied during this period.

The Directorate of Labor (27.04.2020) The Directorate of Labor handles the implementation of the Act on Temporary Payments for Persons Affected with Quarantine. The Act applies to payments to employers who have paid employees who are quarantined salaries during the period from February 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020. Employees who have quarantined but have not been paid by their employer can also apply for payments under the Act. In addition, self-employed persons can apply for the payments. Applications for quarantine payments were opened on 5 May 2020. The applications must be received by the Directorate of Labor before 31 December 2020. 

Labor Insurance Bureau of the Ministry of Labor (20.04.2020) The subsidy is paid to self-employed workers with nationality of the Republic of China or workers without a certain employer whose income is affected due to the impact of the epidemic in order to maintain their living needs. Each person will receive a subsidy of 10,000 yuan per month, which will be paid for three months at a time, totaling 30,000 yuan. Those who meet the application qualifications should apply to their professional trade unions from April 20, 2020 to May 22, 2020.

Social Insurance Institution (21.06.2020) In context of the improvement in life rates in Kuwait and the decrease in death rates due to the development of health care, the Kuwaiti National Assembly approved a draft law amending some provisions of the Social Insurance Law related to the replacement system, whereby the tables of the replacement value were modified so that the insured and the pensioners could obtain higher replacement values ​​than before.

Social Insurance Institution (19.04.2020) The General Organization for Social Insurance announced that it has implemented the decision to postpone some of the amounts due according to the Social Insurance Law for a period of six months from 1 April 2020. The amounts of the deferred contributions will be paid on 24 months starting from October 2020.

mtss.gob.cu (03.06.2020) La Ministra de Trabajo y Seguridad Social puntualizó que, como ha informado el Ministerio de Finanzas y Precios (MFP), los trabajadores autónomos se acogen a varios beneficios entre los que sobresalen la prórroga del registro de contribuyentes, el aplazamiento del pago de tributos y la suspensión del pago de los tributos de los trabajadores contratados. Estas medidas se dijo inicialmente que serían válidas hasta el 30 de abril y luego hasta el 30 de mayo. Se aclaró por el MFP que estas medidas se mantienen mientras dure la situación epidemiológica. Entre estas figuran la prórroga de trámites ante el registro de contribuyentes, aplazamiento del pago de tributos, eximir del pago de los impuestos y de la cuota tributaria mensual.

mtss.gob.cu (03.06.2020) Las medidas de protección laboral y salarial implementadas ante la situación epidemiológica provocada por la COVID-19 en el país se mantendrán, informó Marta Elena Feitó Cabrera, ministra de Trabajo y Seguridad Social, al intervenir este martes en el espacio televisivo de la Mesa Redonda.

Reiteró que la garantía salarial es del 100% del salario básico el primer mes y del 60% a partir del segundo mes.

Destacó que el trabajo a distancia es una modalidad que llegó para quedarse, bajo la cual laboran actualmente 627 mil 855 trabajadores. 

theguardian.com (06.05.2020) Now, as the world grapples with another era-shaping catastrophe, Cuban doctors and nurses are on the ground once again, only this time in a less common location: Europe.

Today, an estimated 28,000 Cuban medical professionals ply their trade overseas, primarily in the developing world.

“Yes, of course there are big human rights problems in Cuba – there have been since the start [of the revolution] and there are still problems.

“But whatever their intentions are, and whatever they gain from those programmes, we need to recognise that they are doing a good job … It is having an impact,” said Panichelli-Batalla, who has interviewed Cuban medical workers who have served in countries including Guatemala, Ethiopia, East Timor, Ghana, Brazil and Tanzania.

“The work they do there is valued by the local people, it is valued by the local governments and it does make a difference.”

socialsecurity.gov.ag (19.05.2020) The Antigua & Barbuda Social Security Board wishes to advise the general public that its Registration Unit is opened. Registration is by appointment only. Our registration forms for employees, employers and self-employed persons can be accessed via our website.

National Insurance Institute of Israel (23.06.2020) National Insurance Institute have automatically extended the eligibility period of benefits recipients temporarily: The eligible recipients includes recipients of long-term care benefits, recipients of disability pension, disabled child benefit and attendance benefits, recipients of a work disability pension, and recipients of hostile actions casualty benefit. Extended duration differs depending on the types of benefits.