Government.se (27.05.2020) The Government is investing to assist the green industries in the absence of foreign seasonal workers. SEK 11 million is being invested to facilitate the matching of unemployed people to the green industries.

The horticulture and forestry industries are experiencing acute difficulties recruiting seasonal staff for work such as planting, greenhouse work and harvesting. The situation has been caused by travel restrictions for seasonal workers related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

moldpres.md (21.04.2020)

Under these circumstances, the Government's priority was and remains the full payment of the established pensions and social benefits. In the context of the establishment of the state of emergency on the territory of the Republic of Moldova, the Law on the State Social Insurance Budget for 2020 was amended by specifying the incomes and expenditures, in order to carry out the measures laid down and to ensure the non-disturbance of the insurance process with social payments for the beneficiaries. The implementation of the mentioned measures imposed the extension of the expenditures over the limits of the budgetary-fiscal legislation.

moldpres.md (21.04.2020)

There has been an increase in the amount of unemployment benefit by almost 55% and the extension of eligibility criteria for unemployment benefits. The large number of labour migrants returned to the country after losing their jobs abroad will be automatically entitled to this social allowance. In the circumstances of an emergency, the unemployment benefit is also granted to patent holders and self-employed individuals in the retail trade sector.

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (11.06.2020) The commuting and relocation allowance will be temporarily available to persons who work full-time and whose daily commute at the start of employment takes at least two hours instead of the three hours currently required. The allowance can also be paid to persons who move because of a job a distance comparable to the daily commuting requirement. 

The aim is to increase regional mobility to help people find full-time work. The amendment applies to both seasonal work in agricultural and horticultural enterprises and other full-time work. 

The legislative amendments will be in force from 12 June to 31 October 2020. 

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (11.06.2020) The exempt amount of the unemployment benefit will be temporarily raised from the current EUR 300 to EUR 500 per month (i.e., from EUR 279 to EUR 465 per four calendar weeks). The exempt amount means the amount unemployed jobseekers can earn without an effect on their unemployment benefit.

The aim is provide financial support to help people find part-time work or other short-term work in agriculture and horticulture enterprises or elsewhere. Moreover, the raised exempt amount will also apply to income from self-employment and unemployed jobseekers who already receive adjusted unemployment benefit. 

The legislative amendments will be in force from 12 June to 31 October 2020. The raised exempt amount of the unemployment security will be applied when paying unemployment benefit for the application period starting on or after 1 June 2020.

moldpres.md (24.04.2020)

The Government committed to the establishment of additional measures to support
citizens and business activity during the emergency. among those,  the increase of expenses for the implementation of support measures during the state of emergency of disadvantaged families through the Social Assistance Program, as the increase of the minimum guaranteed monthly income to 1,300 lei and the increase of the minimum guaranteed monthly income for children from 50% to 75%.

elperuano.pe (08.05.2020)

On May 8, Peru implemented new rules allowing participants in the country's mandatory individual account program (Sistema Privado de Pensiones, or SPP) to make one-time early withdrawals from their accounts during the COVID-19 pandemic. The allowed withdrawal amount depends on a participant's account balance.

Other key details of the special one-time withdrawal include:
- Request deadline: A participant has 60 calendar days from May 18 to submit a withdrawal request to the AFP that administers his or her individual account.
- Minimum and maximum withdrawal amounts: The minimum withdrawal amount is 1 reference tax unit (Unidad Impositiva Tributaria, or UIT; 1 UIT is currently equal to 4,300 soles [US$1,278.37]) or 100 percent of the account balance, whichever is less. The maximum withdrawal amount is equal to 3 UITs (12,900 soles [US$3,835.11]).
- Payment schedule: After a participant submits a withdrawal request, his or her AFP must release the funds in two payments within a specified timeframe: the first payment must be issued within 10 calendar days of receiving the withdrawal request, and the second payment (if one is allowed) must be issued within the following 30 calendar days.

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (12.06.2020) The maximum daily amount per capita of employment adjustment subsidy is increased from 8.330 yen to 15,000 yen. In addition, the subsidy rate for small and medium-sized enterprises that tried to maintain employment without dismissing employees is increased from 9/10 to 10/10. 

During the emergency response period from April 1st to September 30th, special measures for employment adjustment subsidies will be implemented nationwide for business owners of all industries.

Canada.ca (16.06.2020) We are temporarily extending GIS and Allowance payments if seniors’ 2019 income information has not been assessed. This will ensure that the most vulnerable seniors continue to receive their benefits when they need them the most. To avoid an interruption in benefits, seniors are encouraged to submit their 2019 income information as soon as possible and no later than by October 1, 2020.

Canada.ca (06.06.2020) 

We are providing a one-time tax-free payment of $300 for seniors eligible for the Old Age Security (OAS) pension, with an additional $200 for seniors eligible for the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS).

This measure would give a total of $500 to individuals who are eligible to receive both the OAS and the GIS, and will help them cover increased costs caused by COVID-19.

You do not have to apply. This payment will be issued during the week of July 6.

Canada.ca (01.06.2020) We are providing a special one-time-tax payment to individuals who are certificate holders of the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) as of June 1, 2020, as follows:

• $600 for Canadians with a valid DTC certificate. 

• $300 for Canadians with a valid DTC certificate and who are eligible for the Old Age Security (OAS) pension.

• $100 for Canadians with a valid DTC certificate and who are eligible for the OAS pension and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS).

People who are eligible for this special payment will receive it automatically.

Canada.ca (06.06.2020) The Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, announced an additional $1.1 million in funding to support national disability organizations through the Social Development Partnership Program - Disability Component to enhance their communications and engagement activities to better address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on persons with disabilities.

Supporting the disability community to maintain communications and engagement during the pandemic will allow organizations to create a barrier-free, multi-lingual experience for persons with disabilities and ensure they receive accessible and relevant information to support them during this time.

Pensionikeskus (16.04.2020) From 1 July 2020 to 31 August 2021, the state will suspend the employer contributions to the second-pillar funded pension from social tax (4% of salary) . In addition, upon request, employee contributions (2%) can be suspended from December 1, 2020, through August 31, 2021.

The Globe and Mail (16.06.2020) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it is time to find ways to better protect migrant farm workers who are essential to Canada’s food system but have been hard hit by the pandemic because of overcrowded housing, unsafe working conditions and precarious immigration status. At his daily briefing Tuesday, Mr. Trudeau said he has personally reassured Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador that Ottawa is working to contain outbreaks at Canadian farms, where hundreds of migrant workers have tested positive for COVID-19. In Ontario alone, more than 600 foreign agriculture labourers have been infected. Two men from Mexico, aged 24 and 31, have died. “We know that there are many issues – from living conditions, to the fact that they’re tied individually to particular companies or employers, to various challenges around labour standards – that require looking at,” Mr. Trudeau said. “We could also look at pathways to citizenship that could give people more rights. … We should always take advantage of moments of crisis to reflect: Can we change the system to do better?"

Article provided by the National Pension Service of Korea (NPS) 
This article analyze the measures taken to overcome the COVID19 pandemic via preemptive crisis management system and inter-organizational cooperation

Hindustan Times (11.06.2020) Stronger social protection led by an inclusive growth dividend will protect the vulnerable and drive India’s economic recovery

Project Syndicate (08.06.2020) During the initial shock from COVID-19, it was understandable that governments and central banks would respond with massive injections of liquidity. But now policymakers need to take a step back and consider which forms of stimulus are really needed, and which risk doing more harm than good.

Center For Global Development (05.06.2020) The COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the need for a universal and portable social protection system that can uniquely verify people and deliver benefits efficiently and at scale. With few exceptions, most developing countries have a patchwork of social assistance programs that are targeted and delivered to its beneficiaries. In most cases, the programs are not portable, meaning those who live and work in a place other than where they are registered—like many who have migrated domestically for work—are unable to access benefits. As a result, strict lockdowns enforced to contain the spread of the coronavirus have resulted in distress and tragedy at a scale rarely seen before, especially for urban migrants. This has led to calls for a better, more flexible system of social transfers that can quickly identify and deliver relief to those who fall through the cracks, including the ‘new poor’ who have lost their livelihood as a result to the pandemic response.  

workandincome.govt.nz (25.05.2020) On 25 May 2020, the Government announced a new temporary payment to support New Zealanders who lose their jobs due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, to adjust and find new employment, or to retrain in a different area. This payment will be available for 12 weeks from 8 June to anyone who has lost their job  (including self-employment)  due to the impact of COVID-19 since March 1st. It will pay $490 per week to those who lost full-time work and $250 per week for those who lost part-time work.

L'un des cas les plus emblémamtiques de la fraude au détachement européen dans le secteur agricole. Pour la seule période de 2012 à 2015, celle retenue par la procédure pénale, c'est un peu plus de 112 millions d'euros de cotisations qui auraient échappé à la Sécurité sociale, selon l'accusation, grâce à un système parfaitement huilé consistant à "jouer sur des conflits d'interprétation entre notre législation nationale et le droit communautaire", a analysé Béatrice Mesini, chercheuse au CNRS. "Cette affaire hors norme est celle qui présente les enjeux financiers les plus importants de l'histoire judiciaire en matière de fraude. Elle est donc particulièrement attendue et suivie", en salivait d'avance Me Jean-Victor Borel, l'avocat de l'Urssaf Paca interrogé début avril par Le Monde.

revista.seg-social.es (09.06.2020) La Seguridad Social en España cuenta con un assistente virtual, ISSA (Inteligencia Artificial+ Seguridad Social) con información sobre el recién aprobado Ingreso Mínimo Vital, que se podrá solicitar a partir del próximo 15 de junio, donde encontrará respuesta a cuestiones como los requisitos, la documentación, el proceso de solicitud o la cuantía. Desde esta ventana podrá preguntar, entre otras muchas cosas, cómo solicitar la pensión de jubilación o cualquiera de las prestaciones del Sistema como la de nacimiento y cuidado del menor; qué requisitos tiene que cumplir para acceder a las mismas; cómo pedir su vida laboral, darse de alta como autónomo, tramitar el alta de una empleada de hogar y, mientras dure el estado de alarma por la COVID-19, cómo hacerlo si las oficinas están cerradas. Este asistente permite mantener conversaciones y ofrecer respuestas con información oficial y de confianza en materia de Seguridad Social. Los ciudadanos tan solo deben formular sus consultas utilizando sus propias palabras.

businesstoday.in (05.06.2020) "Prioritising the needs of the poor and vulnerable will have to receive the highest priority with respect to digital initiatives," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said.