National Insurance Institute (13.05.2020) Adjustment grant to the 67-year-old and older: Those who have reached the age of 67 and who is fired or whose employer issued it to the USSR in March, April or May 2020 following the Corona crisis may be eligible for grants if he meets the eligibility conditions. The amount of the grant is determined by your income from retirement pension. The maximum amount is NIS 2,000 for March, and  NIS 4,000 for April and May.

The Financial Express (24.04.2020) NPS withdrawal for COVID-19: In view of hardships faced by people due to Coronavirus pandemic, the Pension Fund Regulatory Development Authority of India (PFRDA) has allowed account holders to make partial withdrawals from the National Pension System (NPS).

“In view of the decision of Government of India, which has declared COVID-19 as a pandemic, It has been decided to declare “COVID-19” as a critical illness which is life-threatening in nature. Hence, in view of the above, the partial withdrawals shall be permitted to fulfil financial needs of the subscribers."

The partial withdrawal can be made for a maximum of three times during the entire tenure of subscription.

The Financial Express (27.03.2020) National Social Assistance Program: The Union government will provide three months' pension in advance to the poor senior citizens, widows and persons with disabilities in first week of April. The program is run by the Union Rural Development Ministry. Apart from the above, an ex gratia amount of Rs 1,000 over the next three months will be given in two instalments to these beneficiaries, according to the announcement by Finance Minister.

KPMG Global (04.05.2020) Modified social security contribution rules shall be applied for the period of March-June 2020 to the specified sectors (Hospitality and tourism; Entertainment, film industry, performing arts; Sports services; Event organization; Gambling).

• Employers will not be liable to pay their part of social security contributions (17.5%+1.5%) with respect to employment income provided by them in the March-June 2020 period, from 1 July this rate will be set at 15.5%.
• Employees will only be liable to pay 4% healthcare social security contribution on the employment income received in the March-June 2020 period, instead of the aggregated 18.5% social security contribution. Nevertheless, the upper limit of the above healthcare social security contribution will be HUF 7,710/month.

Fin­nish Cent­re for Pen­sions (06.04.2020) Emplo­yers’ ear­nings-re­la­ted pen­sion cont­ri­bu­tions have been tem­po­ra­ri­ly lowe­red by around 2% (until the end of the year). This mea­su­re is fi­nanced by cut­ting into the EMU buf­fer (to a value of €900 mil­lion). Busi­nes­ses whose ope­ra­tions have stop­ped comple­te­ly due to the epi­de­mic can post­po­ne the pay­ment of their ear­nings-re­la­ted pen­sion cont­ri­bu­tions by three months at the most. The above mea­su­res will re­duce the cont­ri­bu­tion inco­me of pen­sion pro­vi­ders in 2020 by an es­ti­ma­ted one bil­lion euros. The loss will be com­pen­sa­ted by rai­sing the emplo­yer cont­ri­bu­tions in 2022–2025.

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (08.05.2020) Based on a temporary amendment, unemployment benefit can be paid without a decision, as an advance payment, for a period of six months instead of the current period of two months. The President of the Republic approved the act on temporary derogations from the Unemployment Security Act due to the coronavirus epidemic. The act will enter into force on 11 May 2020 and it will remain in force until 31 October 2020.

gub.uy (19.03.2020)

El Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas (MEF) anunció que aplazará el vencimiento de pagos de BPS y la DGI. Los aportes patronales al BPS con vencimientos en marzo y abril de los monotributistas, las unipersonales y las sociedades personales con hasta 10 empleados podrán ser abonados en un 60% en junio. El 40% restante será subsidiado totalmente por el Estado, según anunció la ministra Arbeleche.

thenews.com.pk (05.04..2020) The Ehsaas Emergency Cash Program will help 12 million families by providing them financial assistance of Rs. 12,000 per family and the total budget approved for this initiative is Rs. 144 billion. The Kifalat beneficiaries, who were being given Rs2,000 per month, will be provided an additional Rs1,000.
Deserving families will be given Rs12,000 cash after biometric verification through 18,065 sale points or retail shops of Habib Bank Limited and Bank Al-Falah across the country.
The programme was aimed at providing relief to four million people across the country. People can check whether they are eligible to apply for the programme by sending an SMS. In reply, they will be told how to collect the money if they fulfill the criteria set by the government to determine who can be classified as a deserving person.
The beneficiaries of this programme will be thoroughly scrutinized by making use of mechanisms such as data analytics, wealth profiling, average monthly bills, travelling history etc.

gov.uk (01.03.2020)

As part of the new job retention program (Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme), the government will provide 80% of employer contributions to employees with temporary paid leave under the country ’s automatically registered occupational pension plan. (Government contribution is based on a minimum contribution rate of 3%, and monthly income does not exceed £ 2,500 (US $ 3,090.66).) The plan took effect on March 1 and is expected to be implemented for four months. In addition, employers who are contributing above the minimum contribution rate may, under certain conditions, temporarily reduce their contribution rate for these employees to the minimum rate without consultation.

Willis Towers Watson (18.03.2020) Employer social security contributions for retirement pensions, workers compensation, unemployment and health (including maternity) benefits are reduced. The extent and duration of the measures depend on the province, autonomous region or municipality, and size of the employer’s workforce.
For retirement pensions, workers compensation and unemployment benefits:

• All provinces except Hubei province, autonomous regions and municipalities:
  • Small to medium employers are exempt from paying social security contributions for the five-month period between February and June 2020.
  • Large employers may reduce their social security contributions by 50% for the three-month period between February and April 2020.

For health (including maternity) benefits, all employers, regardless of location or size, may reduce their social security health contributions by 50% for the five-month period between February and June 2020 provided that local social security medical funds can afford at least six months of medical expense payments.

Furthermore, all employers, regardless of location or size, experiencing “severe difficulties” in terms of production and operation due to the COVID-19 epidemic may request a six-month deferral in the payment of their social security contributions without incurring any penalties for late payment.

Australian Taxation Office (04.05.2020) COVID-19 – early release of superannuation: Individuals financially affected by COVID-19 can access some of their superannuation early. The withdrawal is tax free. 

Eligible Australian and New Zealand citizens and permanent residents are able to apply to access up to:

• $10,000 of their super until 30 June 2020
• a further $10,000 from 1 July 2020 until 24 September 2020.

To apply for early release, you must be unemployed or satisfy one of the requirements.

Eligible temporary residents are able to apply to access up to $10,000 of their super until 30 June 2020.

Services Australia (08.05.2020) Economic Support Payment: The first Economic Support Payment is a one-off payment of $750. You’ll get it if you were living in Australia between 12 March 2020 and 13 April 2020 and either:

• were on an eligible payment (Age Pension, Bereavement Allowance, JobSeeker Payment, Sickness Allowance, etc.)
• had an eligible concession card.

The second Economic Support Payment is also $750. You may get it if you get an eligible payment or have an eligible concession card on 10 July 2020. We’ll pay this in July 2020.

Government of Bermuda (03.04.2020) Unemployment Benefit is newly established and administered through the Department of Workforce Development. The Covid – 19 Unemployment Benefit is for full-time (more than 15 hours per week) employees not currently on Financial Assistance and provides a payment of 60% of their weekly gross salary up to a maximum of $500 per week. The benefit is for a maximum of 12 weeks in total per employee from the date of application.

jordantimes.com (19.03.2020)

Private-sector employers can choose to suspend employer and employee contributions to the country's old-age pension program for 3 months starting in March. In the case where firms will choose to do so, they will only pay 5.25% as contribution rate, instead of 21.75%. Employers who choose not to do so may instead defer their contributions for this 3-month period and pay them over a period extending to the end of 2023 with no interest.

jerseylaw.je (04.04.2020)
Social security contributions for the first 2 quarters of 2020 (those due in April and July) will be automatically deferred by 12 months for employers with less than 80 employees and self-employed persons. (Employers with 80 or more employees who can demonstrate that they have been severely affected by the crisis may request a deferral.)

National Employment Agency (10.04.2020) According to the provisions of Provision no. 16 of April 10, 2020 of the Commission for Exceptional Situations of the Republic of Moldova, unemployed persons, including those returning from abroad, may apply for monthly unemployment benefit in the amount of 2775 lei (point 11).

firstpost.com (11.05.2020) COVID-19 is far more than a health crisis. The economic crisis--a severe fallout of the virus--is grim, and much grimmer for developing countries like India. The pandemic has already exposed the health vulnerabilities facing India, especially its rural poor, and urban slum dwellers.

antiguaobserver.com (28.03.2020) PM Gaston Browne announced that relief packages will be made available to single-parent and no-income households.

cubatel.com (30.04.2020) Se pagará una estimulación a aquellos trabajadores que laboran en los 31 hospitales dispuestos en Cuba para la atención a pacientes de coronavirus. Se trata de los asistentes integrales de salud y los equipos de lavandería. Estas personas recibirán un pago mensual extra del 250 pesos cubanos.

tvavila.icrt.cu (16.04.2020) Los trabajadores por cuenta propia que no han podido mantener su negocio o resultan más vulnerables a la COVID-19, son beneficiados por la asistencia social en Cuba, anunció hoy Marta Elena Feitó Cabrera, ministra de Trabajo y Seguridad Social.

mtss.gob.cu (30.04.2020) Se prorrogan por un plazo de 6 meses, el término de vigencia de las prestaciones familiares con carácter temporal establecidas bajo el artículo 272 del decreto no. 283 del Consejo de Ministros.

mtss.gob.cu (30.04.2020) La madre, padre o tutor que tengan condición de trabajadores y estén encargados del cuidado del menor al que se le haya suspendido la escuela primaria y especial, reciben durante el primer mes una garantía salarila equivalente al 100% de su salario básico; subsecuentemente, la compensación será del 60%. Esto también aplica a padres y tutores que hayan decidido no llevar a sus hijos a los Círculos Infantiles o a cuidadores particulares, aún cuando estos centros no hayan sido cerrados.

mtss.gob.cu (30.04.2020) Los trabajadores que no pueden continuar desempeñando su trabajo debido a los cambios actuales, deben ser reubicados en otros trabajos teniendo en cuenta las necesidades actuales del territorio, como la producción de alimentos y en el cuidado de personas en situación de vulnerabilidad. Aquellos que no aceptan una reubicación sin una buena causa, no recibirán salario, pero mantendrán la relación laboral. En caso la reubicación no sea posible por otras razones, el trabajador recibirá 100% de su salario básico el primer mes, y 60% del mismo a partir del segundo mes mientras dure la paralización.

mtss.gob.cu (30.04.2020) Como medida preventiva, el Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social declaró que los adultos mayores en condición de fragilidad, y otros trabajadores en situación de salud frágil, no seguirán laborando. En estos casos los trabajadores seguirán devengando el 100% de su salario básico el primer mes, y 60% a partir del segundo mes mientras durante el período del confinamiento.

argentina.gob.ar (10.03.2020) En el marco del fortalecimiento de la respuesta del país ante el avance del nuevo coronavirus, el Gobierno nacional anunció la creación de un fondo especial de 1.700 millones de pesos destinados a la adquisición de equipamiento de laboratorio y de hospitales, con el objetivo de reforzar los elementos necesarios para hacer frente a la evolución de la situación epidemiológica del COVID-19 en Argentina.