Employees who are members of their business’s social insurance scheme may be eligible to receive about 500,000 kip as part of measures to help people affected by the Covid-19 outbreak, provided by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF). Of the 170,000 members, close to 80,000 will benefit from this scheme through June.

The businesses particularly affected by closure under the current lockdown are processing and garment factories, construction material manufacturers, restaurants and shops, as well as businesses inside and outside of special and specific economic zones.
The NSSF will pay compensation to people who have become unemployed includ-ing those working for garment factories, paying them for a two month period in May and June.

However, only members of business-related social insurance schemes will be able to receive compensation from the NSSF. The policy does not cover people who are members of the state social insurance organisation because the government pays them a monthly salary, Mr Padeumphone said.