policyoptions.irpp.org (10.08.2021) COVID revealed the shortcomings of Employment Insurance and income-support programs. As the economy rebuilds, now’s the time to examine the system.
Volvo Cars is opting in its 40,000+ employees around the globe, in all plants and offices, into a new all-gender, paid parental leave policy as of April 1, 2021. The ‘Family Bond’ policy will give all employees with at least one year’s service a total of 24 weeks of leave at 80 per cent of their base pay by default. The policy applies to either parent and the leave can be taken anytime within the three first years of parenthood.
Inventiva (20.07.2021) India’s pandemic crisis has had its heart-rending consequences on millions of people across informal sectors.
Pension Policy International (19.07.2021) Spain will pay workers to postpone retirement as part of a pensions reform strategy that analysts warn does not go far enough to cut a huge deficit in the system.
ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights - JAKARTA – As COVID-19 cases surge in Thailand and Malaysia, as well as elsewhere in the region, Southeast Asian lawmakers urge these governments to take more inclusive measures to protect everyone without discrimination, regardless of their migration status, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) said today. “While we are all affected by the pandemic, governments are excluding migrant workers from their social and public health policies in their response, leaving them behind and struggling to survive.
The Economic Times (15.07.2021) The labour ministers of five BRICS nations -Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa on Thursday, said the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the efforts made in the past to address unemployment, decent work deficits and inequality. “Discussion on four priority areas of cooperation took place namely, promoting social security agreements amongst BRICS nations; formalisation of labour markets; participation of women in the labour force; and gig and platform workers’ role in the labour market,” it said in a statement.
European Commission (06.07.2021) This review provides an up-to-date economic analysis of the steps the European Union (EU) is taking towards a strong social Europe, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis. This ESDE report shows that the social impact of the COVID-19 crisis has been uneven and diverse. Regional inequalities that already existed before the pandemic may have widened, according to the review.
Times of India (06.07.2021) Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday launched a scheme and an online portal to provide financial assistance to families who lost their loved ones to Covid-19 and asked officials not to find faults in their claim applications. Under the 'Mukhyamantri Covid-19 Pariwar Aarthik Sahayata Yojana', Rs 50,000 ex-gratia will be given to every family that lost a member to Covid-19 and an additional Rs 2,500 per month will be given if the deceased was the sole breadwinner.
Pension Policy International (09.07.2021) Germany’s basic pension scheme kicks off this July Shortly before the federal election in September, Germany’s coalition government is finally delivering on its promise to top-up insubstantial pension benefits to ensure a basic standard of living for all retirees who have contributed to the social security system. Under the new system, anyone who has contributed towards a German pension for at least 33 years will qualify for a basic pension. This includes not just time spent working, but also time taken out to raise a family or care for a relative.
oecd.org (March 2021) The COVID-19 pandemic has created new challenges for many families: in addition to health and economic issues, policy measures such as lockdowns, school closures and teleworking from home out considerable stress on families.
