Ministry of Labour Barbados (16.07.2020) Government’s Employability Project fits well within the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) policy framework, says ILO Deputy Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Claudia Coenjaerts. Addressing the launch of the Employability Project, on Wednesday, Ms. Coenjaerts pointed out that the ILO policy framework to tackle the COVID-19 crisis was based on international labour standards and aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

National Insurance Board Bahamas (02.11.2020) The National Insurance Board has extended the Unemployment Programme effective October 1, 2020. This second extension impacts those individuals who remain unemployed after the completion of the first 13 weeks extension and runs until 31st December, 2020. This second extension programme pays at $100 per week, every 2 weeks. Unlike the previous NIB unemployment programme, you will still be eligible for partial assistance even if you work for part of the week.

Prishtina Insight (27.12.2020) A 30 million euro fund was launched to provide financial support for workers finding themselves unemployed due to the pandemic. Three monthly payments of up to 300 euros were made available for workers who can document that they lost their jobs between February 29 and December 30. 

Social Security Admninistation (31.01.2021) As part of its efforts to provide relief to individuals and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Kosovo enacted a law on December 7 that allows participants of the country's mandatory individual account pension program to withdraw up to 10 percent of their account balances. According to the law outlining the package, withdrawals from all individuals with savings under 9,999 euros will be reimbursed by the Government from 2023 onwards.

Government of Andorra (23.12.2020) The Minister of Health, Joan Martínez Benazet, announced on Wednesday that the Government will offer a second free antigen self-test to all residents of the country over the age of 6: “it was a measure we had already planned but we needed more stock to be able to carry it out ”. In this sense, the holder of the portfolio has indicated that during this Wednesday they will be made available to the commons in the coming days so that they can distribute them with the operations that have been organized from the corporations.

Advantia (06.05.2020) In the case of the contributions of salaried persons, the government and the company proportionally assume the employer's part of the contribution of the general branch. Discharges due to isolation or diagnosis due to COVID-19 are covered with 100% of salary from the first day in the case of health personnel, and 66% from the first day in the case of other professionals.

Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment (01.12.2020) The Morrison Government will provide a one-off payment to assist travel agents in recognition that many continue "to work hard processing consumer refunds, whilst unable to trade due to the COVID-19 pandemic". 

Under the $128 million scheme, eligible travel agents with a turnover of between $50,000 and $20 million a year will be able to apply for the one off payment.

U.S. Department of the Treasury (January 2021) The Paycheck Protection Program established by the CARES Act, is implemented by the Small Business Administration with support from the Department of the Treasury.  This program provides small businesses with funds to pay up to 8 weeks of payroll costs including benefits. Funds can also be used to pay interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The Paycheck Protection Program prioritizes millions of Americans employed by small businesses by authorizing up to $659 billion toward job retention and certain other expenses.

U.S. Department of the Treasury (January 2021) The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 authorized additional payments of up to $600 per adult and up to $600 for each qualifying child. In general, individuals with adjusted gross income of up to $75,000 (or $150,000 for joint filers or surviving spouses) will receive the full amount of the second payment.  For filers whose adjusted gross income exceeds these amounts, the payment is reduced.

El Diario (26.01.2021) With the extension of the ERTEs until May 31st, companies will maintain high exemptions in the different ERTE modalities, which even reach 100% in some cases. For the 'ultra-protected' sectors and their dependent companies and their value chain, the savings in the Social Security contribution is 85% for companies with less than 50 workers and 75% for those with more than that level of staff, both for reinstated and suspended employees.