cnbc.com (16.03.2020) Economy Minister Roberto Gualtieri said the new measures would be approved next month. Monday’s decree is immediately effective and provides 3.5 billion euros ($3.9 billion) to help the hard-pressed health service and 10 billion to support families and workers, ministers said. It extends parental leave, offers funds to families to pay for babysitters, and suspends all firing procedures begun after Feb. 23. Gualtieri has said several times that “nobody must lose their job because of coronavirus.”

timesofindia.indiatimes.com (27.03.2020) NEW DELHI: The government on Thursday announced a Rs 1.7 lakh crore package focused on emergency cash transfers into bank accounts of the poor, along with providing free foodgrains, pulses and cooking gas for three months in a bid to cushion them from the impact of the coronavirus lockdown and economic disruption caused by the disease. 

thenewsminute.com (13.03.2020)

In a gesture of goodwill, the Kerala government has started measures to deliver ingredients for mid-day meals to over three lakh children studying in anganwadis, which have been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is to ensure the undisrupted supply of meals to the students. Since Tuesday, schools, colleges, educational institutions and anganwadis have been shuttered. Exams are being conducted for students in high school. The decision to continue mid-day meals for anganwadi children has come as a relief to many.

 The Globe and Mail (26.03.2020) The federal government is drafting mandatory, national standards to protect the health and safety of workers during the coronavirus pandemic. 

The Compensation Commissioner has clarifoed that COVID-19 will be recognized as an occupatioal disease if acquired by employees arising out of  employment through exposure to confirmed cases in the workplace or after an official work trip to a high risk country or area. To qualify for benefits from the Compensation Fund, the following criteria must be met:

ilo.org (25.03.2020) Governments must use the momentum created by the COVID-19 pandemic to make rapid progress toward collectively financed, comprehensive, and permanent social-protection systems.

thestatesman.com (24.03.2020)

Financial Times (25.03.2020) Disruptions caused by coronavirus have exposed the gaps in the welfare system

Eurofound (19.03.2020) The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is starting to have a serious impact on the world economy. The consequences for platform workers are especially severe in light of forced work stoppages due to self-isolation and lack of sick pay in many cases. Recent media coverage shows that platform workers in the transport sector (ride hailing and food delivery) are most affected, while professional services performed online (such as remote consultations with health professionals) could help to reduce the pressure on health systems.

canada.ca (25.03.2020)

Ottawa’s measures will reduce the amount Canadians will be mandated to withdraw by 25 per cent this year amid concerns seniors will be forced to sell assets into a heavily discounted market, thus reducing the potential long-term value of their retirement portfolios in the event of an equity market resurgence. The Canadian government said the measure would cost $495 million of its $82-billion economic response plan announced on Wednesday.