Social Protection and Jobs Responses to COVID-19: A Real-Time Review of Country Measures “Living paper” version 16 (February 2, 2022) Ugo Gentilini, Mohamed Almenfi, Hrishikesh TMM Iyengar, Yuko Okamura, John Austin Downes, Pamela Dale, Michael Weber, David Newhouse, Claudia Rodriguez Alas, Mareeha Kamran, Ingrid Veronica Mujica, Maria Belen Fontenez, Muhammad Ezzat, Sandra Asieduah, Vikesh Ramesh Mahboobani Martinez, Gonzalo Javier Reyes Hartley, Gustavo Demarco, Miglena Abels, Usama Zafar, Emilio Raul Urteaga, Giorgia Valleriani, Jimmy Vulembera Muhindo and Sheraz Aziz 1 Acknowledgments This team is grateful to Michal Rutkowski for his precious guidance. This version benefited enormously from contributions by Aysenur Acar, Aysenem Agabayeva, Hanan Ahli, Nazanin Akhgar, Haleem Hassan Kashkol Al-Kazali, Amel Allahoum, Andrew Allieu, Sulaiman Al Maazmi, Noora Al Qassi, Elena Andreeva, Colin Andrews, Edward Archibald, Temilade Aromolaran, Jehan Arulpragasam, Angela Elzir Assy, Ashiq Aziz, Indra Baatarkhuu, Reena Badiani-Magnusson, Yusuf Bafozoda, Sarah Bailey, Paul Bance, Anna Baranova, Mehdi Barouni, Roland Berenger Berehoudougou, Martina Bergthaller, Anush Bezhanyan, Sharon Corinne Benzoni, Mira Bierbaum, Gaston Mariano Blanco, Mark Blecher, Christian Bodewig, Stefanie Brodmann, Lucia Solbes Castro, Hugo Brousset Chaman, Carmen Burbano, Dimitriy Bychkov, Yoonyoung Cho, Tungalag Chuluun, Francesca Ciardi, Emmanuelle Collet, Sarah Coll- Black, Facundo Cuevas, Matthew Cummins, Pamela Dale, James Damon, Louise Moreira Daniel, Marie-Christina Dankmeyer, Benedicte Leroy De La Briere, Gustavo Demarco, Anastasiya Denisova, Malin Linnea Sofia Ed, Randa El-Rashidi, Gerardo Escaroz, Fatou Fall, Maliha Fanning, Olesia Feoktistova, Katharina Maria Fietz, Gabrielle Fox, Nicholas Freeland, Luis Frota, Carlos Galian, Jordi Jose Gallego-Ayala, Maria Concepcion Steta Gandara, Sara Giannozzi, Elena Glinskaya, Elisaveta Gouretskaia, Rebekka Grun, Sabina Guliyeva, Sibusiso Gumbi, Melis Guven, Courtney Hallink, Mahdi Halmi, Siddharth Hari, Lisa Hannigan, Gonzalo Javier Reyes Hartley, Abu Yadetta Hateu, Alessandra Heinemann, Sayaka Iha, Himanshi Jain, Guillaume Hingel, Johannes Hoenigl, Maddalena Honorati, Armenuhi Hovakimyan, Su Su Htay, Roberto Iacono, Adina-Maria Iorganda, Kumiko Imai, Buthaina al-Iryani, Aylin Isik- Dikmelik, Marijana Jasarevic, Mustafa Kadhim Mohammed, Amjad Zafar Khan, Alex Kamurase, Sandor Karacsony, Dmitri Karasyov, Abu Kargbo, Selma Kazic, Irina Kulenovic, Yasuhiro Kawasoe, Ayaba Gilberte Kedote, Nurzanty Khadijah, Qaiser Khan, Johannes Koettl, Julian Alexander Koschorke, Mona Korsgard, Adea Kryeziu, Varsha Kumar, Francesca Lamanna, Aleksandar Lazovski, Matthieu Lefebvre, Kook Hee Lee, Phillippe George Leite, Louisa Lippi, Edward Lloyd Evans, Ana Veronica Lopez, Christina Lowe, Mattias Lundberg, Vikesh Ramesh Mahboobani, Mattia Makovic, Iftikhar Malik, Alicia C. Marguerie, Jonathan Marskell, Ana Georgina Marin Espinosa, Alessandra Marini, Erica Mattellone, Erkin Mamadaliev , Shea McClanahan, Karla McEvoy, Cem Mete, Andrei Mikhnev, Steisianasari Mileiva, Natalia Millan, Emma Mistiaen, Anita Mittal, Khalid Ahmed Ali Moheyddeen, Miriam Montenegro, Matteo Morgandi, Harry Edmund Moroz, Emma Mercedes Monsalve Montiel, Ingrid Veronica Mujica, Mack Capehart Mulbah, Lindi Mzankomo, Martien Van Nieuwkoop, Desislava Enikova Nikolova, NIFI (Research Institute of Finance, Moscow), Nga Nguyet Nguyen, Noel Muller, Anthony Njage, Mongolmaa Norjinlkham, Marina Novikova, Marija Novkovic, Foluke Adetola Ojelabi, Yuko Okamura, Yulia Olenik, Vitorino Mello Oliveira, María Laura Oliveri, Ayanle Mohamed Omar, Junko Onishi, Ian Orton, Mirey Ovadiya, Efsan Nas Ozen, Clemente Avila Para, Truman Packard, Karuna Pal, Robert Palacios, Montserrat Pallares-Miralles, Ekaterina Pankratova, Ioanna Pantelaiou, Ana Pantelic, Jasmina Papa, Clemente Avila Parra, Kenia Parsons, Nathalie Pazmino, Luca Pellerano, Remy Pigois, Ariel Pino, Juul Pinxten, Lucian Bucur Pop, Aleksandra Posarac, Nadine Poupart, Ana Prodanovic, Pamela Pozarny, Yeqing Qu, Rodrigo Quintana, Mateo Enrique Prada Quintero, Lourdes Rivera, Nina Rosas Raffo, Amanina Binti Abdur Rahman, Zandile Portia Ratshitanga, F. Zehra Rizvi, Ruth Reyes Rodriguez, Luz Stella Rodriguez, Mba Minko Djekombe Rony, Pedro Rosas, Friederike Uta Rother, Solene Rougeaux, Monica Rubio, Mira Saidi, Manuel Salazar, Marijana Šalinović, Glayson dos Sonya Sampson, Gevorg Sargsyan Indhira Santos, Karin Schelzig, Achim Schmillen, Anita Schwarz, Sirma Demir Seker, Karin Seyfert, Maheshwor Shrestha, Ivan Shulga, Nuno Cunha Meira Simoes, Karan Singhal, Benjamin Kakule Sivasima, Charles Chilufya SJ, Andrius Skarnulis, Oleksiy A. Sluchynskyy, Danilo Smolovic, Rene Antonio Leon Solano, Tayana Charisse Oliveira de Souza, Tayllor Spadafora, Federico Spano, Maya Stern-Plaza, Victoria Strokova, Shalika H. Subasinghe, Anna Sukhova, Changqing Sun, Kalilou Sylla, Claudia Zambra Taibo, Caroline Tassot, Caroline Anne Isabelle Tassot, Emil Tesliuc, Mauro Testaverde, Samman Thapa, Stefan Thewissen, Andrei Tretyak, Julieta Trias, Dea Tusha, Fiona Stewart, Gulsana Turusbekova, Emre Uckardesler, Silas Udahemuka, Uladzimir Valetka, Rashiel Velvarde, Fabio Veras, Andrea Vermehren, Thomas Walker, Dewen Wang, Michael Weber, Asha Williams, Penny Williams, Briana Wilson, Natalia Winder-Rossi, Gelila Woodeneh, Yuliya Yafimenka, Ruslan Yemtsov, Soonhwa Yi, Usama Zafar, Alketa Zazo, Nahla Zeitoun, Lansong Zhang, Yukun Zhu, Roman Zhukovskyi, Mustapha Ziroili, Rocco Zizzamia, and Maria Zlatareva. Pamela Dale is with UNICEF, while the other authors are with the World Bank. The paper presents preliminary findings from ongoing analysis and only reflects the personal views of the authors. For information and feedback, please contact Ugo Gentilini (ugentilini@worldbank.org). 2 Table of contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................. 5 Social assistance...................................................................................................................................................... 9 Social insurance .................................................................................................................................................... 17 Labor market (supply) programs .......................................................................................................................... 18 Annex 1. Social assistance: deep dive by intervention ......................................................................................... 27 Cash transfers .................................................................................................................................................... 27 In-kind transfers ................................................................................................................................................ 35 School feeding ................................................................................................................................................... 39 Waivers and subsidies in utilities, goods, services, and financial obligations .................................................. 42 Public works ...................................................................................................................................................... 48 Annex 2. Planned versus actual cash transfers coverage rates ............................................................................. 52 Annex 3. Rate of increase in cash transfer benefit size relative to pre-Covid level ............................................. 53 Annex 4. Methodology for estimating social assistance and cash transfers coverage.......................................... 54 Annex 5. Coverage of cash transfers .................................................................................................................... 56 Annex 6. Timeliness of cash transfers .................................................................................................................. 62 Annex 7. Overview of social protection measures by component........................................................................ 65 Annex 8. Measures by countries and territories.................................................................................................... 75 Figures Figure 1. Social protection and labor measures planned/implemented, cumulative and net additions (January 2020-January 2022) ................................................................................................................................................ 5 Figure 2. Average weekly measures introduced by tracker updates ....................................................................... 5 Figure 3. Social protection and labor measures by component, region, and country income ................................ 6 Figure 4. Extension of social protection and labor programs (number of programs) ............................................. 6 Figure 5. Social protection and labor spending, 2020-2021 (USD per capita) ....................................................... 8 Figure 6. Social protection and labor spending by income group, 2020-2021 (% of GDP) ................................... 8 Figure 7. Social protection and labor spending by region, 2020-2021 (% of GDP)............................................... 9 Figure 8. Duration of cash transfer programs ....................................................................................................... 10 Figure 9. Size of cash transfer benefits (% of monthly GDP/capita).................................................................... 11 Figure 10. Size of cash transfer benefits ($/capita)............................................................................................... 12 Figure 11. Coverage of cash transfers by country income and regions (% population) ....................................... 13 Figure 12. Coverage of top 10 cash transfer programs by number of beneficiaries (left) and share of the population (right) .................................................................................................................................................. 14 Figure 13. Number of cash transfer programs by payment method ..................................................................... 14 Figure 14. Response speed by adaptation and database (number of days) ........................................................... 16 Figure 15. Speed of response by payment modality ............................................................................................. 16 Figure 16. Distribution of programs by countries’ income group ........................................................................ 19 Figure 17. Percentage of countries with at least one of the selected labor policies by income group.................. 19 Figure 18. Distribution of programs by level of informality ................................................................................ 20 3 Figure 19. Percentage of countries with at least one of the selected labor policies by level of informality......... 20 Figure 20. Distribution of labor market supply-side programs by main target group .......................................... 24 Figure 21. Percentage of countries with at least one of the income support policies by level of informality ...... 25 Figure 22. Percentage of firm liquidity policies by target sector .......................................................................... 26 Tables Table 1. Social protection and labor spending by income group and region, 2020-2021 ...................................... 7 Table 2. Social assistance measures...................................................................................................................... 10 Table 3. Status of social assistance programs ....................................................................................................... 11 Table 4. Adaptations in cash transfers .................................................................................................................. 12 Table 5. Number of cash transfer beneficiaries by payment method ................................................................... 15 Table 6. Social insurance measures ...................................................................................................................... 17 Table 7. Labor market measures ........................................................................................................................... 18 Boxes Box 1. Income support policies for economically active persons ........................................................................ 24 Box 2. Labor market demand policies .................................................................................................................. 26 4 Introduction As of January 2022, a total of 3,856 social protection and labor measures were planned or implemented by 223 economies. This constitutes a net increase of 523 measures, or 15.6%, since the last update in May 2021 (figure 1). While noteworthy, such increase is the lowest among net additions observed over previous semesters. In fact, the global pace of measures’ introduction over January 2020-January 2022 has been slowing down: from a peak of 180 measures/week in March 2020, about 16 weekly measures are currently introduced (figure 2). Figure 1. Social protection and labor measures planned/implemented, cumulative and net additions (January 2020-January 2022) Figure 2. Average weekly measures introduced by tracker updates 5 By accounting for an average of 61% of social protection and labor measures, social assistance continues to represent the most prevalent form of support across regions and country income groups, followed by supply-side labor market programs (20%) and social insurance (19%) (figure 3). Even in high-income settings, social assistance represents half of enacted measures. The peak of social assistance is reached in South Asia and low- income countries, where they account for 78% of the social protection and labor portfolio in those contexts. Figure 3. Social protection and labor measures by component, region, and country income 100% 15% 14% 11% 90% 19% 25% 22% 17% 20% 15% 15% 18% 20% 11% 26% 80% 8% 7% 17% 24% 15% 70% 18% 24% 19% 19% 19% 60% 26% 23% 50% 40% 77% 78% 78% 30% 64% 60% 59% 62% 61% 70% 63% 61% 49% 50% 20% 10% 0% Social assistance Social insurance Labor market Social assistance Social insurance Labor market Out of total social protection and labor measures, 2,796 had information on dates (73% of total); 16% of them extended programs over 2020-21. Figure 4 shows an increasing reliance on program extension for the large majority of the observed period. Figure 4. Extension of social protection and labor programs (number of programs) 6 Data on social protection and labor program spending is available for 23% of programs in our inventory. Over 2020-2021, countries invested a total of over $3 trillion in those interventions (table 1). Such current level of expenditures represents around 18% of overall stimulus packages, and it is about 4.5 times higher than the estimated level of social protection spending during the Great Recession of 2008-09. The United States accounts for a large majority of global social protection spending (64%). In line with the distribution of measures, most of spending takes the form of social assistance which represents over 65% of investments. Table 1. Social protection and labor spending by income group and region, 2020-2021 Average Countries Social assistance Social insurance Labor markets Total spending USD/capita HIC (n=71) 1,762,195,333,142 600,119,442,415 213,539,424,364 2,575,854,199,921 716 LIC (n=24) 5,666,914,202 n.a. 20,693,462 5,687,607,664 8 LMIC (n=45) 76,897,684,743 10,558,643,437 7,171,793,482 94,628,121,662 45 UMIC (n=54) 123,957,634,154 194,073,682,184 6,298,899,219 324,330,215,558 145 AFR (n=45) 14,574,407,914 4,331,266,979 101,674,068 19,007,348,960 28 EAP (n=34) 348,397,989,478 176,875,399,808 42,022,664,602 567,296,053,888 687 ECA (n=51) 152,749,959,607 7,788,474,320 119,747,065,082 280,285,499,008 287 LAC (n=38) 49,419,744,009 12,934,584,200 1,232,470,503 63,586,798,712 285 MENA (n=16) 17,735,478,089 1,218,006,236 4,870,312,243 23,823,796,568 173 N. America (n=2) 1,362,830,897,714 592,003,902,305 56,973,647,966 2,011,808,447,985 4,130 SAR (n=8) 23,009,089,430 9,600,134,191 2,082,976,064 34,692,199,685 46 Total (n=194) 1,968,717,566,240 804,751,768,037 227,030,810,528 3,000,500,144,805 $314 There are stark differences when considering spending in per-capita terms: high-income countries have spent a level over 90 times higher than low-income countries – i.e., about $715 and $8 per capita, respectively (figure 5, left side); regionally, per capita spending ranges from about $28/capita in Sub-Saharan Africa to 4,130/capita in North America (figure 5, right side). 7 Figure 5. Social protection and labor spending, 2020-2021 (USD per capita) 6000 6000 Average $/capita 5000 5000 4129.90 4000 4000 $/capita $/capita 3000 3000 2000 2000 715.62 687.04 1000 1000 313.63 286.61 269.38 313.63 172.89 45.05 144.83 45.74 27.53 7.78 0 0 LIC LMIC UMIC HIC Global In general, countries have devoted an average of 2% of GDP on social protection Covid responses, ranging from about 1.3% in low-income countries to 2.5% in high income settings (figure 6, left side). There is high variance also within country income groups: for instance, on the upper end of the spending curve, an upper middle income country like Fiji spent almost 35% of GDP; while in lower middle income settings, Micronesia invested 11% of GDP. Among low income contexts, Somalia stood out with its allocation of about 7% of GDP (figure 6, right side). Figure 6. Social protection and labor spending by income group, 2020-2021 (% of GDP) 2.5% 2.5 40% 2.1 2.0 34.6% 2.0% 1.7 30% 1.5% Average % GDP 1.3 20% 1.0% 11.2% 9.6% 0.5% 10% 7.1% 0.0% 2.5 2.1 1.3 1.7 LIC LMIC UMIC HIC Average 0% (n=25) (n=45) (n=54) (n=65) (n=187) LIC LMIC UMIC HIC 8 A similar heterogeneity is observable in spending across regions. North America’s expenditures reach 7.4% of GDP while the Middle East and North Africa only devote an average of 1.1% of GDP to Covid-related social protection and labor responses. In addition to East Asia with the mentioned outlier exceed 30% of GDP, other regions like North America, Latin America and the Caribbean as well as Europe and Central Asia have countries that spent, as an upper level, about 10% of GDP (figure 7). Figure 7. Social protection and labor spending by region, 2020-2021 (% of GDP) 40% 8% 7.4% 34.6% 6% 30% Average % GDP 4.6% 4% 20% 2.0% 10.3% 9.6% 1.8% 1.7% 9.2% 2% 1.4% 1.2% 10% 7.1% 1.1% 4.6% 7.4% 1.4% 3.9% 4.5% 1.7% 1.1% 1.2% 0% 1.8% 0% The reminder of the tracker will examine social assistance, social insurance, and labor market programs, including discussing them in respective sections. For social assistance, we hereafter offer an update of key facts and trends, supplemented annex 1 presenting a deep dive into country experiences organized by social assistance intervention. Social assistance In terms of social assistance component sub-categories, cash transfer programs are the most widespread social assistance intervention: these include 962 measures in 203 countries, or nearly 25% of total social protection and labor measures and 41% of overall social assistance: if also social pensions are included, hence raising the tally to 1,023 measures, those shares of cash-based measures would be soar to 26.5% and 43.5%, respectively (table 2). In-kind transfers also keep representing an important share of social assistance: food transfers in the form of unconditional transfers and school feeding account for about 20% of social assistance. 9 Table 2. Social assistance measures N. of N. of Sub-component measures countries Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) 962 203 Social pensions 61 48 Sub-total (all cash-based measures) 1,023 In-kind food/voucher schemes 393 151 School feeding 93 74 Sub-total (all in-kind measures) 486 Utility and financial obligation support 764 187 (waiver/postponement) Public works 76 48 Total 2,349 218 The average initial duration of the overall set of cash transfers measures is 4.5 months (figure 8). Such duration is estimated out of 206 measures. For 50 of those, information is available on extension, which resulted in an average of 6.3 months (ranging from 1 month in countries like Azerbaijan and Greece to 23 months in Bhutan and Brazil). In several cases, extensions were surrounded by uncertainty on whether and when they would be enacted. For example, Indonesia’s unconditional cash transfer program (BLT Dana Desa) was implemented from April to June 2020. Its extension (until September 2020) was reported on June 3 of that year. Jersey’s Covid cash transfer (CRESS) was initially operated over the same period, i.e., April-June 2020. On June 30, the program was eventually extended until August 31. In the Maldives, the Income Support Allowance – which also ran over the same April-June period – was extended (or reintroduced) in October, or after the program lapsed, until December 2020. Figure 8. Duration of cash transfer programs 18 months 16 months 12 months 11 motnhs 10 months 9 months 7 months 6 months 5 months Average = 4.5 months 4 months 3 months 2 months 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 Number of programs Our database provides information on two important indicators of program “status”: (i) progress in implementation – or “actual” beneficiaries those reached in practice as opposed to those “planned” to be reached – and (ii) overall state of the programs (whether they are planned, ongoing or ended). In terms of the former metric, data for the largest 50 programs shows that the difference between planned and actual coverage rate is 10 minimal, namely 0.38 percentage points (see annex 2, as well as discussion on coverage in paragraphs ahead). With regards to the other indicator (ii), a total of 49% of cash-based transfer programs (and 72% of total social assistance) present information on their status: at the time of finalizing this global tracker update, 21% of cash- based transfers were still active (a rate mirrored for social assistance overall) (table 3). In practice, it is possible that the rate may be slightly lower given the absence of status information for about one-fifth of social assistance programs. Table 3. Status of social assistance programs Planned Ongoing Ended Total with Total % % program measures measures active status info with measures program status Cash transfers (conditional and 6 96 366 468 962 49% 20% unconditional) Social pensions 0 10 15 25 61 41% 40% Cash-based measures 6 106 381 493 1,023 48% 21% in-kind food/voucher schemes 4 21 132 157 393 40% 13% School feeding 3 8 10 21 93 23% 38% Total in-kind measures 7 29 142 178 486 37% 16% Utility and financial obligation 4 77 226 307 764 40% 25% support (waiver/postponement) Public works 2 14 15 31 76 41% 45% Total 32 361 1,287 1,680 2,349 72% 21% Note: active rate = ongoing/total with status info The database offers information on the adequacy of transfers. The size of cash transfer programs represents an average of 30% of monthly GDP per-capita 1 (figure 9). In absolute terms, monthly transfers were on average $256, ranging from $525 in high income countries to $42 in low-income settings (figure 10). How does such level of generosity compare to pre-Covid benefit size? Based on data from 56 programs, Covid-related cash transfer responses increased average generosity by almost 70% (annex 3). Figure 9. Size of cash transfer benefits (% of monthly GDP/capita) 80% 80% 71% 68% Average % monthly GDP percapita 60% 60% 47% 40% 40% 32% 30% 30% 30% 25% 25% 26% 17% 18% 20% 13% 20% 0% 0% HIC LIC LMIC UMIC Global (n=64) (n=24) (n=40) (n=52) mean (n=180) 1 Note that such GDP-related information is, of course, distinct from the overall GDP analysis conducted for spending levels: in the latter case, the denominator is annual GDP; in the case of adequacy the denominator is monthly GDP. 11 Figure 10. Size of cash transfer benefits ($/capita) Average monthly transfer (USD) 800 737 600 525 476 400 266 256 227 225 178 166 200 50 72 42 0 North ECA MNA EAP SAR LAC AFR HIC UMIC LMIC LIC Sample America (n=47) (n=13) (n=30) (n=8) (n=38) (n=40) (n=64) (n=52) (n=40) (n=24) average (n=4) (n=180) Regions Income group Programs have been adapted in various ways (table 4). Most of cash transfers have been expanded horizontally to reach more people. This was pursued almost entirely via new programs: 672 such measures were enacted (13 of which provided on a universal basis), compared to 55 extending the coverage of existing programs. About 48% of new programs were one-off transfers. Benefit levels were increased in some form in 146 cases. A total of 39 programs provided both horizontal and vertical expansion, while administrative simplifications were implemented in 50 programs. Table 4. Adaptations in cash transfers N. of programs N. of countries Vertical Vertical expansion 79 61 Additional payment 64 43 Vertical expansion and admin simplification 3 3 Sub-total 146 90 Horizontal Existing programs 55 45 New programs 672 186 one-off (targeted) 312 112 one-of (universal) 12 12 multiple payments (universal) 1 1 multiple payments (targeted) 347 159 Sub-total 727 192 Vertical and horizontal Vertical and horizontal expansion 35 28 Vertical, horizontal expansion and admin simplification 4 4 Sub-total 39 32 Administrative adaptations Admin simplification 35 30 Advanced payment 15 14 Sub-total 50 43 Note: adaptation categories are not mutually exclusive. 12 In terms of coverage, we present data for direct beneficiaries actually reached by 124 cash transfer programs (142 social assistance programs) based on administrative data. Overall, over 1.39 billion people were covered by social assistance programs over 2020-2021; this is a level slightly higher than for cash transfers alone, which cover around 1.36 billion people 2. In terms of country regional and income classifications, about half of the population in North America and East Asia and Pacific received at least one cash transfer payment, while one-tenth did so in Africa. In Middle-income countries, about one-fourth of the population was covered. Low-income countries have single digit coverage (figure 11). Figure 11. Coverage of cash transfers by country income and regions (% population) 51% 49% 50% 50% 44% 40% 40% 33% 30% 30% 25% 24% 23% 19% 20% 20% 15% 10% 10% 8% 10% 0% 0% HIC (n=22) UMIC LMIC LIC (n=15) EAP NAC LAC MNA ECA SAR AFR (n=40) (n=31) (n=20) (n=1) (n=22) (n=11) (n=21) (n=6) (n=27) Figure 12 presents the top-10 programs by coverage number and rates: the PMJDY program in India reached 200 million people, while the US CARES stimulus checks, Japan’s universal transfers and Pakistan’s Ehsaas all reached over a hundred million people. Since a total of 13 economies provided universal transfers to the full or adult population, the top-10 rankings include those experiences (expect Peru’s Bono familiar which was a quasi- universal program). Annex 5 lays out the full list of 124 programs for both indicators. 2 Numbers are 1,395,513,097 for social assistance and 1,357,175,244 for cash transfers (see Annex 4 for methodology and complementary ways for estimating coverage). Note that coverage data provided in the text uses “actual” rates across the analysis. 13 Figure 12. Coverage of top 10 cash transfer programs by number of beneficiaries (left) and share of the population (right) PMJDY (India) Universal one-off transfer (Timor-Leste) 100 200,000,000 CARES Act stimulus check COVID-19 relief funds (Korea, (United States) 162,000,000 Rep.) 100 Universal $930 cash handouts (Japan) 116,520,000 Spend local card (Jersey) 97 Ehsaas Emergency Cash Triple stimulus voucher Programme (Pakistan) 115,680,417 (Taiwan, China) 96 Dibao (China) 83,900,000 Grant to Every Citizen (Israel) 96 Social Amelioration Program Universal $930 cash 74,379,759 93 (Philippines) handouts (Japan) Auxilio Emergencial 1 (AE1) Universal Cash transfer 68,300,000 89 (Brazil) (Tuvalu) COVID-19 relief funds (Korea, Universal one-off payment 51,606,633 89 Rep.) (Serbia) Village Funds Unconditional Bono Familiar Universal 42,453,980 88 Cash Transfers (Indonesia) (Peru) Bono Familiar Universal The Cash Payout Scheme 29,076,779 88 (Peru) (Hong Kong) - 100,000,000 200,000,000 80 90 100 Number of beneficiaries % population With regards to payment modalities, we present data from 202 cash transfer programs with relevant information available (figure 13). When measured in terms of number of programs globally, digital payments constitute the majority of transfers (58%), followed by a combination of manual and digital payments (22%) and purely manual transfers (19%). Aside from high-income countries where the share of digital transfers is unsurprisingly high (68% of all cash payments), low-income countries present the highest share of digital payment relative its overall number of programs compared to lower- and upper-income countries – i.e., 63.1%, 49% and 62.8% respectively. Figure 13. Number of cash transfer programs by payment method 50 44 45 40 37 Number of programs 35 30 24 25 21 20 17 15 15 13 11 10 8 5 6 5 1 0 HIC LIC LMIC UMIC HIC LIC LMIC UMIC HIC LIC LMIC UMIC Both Digital Manual Note: “digital payments” include fully functional account, limited purpose account, and electronic non- account-based solutions; “manual payments” encompass checks and physical cash disbursements. 14 The landscape changes when examining the number of direct beneficiaries actually covered via digital payments. Note that not all programs for which there is information on payment modalities may also present data on beneficiaries: in fact, this data is available for 107 programs (96 of which in low- and middle-income countries). In total, 763 million people are reached by digital cash transfers, or 62% of all cash transfers with available information (table 5) 3. Among beneficiaries covered digitally, almost two-thirds, or 481 million people, are located in lower-middle income countries. India’s PMJDY scheme, Pakistan’s Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme and the Philippines’ Banyanihan-1 response drive those numbers with 200, 115 and 59.7 million beneficiaries, respectively. China’s Dibao (83.9 million people), Brazil’s Auxilio Emergencial-1 (68.3 million) and Turkey’s Pandemic Social Support Program (25.2 million) are among the largest digital schemes in upper middle-income countries. The highest-coverage digital program in low-income countries is Malawi’s cash transfer scheme implemented as part of the National Covid-19 Preparedness and Response Plan. Such scheme reached 1.3 million people. Table 5. Number of cash transfer beneficiaries by payment method Payment Income group Number of Number of modality programs beneficiaries (direct, actual) LIC 12 5,544,567 Digital LMIC 18 481,276,790 UMIC 20 247,204,804 HIC 9 29,087,574 Total digital 59 763,113,734 Manual LIC 4 4,165,501 LMIC 12 158,894,825 UMIC 8 12,014,063 Total manual 24 175,074,389 LIC 2 3,786,979 LMIC 13 92,741,725 Both UMIC 7 26,560,155 HIC 2 162,372,231 Total both 24 285,461,090 Grand total 107 1,223,649,213 Version 16 of our database offers new information on speed of response, or timeliness of assistance (see annex 6). This is defined as the number of days between the announcement of a cash transfer program and its first payment. Based on data from 98 programs, we estimate that an average of 26 days passed between program announcement and payment. The vertical extension of benefits took 18 days as opposed to the 30 entailed by horizontal expansion (figure 14, left side). Looking at the range of days in the vertical segment, one program, Tekoporã in Paraguay, was able to augment benefits the same day of announcement (zero days). Countries that had an existing social registry responded faster than others (11 days). Yet, social registries alone were likely an insufficient mechanism to ensure coverage expansion. In fact, the utilization of other complementary databases is a widespread strategy: in a number of circumstances, these may have been tapped for the first time for cash transfer payments (whether new databases generated for that purpose, or existing databases used for difference purposes). Hence, they took a longer time for disbursements, i.e., between 19 and 36 days (figure 14, right side). 3 The estimates follow the same method as for coverage calculation, including counting the highest coverage program based on administrative data. 15 Figure 14. Response speed by adaptation and database (number of days) 120 119 119 120 100 100 102 102 87 80 80 Number of days 67 60 60 40 40 35 36 30 27 26 25 26 20 17 18 20 19 12 13 15 7 11 4 2 0 0 0 3 3 3 0 2 2 Social Other Other New Total Registry databases databases enrollment sample (n=5) (n=24) & new (n=14) (n=47) enrollment (n=4) When comparing the speed of digital versus manual payments, the former modality was faster, but not by a significant amount of time – i.e., 21 versus 23 days, respectively. As in the case of additional databases used for identifying new beneficiaries, the narrow lead of digital payments could be due to their novel nature in a number of contexts, including possible time for set-up (figure 15). Figure 15. Speed of response by payment modality 70 64 64 60 50 Number of days 42 40 30 22 23 20 21 19 15 10 10 2 0 0 0 Both (n=9) Digital (n=27) Manual (n=9) Sample Total (n=45) 16 Social insurance Countries have invested significantly in social insurance responses to the pandemic. Over 2020-2021, a total of 719 measures have been recorded (table 6). While reported separately, measures implemented in the realm of pensions are closely related to contributions waivers. Combined, their represent half of Covid-related social insurance measures. Table 6. Social insurance measures Sub-component N. of measures N. of countries Paid sick support 149 87 Healthcare insurance support 68 51 Pension 96 63 Social security contribution 261 115 waiver/subsidy Unemployment benefit 145 88 Total 719 179 Because of their significance, it might be important to further examine pensions and related measures concerning early withdrawals of pension savings; contribution waivers, holidays, or subsidies; additional benefits; and their administrative adjustments. Some countries with a component of savings in their pension systems (mandatory or voluntary) provided early access to withdraw savings in an effort to provide a quick response to the pandemic effects, sacrificing the long- term income protection provided by the schemes. While voluntary schemes tend to provide some level of flexibility with certain conditions, mandatory schemes traditionally prevent any sort of early access to savings until eligibility conditions are met. The cases of Australia, Chile, and Peru are the most salient examples of early withdrawals from pension savings, with Chile and Peru in particular allowing withdrawals in up to three separate instances. In order to reduce the burden of employers, countries adopted contribution waivers or subsidies, usually accompanying other tax measures, such as reduction or postponement of tax payments. In Defined Benefit or PAYG schemes these measures affect the funding of the pension agency, while in funded schemes they directly affect the future pension of participants. This was the most commonly observed measure in our review of country experiences, perhaps because it is easy to implement, does not imply a direct cost (although it has implicit costs) and complements well with other measures implemented to reduce labor costs to employers. It is observed in 115 countries with up to 261 different measures. Many countries provided additional benefits to current pensioners, such as top-ups, one-off payments, increased indexation or higher minimum pensions. In most cases these benefits were financed by general revenues, but some countries used pension system resources, affecting the level of funding in the pension schemes. Additional benefits were observed in 63 countries, with 96 measures. One-off pension top-ups were implemented in countries such as Argentina, Czech Republic, Serbia, and Turkey. Permanent pension increases were observed in Cameroon, Egypt, Georgia, and Uzbekistan. Given the lockdowns imposed to fight the spread of the virus, many pension systems had to adapt their administrative systems and delivery mechanisms to ensure continuity of services. Introducing remote payment mechanism and allowing a third party to collect benefits were the most common measures, while the use of digital technologies and online platforms is still rare in the area of pensions in developing countries. Our review has 17 collected 15 instances of delivery or administrative adjustments in 13 countries that were widely announced. However, it is possible that pension systems had to introduce many more administrative adjustments in their operations that are not captured in this review. Pension delivery was modified in countries such as Algeria, Armenia, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Uruguay, while Brazil introduced the possibility to present proof of life using a mobile app. Labor market (supply) programs The analysis presented in this section focuses on four types of labor supply policies that have been instrumental in supporting workers. These allowed them to maintain their income and provided flexibility in the employer- worker relationship throughout the pandemic: (i) wage subsidies, (ii) labor market regulations, (iii) shorter work time arrangements 4 and (iv) activation policies which refer to training and placement assistance. By design, these types of policies typically target formal sector workers. However, they have been implemented by countries throughout the course of the pandemic, irrespective of their income group or level of informality. To better understand how countries have used these four policy types to target both formal and informal workers, this section briefly examines countries’ policy responses through the lens of informality. The section also discusses how these policies have been used to target other vulnerable groups. Boxes 1 and 2 at the end of this section examine additional labor policies implemented over the past two years to help firms and workers cope with the adverse economic impacts of COVID-19. Most countries have introduced supply-side labor market policies, with 187 countries and territories announcing 788 policies of the four selected policy types over 2020-2021 (table 7). Globally, about 84 percent of countries introduced at least one of these policies. Across income groups, the percentage stands at 76 percent of LICs, 83 percent of LMICs, 83 percent of UMICs, and 88 percent of HICs, which means that HICs have implemented these types of policies slightly more frequently. Table 7. Labor market measures Sub-component N. of measures N. of countries Wage subsidy 233 117 Activation (training) measures 140 77 Labor regulation adjustment 284 134 Shorter work time benefits 131 89 Total 788 187 Of the 788 policies introduced, 36 percent are labor regulation adjustments, around 17 percent are shorter work time arrangements, approximately 30 percent are wage subsidies, and 18 percent are activation measures (figure 16). The distribution of programs, however, varies across income groups. LICs have heavily relied on labor regulatory adjustments and shorter work time arrangements, whilst HICs have preferred wage subsidies in addition to labor regulatory adjustments (figures 16 and 17). The preference for labor regulatory adjustments and shorter work time benefits decreases with countries’ income level, whereas wage subsidies are favored by UMICs and HICs. The percentage of activation measures is relatively similar across income groups. 4 Shorter work time arrangements refer to regulatory changes to work time and working conditions. They differ from subsidies that allow firms to reduce working time because they do not require monetary compensation. They are addressed separately from other labor market regulatory changes as they are the most commonly used by the countries considered. 18 Figure 16. Distribution of programs by Figure 17. Percentage of countries with at countries’ income group least one of the selected labor policies by income group Note: Graphs based on 788 programs implemented by 187 countries and territories, including 22 low-income countries (LIC), 39 lower-middle-income countries (LMIC), 49 upper-middle-income countries (UMIC), and 77 high-income countries (HIC). This includes 140 activation measures; 233 wage subsidies; 284 labor regulations, and 131 shorter work time arrangements. Countries introduced new policies tailored to combat the negative effects of the pandemic and adapted their existing policies. Overall, two thirds of the Labor Market supply-side policies introduced were new, whereas the remaining third were adaptations of existing policies. Even two years into the pandemic, countries are still responding to its unprecedented economic impact by implementing new programs. They are also continuously extending policies introduced earlier in the crisis to prolong their support to workers and firms as the pandemic unfolds. More than 20 percent of the selected policies have been extended, with some being extended more than 6 times. These policy extensions can be of different types. In some cases, they consist of an extension of the time that beneficiaries can receive a benefit, while in others, these extensions are accompanied by additional changes to a specific policy (e.g., modifying the amount of the benefit, the target group or the conditions for eligibility). Out of the four policy types, wage subsidies were extended the most, with over 36 percent of programs being extended at least once. The majority of the selected labor market policy types have targeted wage workers, the self-employed and unemployed. For programs where data is available, over 73 percent of the selected labor policies were directed at wage workers, whereas around 11 and 9 percent were aimed at the unemployed and self-employed, respectively. 5 The self-employed and unemployed benefited mainly from activation measures and wage subsidies for the maintenance and creation of employment. On the other hand, wage workers benefited mostly from labor regulation changes and shorter work time benefits in addition to wage subsidies. By design, most of these programs target workers in the formal sector, yet they have been introduced in countries with varying degrees of informality. In order to be eligible for wage subsidies or covered by labor regulations, workers typically need to have a formal work relationship. This can exclude a significant portion of the labor force in countries with large informal sectors. Lockdowns and closure of businesses pose a magnified threat to the livelihoods of informal workers, as they typically lack access to formal social benefits, have less savings, and are employed in sectors that were hit hard by the economic downturn such as retail and manufacturing. Therefore, it is important to also examine countries’ policy responses to the pandemic through the lens of informality. For 5 These figures are based on the 635 policies out of the total policies being reviewed which specified the target worker type. 19 this analysis, countries have been classified into terciles according to their pre-pandemic informality levels. All four types of supply-side policies were used across all terciles, although in varying degrees (figures 18 and 19).6 A strong, negative correlation exists between informality and per capita GDP which can explain the similarity in the patterns seen across informality levels and income groups. It should be noted, however, that countries with similar per capita GDP can have considerably different informality levels. Figure 18. Distribution of programs by Figure 19. Percentage of countries with at level of informality least one of the selected labor policies by level of informality Note: Graphs based on 554 programs implemented by 122 countries and territories, including 39 low informality countries, 37 medium informality countries, and 46 high informality countries. This includes 90 activation measures; 158 wage subsidies; 206 labor regulations, and 100 shorter work time arrangements. Wage subsidies, which are mainly aimed at helping formal workers maintain and continue their employment relationships and encourage job creation, were favored by countries with low rates of informality. They were implemented in 88 percent of countries in this tercile (figure 19). For example, Germany introduced a new restart premium to be paid to companies towards personnel costs to bring employees availing short-time work benefits back towork earlier and hire new employees. Through the Incentivo ATIVAR.PT, the government of Portugal implemented hiring subsidies of around EUR 5,000 (~USD 6,085) per employee, specifically targeted at young workers and the long-term unemployed. Croatia announced a scheme to support employers organized as sheltered workshops, integrative workshops, and employment units for people with disabilities, which had experienced a decrease in turnover of at least 50 percent, with a monthly allowance of up to HRK 4,000 (~USD 645) per eligible employee. In countries with high and medium informality levels, wage subsidies were less prevalent, with 32 percent and 52 percent of countries introducing these, respectively (figure 19). This could be explained by the need for large fiscal resources for implementation and the larger share of informal workers in the labor force who are typically not reached through such measures. Such countries usually prefer to use other measures to support workers, like cash transfers which allow them to have a wider reach outside the formal sector, depending on their social protection landscape. 6 Out of the 223 countries and territories examined in this paper, 139 countries and territories had informality data available and were categorized into terciles according to their informal employment rate from the latest year available before the pandemic. The informality data mainly used is from ILOSTAT and is supplemented by data from Women and men in the informal economy: a statistical picture (third edition) (ILO). 20 Nonetheless, some countries with both high and medium rates of informality still introduced wage subsidy programs that specifically targeted informal workers. For example, Tonga delivered subsidies to both formal and informal workers who had lost their jobs or faced reduced hours of work due to the pandemic and managed to cover 5,326 workers from 673 businesses (over 13 percent of the labor force). Some wage subsidy programs aimed at informal workers incentivized the formalization of labor and enabled informal workers to receive social security benefits. For instance, Timor-Leste granted a one-time subsidy to informal workers and the self- employed who were not registered with the social security system if they registered themselves and maintained social security contributions for a certain amount of time. Similarly, Jordan launched a wage support program, Tadamon 2, which targeted uninsured businesses not registered with the Social Security Corporation, and those who had been contributing for less than a year. Employees of eligible businesses could receive a monthly unemployment allowance for three months on the condition that their employers retained them and partially funded the allowance. Countries also adapted their labor market regulations and introduced shorter work time arrangements to help firms survive the pandemic and enable employees to retain their jobs. Examples include changes to severance payment obligations, hiring flexibility, dismissal procedures, modifications to leave policies and remuneration, as well as occupational health and safety. These policies were widely implemented by 63 percent of low informality countries, 60 percent of medium informality countries and 55 percent of high informality countries. They constitute the most frequently used policy for medium and high informality countries (figure 19). Shorter work time arrangements have been addressed separately, as they also constitute a widely used regulatory policy during the pandemic. In turn, these have been introduced by 56 percent of low informality countries, 45 percent of medium informality countries, and 36 percent of high informality countries (figure 19). Out of the selected labor policies, labor market regulations and shorter work time arrangements make up a large share of the policies implemented by the countries in each tercile, particularly in high informality countries where they comprise the majority of the policies (figure 18). Surprisingly, the prevalence of such measures, largely is high in countries with large informal sectors, even though these policies are largely aimed at formal sector workers and might not have the same reach in such contexts. This could represent a commitment to protect formal workers from economic hardship in a situation where allocating fiscal resources through other policies such as wage subsidies could pose budgetary strains, particularly for high informality countries. However, the enforcement and compliance of labor regulations can be challenging in developing countries. To provide flexibility to workers and firms during the pandemic, shorter work time benefits were extensively used across the globe to allow for alternative arrangements or schedules vis-a-vis the traditional working day and week. For example, Spain announced that workers had the right to a reduction in working hours, up to 100 percent, if they were required to care for dependent relatives due to illness, age or disability. Similarly, Italy granted parents with at least one child under the age of 14 the right to perform agile working. 7 Even in high and medium informality settings, the policies were largely targeted at formal workers and encouraged firms to adopt flexible arrangements. Due to the nature of their work, it would be difficult for such policies to reach informal workers. Nicaragua allowed firms to adopt teleworking or remote work on the condition that they would not reduce employees' wages and Djibouti also introduced a policy that allowed enterprises to adopt alternative working arrangements to protect their workers’ contracts such as teleworking, paid leave, and partial activity in case of inactivity due to the pandemic. 7 Agile working enables employees to work without any limitations on location or fixed working hours to provide flexibility and improve productivity. 21 The other main types of regulatory adjustments implemented involved occupational health and safety in the workplace and remuneration. Measures concerning health and safety regulations in the workplace included the introduction and enforcement of workplace safety protocols to prevent contagion. While these measures were not specifically targeted at informal workers, they were sometimes directed at sectors which have a large share of informal workers. For example, Honduras introduced specific guidelines for a wide range of economic sectors, such as construction, restaurants and tourism, among others. Policies regarding remuneration were aimed at easing business continuity and targeting specific groups through additional pay. In Namibia, the Stimulus and Relief Package provided for the relaxation of labor regulations to avoid major retrenchments and business closures by allowing employers to negotiate a temporary reduction of salaries and wages during the crisis period. In Slovenia, frontline workers were rewarded with an increase that ranged between 10 and 200 percent in their basic salary, in the form of hazard pay and bonuses. Other changes in labor regulations included severance payment obligations, dismissal and hiring procedures, or leave modifications. Due to the nature of these measures, they were primarily directed at the formal sector, even in countries with high rates of informality. Bulgaria allowed employers to hire workers who were on unpaid leave from other firms without the authorization of the previous employer, unless it was expressly prohibited in the original contract. El Salvador announced that workers who were quarantined due to the pandemic or unable to return to the workplace due to migration or health restrictions could not be dismissed or subjected to a reduction in their wages. Countries have also introduced activation measures to support jobseekers and other groups to search and find jobs or improve their skills and employability. They have adapted or created new programs to train and reskill workers and jobseekers during a time of decreasing economic activity, closure of businesses, and soaring unemployment. They have also adjusted their public employment services (PES) by offering new digital tools for online labor market intermediation, which facilitate job matches between workers and employees. These measures formed a key part of the global response to the pandemic. They were implemented by 54 percent of low informality countries, 40 percent of medium informality countries, and 21 percent of high informality countries (figure 19). They made up 18 percent of policies implemented by both low and medium informality countries and 11 percent of policies introduced by high informality countries (figure 18). Activation measures, namely training and placement assistance, were primarily targeted at jobseekers which could explain the similarity in the distribution across informality levels as the pandemic impacted employment, albeit to varying degrees, across the globe. The relatively lower proportion of activation measures in high informality countries could be due to budgetary constraints and a preference for other types of policy interventions. Activation measures were used more commonly in countries with low and medium informality. Seychelles established the Seychelles Employee Transition Scheme (SETS) to support workers made redundant following the economic impacts of COVID-19 by aiding their re-entry into the labor market through retraining, up-skilling, and providing temporary work placement services. In the Republic of Korea, the eligibility requirements of the Job Search Promotion Subsidy were also relaxed to include non-standard contract employees and freelancers. Belgium set up a platform to facilitate job matching between employers and students working part-time, especially in the hospitality and non-food sectors. Some countries introduced activation measures which also catered to informal workers. Indonesia adapted the design of the Kartu Prakerja (Pre-Employment Card) program on account of the pandemic and doubled the initial budget. The program targets both informal and formal workers affected by the crisis and offers vocational training with monetary benefits in the form of cash and non-cash credit. Some policies were not specifically targeted at 22 informal workers, however, they were directed at groups such as youth which make up a significant proportion of the informal labor force in emerging and developing economies. In fact, in addition to targeting both formal and informal workers, countries also allocated resources in targeting other groups who were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. For example, more than 18 percent of the policies implemented by countries were used to support and protect vulnerable groups. Youth, migrants, and other groups such as jobseekers and parents were among the groups most targeted by these labor market policies. Out of the selected policies, around 32 percent were aimed at youth, 28 percent at migrants, around 8 percent at women, around 14 percent at farmers, and 41 percent have been directed at other vulnerable groups such as parents, people with disabilities, jobseekers, and elderly people, among others (figure 20). 8 Countries have designed specific new policies to reach these vulnerable groups. The main policies directed at youth were activation measures and wage subsidies. The government of Maldives introduced a training program targeted at the young population, to allow them to develop skills, mainly in the sectors of tourism, construction and ICT. The United Kingdom launched the Kickstart Scheme, a financial support program to encourage job placements and hiring of young people by covering 100 percent of the minimum wage. Other groups such as parents, elderly people, jobseekers, and people with disabilities received support from governments mainly in the form of activation measures, wage subsidies, and adjustments in labor regulations. Under the SGUnited Skills Program, Singapore aimed to support 30,000 jobseekers with subsidized training courses to help them acquire industry-relevant skills. In Uzbekistan, the government prohibited the termination of the employment contract of employees who had children infected with COVID-19 or quarantined under their care. It also urged employers to transfer workers, especially elderly people, persons with disabilities and chronic diseases to flexible working hours or work-from-home arrangements. Migrants were the primary group benefiting from labor regulations in the form of work permit adjustments. Luxembourg concluded agreements with France and Belgium to allow cross-border workers from these countries to telework without suffering from financial tax disadvantages during the COVID-19 crisis. The governments of Austria, Cuba, Mauritius, Panama, and Spain among others, extended the duration of employment permits for migrants for up to one year. Farmers were also mainly targeted through labor regulatory adjustments related to occupational health and safety. Turkey put a regulation in place to manage the working conditions and accommodation of seasonal agricultural workers. Women also benefited from targeted wage support in addition to labor regulation measures. In Chile, the Employment Subsidy program delivered greater benefits if firms re- hired women with suspended contracts. 8 These figures are based on the 145 policies out of the total policies being reviewed which specified the target group. 23 Figure 20. Distribution of labor market supply-side programs by main target group Note: Graph based on 145 programs which specified the target population group implemented by 70 countries and territories, including 4 low-income countries, 8 lower-middle-income countries, 21 upper- middle-income countries, and 37 high income countries. This includes 54 activation measures; 35 wage subsidies; 44 labor regulations, and 12 shorter work time arrangements. The ‘other’ category refers to groups such as jobseekers, parents, people with disabilities, and elderly people. In sum, countries across the globe have relied on wage subsidies, labor regulatory adjustments, shorter work time arrangements, and activation measures to help their workers during the pandemic. All of these policies have been used by countries irrespective of their income group or level of informality. However, their income group and level of informality has influenced the mix of policies that they have chosen to implement. Countries in the lowest informality tercile have favored wage subsidies, whereas high and medium informality countries have preferred labor regulatory adjustments and shorter work time arrangements. The prevalence of activation measures has been relatively similar across the informality terciles. Other labor market policies intended to support both workers and firms in the formal and informal sectors have also been implemented by countries over the past two years. Boxes 1 and 2 discuss additional policies aimed at supporting the income of workers and firms. Box 1 briefly looks at how countries’ level of informality relates to income support policies aimed at workers such as cash transfers to economically active persons, public works programs, and unemployment benefits and Box 2 briefly summarizes the role of policies that are specifically targeted at supporting firms. Box 1. Income support policies for economically active persons Countries implemented a variety of income support policies to help economically active persons cope with the negative economic impact of the pandemic. In addition to wage subsidies, countries relied on cash transfers to economically active persons, unemployment benefits and public works programs to reach out to formal and informal workers, the self-employed, and the unemployed. Cash transfers to economically active persons were adopted in countries of all levels of informality and they constituted the most prevalent income support policy in countries of high and medium informality and the second most common income support policy in countries with low informality levels (figure 21). They were mainly aimed at reaching informal workers and non-salaried workers, however, some benefits also targeted formal workers and the unemployed. For example, in Burkina Faso, the government implemented cash transfers targeted at informal sector workers such as fruit and vegetable vendors who had been adversely affected by the pandemic. 24 Through the Rao Mai Ting Gun (No One Left Behind) scheme, Thailand directed monthly cash handouts of 5,000 baht (~USD 166) to informal workers, temporary employees, contractors, and self-employed workers who had lost their jobs due to the pandemic and were not covered by the social security system. Portugal announced a financial support scheme with a monthly allowance of EUR 438 (~USD 533) for the self-employed which was later extended to include workers in the informal sector and those with irregular contracts. Iceland and France extended a one-off bonus to frontline healthcare workers. Unemployment benefits and wage subsidies traditionally rely on formal channels to reach workers. Not surprisingly, countries with lower informality rates were more likely to utilize unemployment benefits and wage subsidies the most, with 73 and 88 percent of countries implementing at least one of these policies, respectively. They were also adopted by 50 and 52 percent of countries with medium informality, respectively. Within countries with high informality levels, 32 percent introduced wage subsidies, while only 5 percent used unemployment benefits (figure 21). Wage support programs and their adaptations have been examined in detail in the discussion of labor market supply policies. Unemployment benefits were adapted in various ways to address the effects of the pandemic including adjusting the amount and duration of existing benefits and relaxing the eligibility requirements to support those who previously did not qualify. For example, Albania doubled the amount of its unemployment assistance, and Vietnam provided employees without labor contracts or those who were self-employed with financial support. Public works programs have often been used to reach informal workers. This is consistent with their prevalence in high informality settings, as around 36 percent of countries in the high informality tercile adopted such policies, whereas only 12 and 19 percent of countries in the low and medium informality terciles introduced them (figure 21). Nepal announced that informal workers who had lost their livelihood as a result of the pandemic could participate in the Prime Minister Employment Program and receive a subsistence wage. The government of Cambodia implemented a cash-for-work program to create short-term employment opportunities in rural infrastructure and agriculture for people who had lost their jobs due to the economic impact of COVID-19. Figure 21. Percentage of countries with at least one of the income support policies by level of informality 25 Box 2. Labor market demand policies In addition to the selected labor market policies, countries across the world have put in place several initiatives to mitigate the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on firms, micro and small businesses, and entrepreneurs. In the 223 countries reviewed, a total of over 1,700 demand-side policies were implemented globally until May 2021 to alleviate the adverse effects of mandatory closures and lockdowns on firms, ease their burden of financial commitments and keep their business operations active. These measures were introduced in 91 percent of the countries considered. These policies were aimed at helping businesses stay afloat by providing firms and entrepreneurs with additional liquidity. Tax relief (e.g., deferrals of corporate taxes, VAT and fiscal obligations) and credit facilities (e.g. subsidized loans and lower interest rates) were the two main instruments used worldwide, with 71 and 67 percent of countries implementing these types of policies, respectively. Payment facilities on existing loans (e.g. loan payment deferrals and interest rate reductions) were also offered to companies in around half of the countries. Companies also received assistance for the payment of utilities and rent. Finally, entrepreneurs were also supported with grants, subsidies, access to capital, and other forms of financial support. Many of these policies were directed at all companies, irrespective of their economic sector. Some policies were aimed at supporting specific sectors that were hit hardest by the pandemic, like tourism, agriculture, transportation, restaurants, and arts and entertainment (figure 22). For each of these sectors, countries implemented tax relief, payment facilities, credit facilities, and utilities and rent support policies. For example, the government of Uzbekistan exempted the payment of land and property taxes paid by firms in the tourism sector, including tour operators, travel agents and those involved in hotel services. The government of Canada provided support to Farm Credit Canada to allow for an additional CAD 5 billion (USD 3.9 billion) in lending to producers, agribusinesses, and food processors affected by the pandemic. In Brazil, the Banco do Brasil suspended the payment of loan interest for up to four months for airlines. In Equatorial Guinea, the reduction in electricity bills paid by small firms, such as restaurants, discotheques, bars, and casinos, ranged between 25 and 50 percent. To benefit from the aid provided by governments, firms in many cases were required to fulfil one or more conditions. These included demonstrating a loss of revenue due to COVID-19 over a specific threshold, a commitment to retain their employees, and compliance with tax and social security contribution requirements, among others. Figure 22. Percentage of firm liquidity policies by target sector Note: Graph based on 466 firm liquidity support programs implemented by 147 countries and territories, including 13 low-income countries, 32 lower-middle-income countries, 45 upper-middle-income countries and 57 high-income countries, which specified the target economic sector. The ‘other’ category mostly includes other service sectors. 26 Annex 1. Social assistance: deep dive by intervention Cash transfers Following a stylized lifecycle framework, governments have implemented an array of cash transfer programs. For instance, countries have either newly introduced or vertically expanded the existing programs for new-born children. Governments such as Georgia, North Macedonia, Turkey, Slovenia, and Singapore have targeted parents of new-borns to help them defray the cost of raising a child amidst the pandemic. Singapore, for example, introduced a special one-time “baby bonus”, in addition to their already existing package of benefits to new parents. Countries have provided childcare allowances and child grants directed at families with children below 18. Myanmar and others 16 countries 9 have implemented a one-time targeted cash transfers to pregnant women and women with children (below 3 years old.). Eighty-two other countries (such as Argentina, etc. 10) have provided childcare benefits to parents with children below 18, but with different additional criteria. Armenia, China and others 4 economies 11 are paying childcare subsidies for parents who need to return to work due to their professional demands (e.g., frontline workers). Next, some governments – such as Bulgaria and Canada, among 12 others 12 – offered cash transfers to parents who experienced income loss or reduction due to additional childcare responsibility during school or childcare facility closure. For example, Malta introduced childcare benefits for private sector employees who took unpaid leave for childcare, which resulted in the reduction of salary. Similarly, Poland provided additional 14 days of childcare allowance to parents with children below 8 years of age. Finally, some governments, such as Cook Island and other 11 countries 13, provided universal childcare allowances. For example, Iceland, on 21 June 2020 announced a one-off childcare payment to all families with children below 18. Wherein, parents with an average monthly income below ISK 927,000 in 2019 received ISK 40,000 per child, while those with higher income received ISK 20,000 per child. Students studying in schools and universities (including abroad) received grants, living allowances and scholarships. Countries like Lebanon and Benin have taken steps to prevent dropouts. In Benin, for example, the government and UNICEF supported families with girl child(ren) between 9 and 15 years of age. The program intended to reduce child marriage and continue schooling during pandemic by providing cash transfers with complementary training. Similarly, during school closures, countries provided cash transfers to compensate for the absence of school feeding programs (see section on school meals). For example, the state government of Bihar, India, provided cash transfer for each day of school closure to every child who was receiving a school- based transfer for uniforms. Similarly, in preparation for the new academic year, back-to-school allowances, uniform and school grants and other living allowances were also provided to ensure continuity of children’s 9 Such as Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Egypt, Rwanda, Kenya, Armenia, Sudan, Turkey, Vietnam, Lao PDR, Indonesia, Uganda, Russia, Kosovo, Serbia 10 Such as Argentina, Angola, Anguilla (UK), Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Cayman Islands, China, Congo, Cook Island, Costa Rica, Curaçao, Estonia, Eswatini, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Jordan, Kenya, Lao PDR, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, North Macedonia, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Poland, Portugal, Russian, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, St. Lucia, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, United States, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Virgin Islands (U.S.), West Bank and Gaza, Zambia and Zimbabwe. 11 Guyana, Jordan, Netherlands and Virgin Island 12 Germany, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Poland, Spain, South Korea, Switzerland. 13 Such as Georgia, Iceland, Mongolia, Montenegro, Russian 27 learning (e.g., Bolivia and 16 economies 14). For instance, Malaysia enabled online learning by providing cash assistance to purchase smart devices for families with children belonging to the bottom 40 percent of the income distribution. Uzbekistan gave cash assistances to school-aged children (below 18 years) hailing from poor families to meet their education-related expenses. Next, Botswana continued to provide cash transfers to cover living expenses of students during lockdown. Similarly, several countries have used student relief funds to support their students studying abroad (e.g., Cyprus, Gambia, and other 8 countries 15). Cyprus, for example, paid allowance for affected students studying abroad and could not return home due to suspension of flights. During lockdowns, border closures, travel bans, and suspension of commercial flights, countries have provided financial assistance to their citizens who were stranded and helped them to return home 16. A few countries, such as Kiribati, Mongolia, and other 7 countries 17, helped their stranded citizens in a foreign land with financial assistance. Similarly, Thailand and Philippines assisted their citizens who were working abroad to return home. Beyond international workers, the sudden lockdown also affected domestic workers within the country, especially migrant labourers. Hence, China, India and 6 others 18 had taken active steps to disperse cash to affected populations. For instance, India’s Bihar state 19 transferred money to bank accounts of workers stranded in other states due to lockdown. Cash transfers were provided to offset the negative impact of pandemic-related closures, which varied across industries and countries, depending on the participation of their workforce in that specific industry. In Myanmar, for example, textile, garments, and footwear industries are the three major export-sectors. Therefore, cash transfers were targeted at informal and self-employed workers from those industries. More generally, 41 and 23 countries 20 targeted at people working in “tourism, hospitality and transportation”, and “agriculture, fishing and aquaculture” industries, respectively. Workers engaged in cultural and creative industries received cash transfers in 16 countries 21, mostly in the Europe and Central Asia region. A large share of cash transfers was directed at informal, self-employed, and unemployed workers in various sectors which were severely impacted by the pandemic. A total 133 (out of 201) countries across the globe have provided cash transfers to informal, self-employed, and unemployed people, which constitutes around 30% of the total 962 cash transfer programs. Cash assistance targeted at self-employed workers was implemented in 77 countries (with 119 programs) covering about 142.6 million self-employed workers (including their family 14 Botswana, Canada, Fiji, France, Guyana, Hong Kong, Ireland, Malaysia, North Macedonia, Russian, Saint Pierre and Miquelon (France), Singapore, Tonga, Tunisia, Tuvalu, and Uzbekistan 15 Lesotho, Maldives, Micronesia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Timor-Leste, and Trinidad and Tobago 16 As discussed in the section of labor market interventions, those social assistance measures should be interpreted within the wider context of international migration. This also includes governments of “sending” countries coordinated with those of “receiving” countries to ensure that international workers received their pending wages and benefits from their employers, and facilitated job search at home. 17 Micronesia, Senegal, Serbia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Tuvalu 18 Malaysia, Moldova, Myanmar, Seychelles, Tajikistan and Ukraine 19 The program was implemented remotely and at scale, and without pre-existing databases. It used a “digital first” identification and payments approach to transfer funds. 20 For tourism, transportation and hospitality: Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Gambia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Italy, Korea, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao SAR, Malaysia, Montenegro, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Sint Maarten (Dutch part), South Africa, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Syrian Arab Republic, Taiwan, Tunisia, Turks and Caicos islands, and Vietnam. For agriculture, fishing and aquaculture: Belize, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Dominica, Egypt, Gambia, Ghana, India, Italy, Kosovo, Macao SAR, Mauritius, Montenegro, Netherlands, Northern, Mariana Islands, Philippines, Portugal, Sri Lanka, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Thailand, and Uzbekistan. 21 Culture and creative industry: Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Italy, Kenya, Mauritius, North Macedonia, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe. 28 members). A total of 97 programs was aiming at informal workers, including 28 programs dedicated to such workers and 69 providing them cash transfers alongside other vulnerable groups. In total, 129.5 million informal workers were covered via informality-specific programs and 126.9 million via programs reaching a broader array of people, including informal workers among them. Informal and self-employed workers belong to wide range of industries. For example, Ghana, Pakistan and Jordan have implemented cash transfers for daily wage workers; Lesotho provided cash transfers for factory workers; Hong Kong, India and Syria have implemented transfers for construction workers; India and other countries 22 have provided cash transfers to street Vendors and rickshaw pullers; Argentina and others 23 provided financial assistance to tour operators and guides; Germany and other economies 24 provided cash assistance to artists, authors and other freelancers. Among workers receiving unemployment support 25 there are some notable differences. Countries such as Greece and Israel provided unemployment allowances. And some others, such as Canada, Malaysia, and Jamaica, assisted recent graduates who failed to find work due to Covid-19 related reasons. Others provided unemployment support to those who lost their job or income due to lockdown, lay-off, and downsizing. A cash transfer program in Sierra Leone targeted informal and self-employed workers (mainly traders), with the intent to allow them to re-invest in their businesses after the lockdown was lifted. Cash transfers were also targeted at poor and vulnerable families, who are at risk of falling into poverty. Fifty- eight countries (e.g., Angola, etc. 26) have provided cash assistance to poor and vulnerable people. Belize, for example, implemented a temporary cash transfer to poor families who were not covered by any other social assistance programs. Similarly, countries made payments to other vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities 27, single parents 28, and elderly 29. These also includes transfers made to foster families and homes or temporary custody 30 that took care of disabled people, orphan children and old-age people during the pandemic. Cash assistance in five countries (Jordan, Kenya, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uganda) reached 5.1 million people refugees 31. 22 Among them, Macao, Malaysia, St. Vincent, and St Maarten. 23 Grenada, Egypt, North Macedonia, Vietnam, Macao SAR, Czech Republic, Taiwan, etc. 24 Estonia, Finland, etc. 25 These are non-contributory in nature and therefore, fall under social assistance. 26 Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Congo (Democratic Republic of), Congo (Republic of), Côte d'Ivoire, Dominica, Ecuador, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Guam, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iran, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Liberia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Palau, Peru, Philippines, Russian Federation, São Tomé and Principe, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Uganda, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, and Vietnam. 27 Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Costa Rica, Dominica, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Kyrgyz Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Montenegro, Myanmar, Palau, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Syrian Arab Republic, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, West Bank and Gaza, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. 28 Curaçao, Egypt, Grenada, Iceland, India, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Malta, New Zealand, North Macedonia and Spain, Turkey. This includes single mother, divorced, widow, etc. 29 Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Colombia, Cook Island, Costa Rica, Egypt, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lesotho, Lithuania, Malaysia, Palau, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tonga, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, and Zambia. 30 in many countries, such as Anguilla (UK), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Eswatini, India, Kenya, Lithuania, Russian Federation, Sierra Leone, South Africa, St. Lucia, and Tunisia, transfers for managing month expenses. 31 Countries often supported refugees as part of a broader set of vulnerable groups (e.g., Tajikistan). 29 Frontline workers across the globe received cash assistance as a symbol of appreciation for their efforts during these testing times. Healthcare sector workers in many countries 32 around the world received honorary payments (either one-time or monthly top-ups). For example, on 13 April 2020, Brunei announced a monthly special allowance of B$400 for doctors, nurses, paramedics, ambulance drivers, and hospital cleaners and security guards. Malaysia and Seychelles provided additional transfers to their immigration, customs and related workers. Similarly, Peru, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu and Malaysia rewarded their military, police and civil defence. Some other countries provided bonuses to their civil servants (e.g., Cayman Islands, France, Malaysia, and Zimbabwe). Cash transfers were also motivated as festive, leisure or recreational bonuses. A few countries granted assistance during festive seasons (e.g., Greece for Easter; Chile, Ireland and Venezuela for Christmas; Algeria and Iran for Ramadan), while others provided for leisure and recreation (e.g., Germany, Iceland, Poland). Such grants were targeted at particular sections of the population, typically using the socioeconomic and demographic condition. Ireland focused on long-term unemployed; Greece targeted people who lost their job in the month before Christmas; Germany, Iceland and Ireland directed assistance to low-income populations; Germany and Ireland targeted children. For example, Germany’s “Catch-Up Program” aimed to support low-income families with children by transferring a one-off leisure bonus of 100 euro per child (Kinderfreizeitbonus). Prior to this, government also offered subsidized vacation stay at certain accommodation facilities 33. Governments also provided additional assistance to people with a higher risk of Covid-19 due to comorbidities. As mentioned earlier, countries have provided cash assistance to elderly or senior citizen due to their vulnerability. Governments often had the facility of home delivery of cash for such population (e.g., Grenada). There were other special transfers made to people suffering from diseases such as HIV or tuberculosis (e.g., Myanmar, St Lucia, and Tajikistan), chronic kidney (Sri Lanka), and other diseases (e.g., Cuba 34). During lockdowns, cash assistance was provided to alleviate the burden of staying-at-home orders. Government provided cash assistance to people living in lockdown-imposed areas or regions, e.g., Azerbaijan, Fiji, and other 6 countries 35. In Malaysia, for example, the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council provided advance payment and a one-off top-up to its monthly beneficiaries in response to lockdown measures. Governments provided financial support to people who were infected by Covid-19. The Philippines and other 9 countries 36 compensated for people who were tested positive for Covid-19 while on duty (e.g., frontline works and others). For example, India’s Delhi government provided assistance of Rs 5,000 per person (and maximum of 10,000 per family) to Covid-positive construction workers in the city. Similarly, Australia and other 7 countries 37 have provided assistance for those who were asked to self-isolate. For example, UK’s Test and Trace Support Payment Scheme provided a cash assistance of £500 to low-income individuals who were asked to self- isolate by the NHS and were unable to work from home. Finally, 13 governments 38 provided cash transfers to support families with the expenses related to funerals and last rites. Bangladesh, for example, announced that doctors and other health care employees, administration officials, members of armed forces and law enforcement 32 Such as Albania , Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Central African Republic, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Guatemala, Guyana, Iceland, Latvia, Malaysia, North Macedonia, Peru, Russian Federation, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Spain, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, and Vanuatu. 33 In a way, this was a form of subsidy. In fact, guests were only expected to pay 10% of expenses for accommodation and meals at youth hostels and non-profit vacation homes. 34 Cuba has introduced a special transfer for sick people conditional on medical certificate. 35 Malaysia, Peru, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Turkey, Venezuela 36 Bangladesh, Belarus, Colombia, Fiji, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, and Serbia. 37 Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Portugal, Serbia, United Kingdom, and Vietnam. 38 Argentina, Bangladesh, Côte d'Ivoire, Eritrea, Guam, Honduras, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyz Republic, Nepal, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines. 30 agencies, and other employees working during the pandemic, would be compensated if infected with or passed away due to the disease. Box A1 provide a summary of financial incentives for vaccinations. Box A1. “Cash for jabs” Governments have provided cash assistance in a variety of forms to incentivize people to take-up vaccination. Our database includes 55 cash-for-jab programs in 6 economies, namely Cambodia Japan, Russia, Serbia, United States, and Virgin Islands). Among the schemes, organizing lotteries and cash prizes were the most widely used mechanisms, including 26 programs in 3 countries. For example, New York State announced in May 2021 a new vaccination program that provided free NYS lottery scratch-off tickets to 18 and above individuals with a grand prize of $5 million 39. Next, direct cash was next popular incentive with 13 programs in Cambodia, Serbia, Japan, and US 40. For example, Japan 41 passed a supplementary budget which included a plan to distribute 1,000 Yen coupons to all its 30,000 residents eligible for vaccination. Similarly, Serbia offered 3,000 dinars (25 euros or $30) to all those who got their Covid-19 vaccine by May 31, 2021. The US also offered several$100 incentive programs 42. Finally, other methods to offer financial nudges include providing scholarships to go to universities (e.g., New York, Ohio, West Virginia); gift cards (e.g., California, Maine, North Carolina, Michigan); $100 saving bonds (e.g., West Virginia); and discount coupon (e.g., Japan). In terms of practical delivery of cash transfers, countries used several methods to raise awareness about programs and register potential beneficiaries. Programs were publicly announced through media and community to promote the awareness among potential beneficiaries (e.g., Pakistan and Bhutan). For example, Bhutan’s Druk Gyalpo’s Relief Kidu cash program was provided widespread publicity though television, radio, press and social media. Next stage is the intake and registration, where potential beneficiaries get registered. There are several ways of registration such as digital/online/web portal 43; self-registration via mobile platform (e.g., SMS) 44; manual registration at public local offices 45; manual registration via outreach/enrolment provided in mobile vans or similar initiatives 46; or some combination thereof. For example, Pakistan’s Ehsaas Emergency Cash Program asked the potential beneficiaries to send an SMS to be considered for the program). Next, Cape Verde’s Rendimento Social de Inclusão Emergencial (RSIE), for example, setup a new digital application and beneficiary management platform to register people who were previously not cover by social registry. Also, Covid-19 induced registration processes have become permanent in some countries (e.g., online application in Kosovo, digital registration in Honduras). Some countries have retained the need for verification (in the form of home visit or inviting the beneficiary to the government office) for first-time applicants. This included Cook Islands, Kosovo, and San Marino. Others, instead, simplified need assessments for first-time applicants. In case of Jordan (Takaful-3), for instance, verification of new applicants by a social worker was conducted virtually, instead of physical visit as in normal time. 39 Cash drawing or lottery was implemented in 18 US states: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, and Washington state. 40 7 states: Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, Michigan, New Mexico, and Ohio 41 Specifically, in the Town of Miyashiro, Saitama Prefecture. 42 For example, Arkansas announced that executive branch state agency employees who get at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine by July 1, 2021 would receive a $100 bonus. Similarly, The New Mexico Department of Health announced a $100 incentive for New Mexicans who complete their vaccination series or receive a single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccination before June 17, 2021. 43 Bhutan, Cape Verde, Czech Republic, Guam, Honduras, Hong ong, Iraq, Jordan, Kosovo, South Africa, South Korea, Ukraine, West Bank and Gaza, etc. 44 Brazil, Pakistan, India, Togo, Ukraine, etc. 45 Bhutan, Hong Kong, Jordan, South Korea, Ukraine, etc. 46 Algeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, South Korea, Sudan, etc. 31 For existing beneficiaries, Kosovo and others 47 have simplified the process by suspending all the re-application and verification requirements – such as to visit government office, fill out the form, etc – thereby allowing to automatically extend 48 the social assistance benefits for existing beneficiaries whose benefits got expired. Kosova, for example, has suspended verification process for social assistance (and pensions) benefits of re-applicants until further notice.However, new applicants were required to complete full application process. This measure initially ended in July 2020 but was reactivated recently. Next, Ukraine automated the verification of information that the applicant indicates in the application, and the time taken to complete the registration process through a software is less than 5 minutes. Countries enriched their social registries with information collected during the pandemic. For example, Colombia’s Bogotá Solidaria en Casa, in addition to census data and local government data, used data from cell phone operators to identify its potential beneficiaries. Next, Ghana, Indonesia, Mali, Mauritania, and Nigeria have integrated (or planning to integrate) the information collected during Covid -19 into their social registry in an attempt to enrich it. In Indonesia, for example, beneficiary data collected from Bantuan Sosial Tunai (an emergency unconditional cash transfer program) has been integrated into the social registry. Brazil created the ExtraCad platform combining different information sources and databases. Governments relied on socioeconomic criteria with eligibility thresholds and exclusions pertaining to income, assets, and other measures of welfare. Depending on the program, countries have used a variety of assessment criteria or tools for selection. In case of demographic-category programs (such as childcare), demographic status was used. Similarly, for poverty-related programs, countries mostly used thresholds/cut-off (e.g., Belize, Fiji, Georgia, Jordan, Malaysia, and Singapore) and exclusion filters (e.g., Cook Islands, Malta, and Pakistan). For example, Pakistan’s Ehsaas Emergency Cash program 49 used exclusion criteria such as international travel, ownership of a car, and a 6-montly average phone bill above Rs.100050. Malaysia’s Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus Package targeted individuals with income below certain eligibility threshold. Some other governments (such as El Salvador and Guatemala) used other proxies of welfare – e.g., electricity consumption – to identify beneficiaries. For example, Guatemala introduced the emergency cash transfer Bono Familia to reach 2.7 million households (80% of population) for a duration of 3 months: in such case, 90% of beneficiaries were targeted based on electricity consumption less than 200whz for areas with proper electricity access; the remaining 10% of beneficiaries were selected based on socio-economic characteristics. Togo considered poverty maps developed with innovative approaches, including big data and machine learning. Government relaxed eligibility criteria or suspended verification of the eligibility criteria enabling more people to benefit from the program. Bulgaria and Uzbekistan have modified demographic criteria of child benefit to enable more poor and vulnerable families. For instance, Uzbekistan increased the age limit of the child grant from 14 to 18 years old. Similarly, Belize and others 51 relaxed the eligibility threshold (by disregarding certain incomes and categories, or increasing the threshold) for registrants to receive allowances. For example, Belize’ BOOST cash transfer program relaxed the eligibility threshold to include vulnerable households above the poverty line. And North Macedonia 52 relaxed the eligibility criteria of guaranteed minimum income (GMI) scheme for materially deprived households, allowing the program to expand horizontally to 15,500 new households from the 47 Cuba, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyz Republic, Qatar, Russian Federation, Serbia, and Ukraine. 48 Although many countries have automatically extended the benefits to existing beneficiaries, there are still some countries which did not automatically renew/extend but required reapplication (e.g., Canada) 49 A hybrid targeting approach was adopted, combining emergency assistance for the known vulnerable (Ehsaas Kafaalat beneficiaries) with demand- based support for the “new poor”. The applicant’s poverty status was validated by cross-checking their Computerised National Identity Card numbers within the Proxy 50 Mean Test scoring band of 16.18 to 38. 51 Georgia, Kyrgyz Republic, North Macedonia, Singapore, Uzbekistan and United Kingdom 52 This ability to expand horizontally in response to a declaration of emergency has been institutionalized through a change in legislation. 32 informal economy and 30,000 existing beneficiaries. Similarly, Kyrgyz Republic relaxed their one asset-related eligibility filter which does not respond to transient poverty and prevents registrants from entering the poverty- targeted cash transfer programme for families with children. Next, government have suspended or reduced the eligibility proof requirements (such as reporting of income, wealth, etc.) for their cash assistance. For example, in Germany, parents who lost income due to the pandemic could receive easier access to child grant (Kinderzuschlag) with simplified eligibility requirement of one-month income proof instead of 6 months. Similarly, Kyrgyz Republic automatic renewal suspended the requirement to reveal or report income for low- income families and extended the standard one-year enrolment term for the poverty-oriented cash transfer. France waived the quarterly declaration of resources for its GMI. While determining the benefits amount for the cash transfer, some countries have increased their program benefit size (i.e., vertical expansion); some reverted back to normal, while a few made it permanent. As mentioned before, countries have increased the cash transfer benefit amount, but some reverted back to pre-pandemic levels. For example, Indonesia’s Program Keluarga Harapan program double the benefit level for 3 months (during April- June 2020), but as reported on Jan 2021, the program benefit level was back to normal. Others, like Brazil, Iceland, Iceland, New Zealand, and Moldova have either made such increase permanent or are planning to do so. Kosovo 53 and Albania 54 have doubled the value of the benefit and have continued to double the benefit on-and-off. In the enrolment stage, countries have enrolled people who were on waiting lists or were unsuccessful applicants of other programs. Brazil, Egypt, and West Bank and Gaza have enrolled people who were previously on waiting list of social assistance program. For example, West Bank and Gaza enrolled 10,000 new families who were previously on the waiting list of the Cash Transfer Programme (CTP) and notification regarding the payment was sent in the form of a text message. Some other countries have targeted and enrolled previously unsuccessful applicants. Albania, for example, provided cash assistance of 16,000 ALL per person to all unsuccessful applicants of the economic assistance program Ndihma Ekonomike since July 2019 (and who did not receive any assistance until April 2020). In other cases, e.g., Colombia’s Familias en Acción, programs have re-enrolled registrants who previously failed to comply with conditionalities. In the notification and onboarding stage, countries have notified the registrants regarding their application status; requested them for bank details; and also provided information about payment collection. Belize and others55 have used SMS to notify regarding the result of their application and to inform about their onboarding process. The Kuwaiti Zakat House/Fund, for example, sent text messages to all registered families to update their private data through an attached link. Similarly, Egypt notified accepted beneficiaries via a SMS regarding the location and time to collect their first payment and ATM card. This is done to avoid overcrowding and to ensure the safety of beneficiaries (see box A2 to learn about other measures taken at the payment centre). Countries have delivered cash transfer in a variety of ways. with some countries even incorporating it as a permanent measure. Countries provided cash/cheque in hand at post offices (e.g., Indonesia 56), banks branches (e.g., Egypt,), home (i.e., door-to-door deliver; Lao PDR, Montenegro); bank transfer (Bolivia, etc. 57) which can be withdrawn from ATMs. For example, Egypt’s Exceptional Cash Transfer provided benefit via post office for the first payment and also provided ATM card to withdraw money from the ATM for 2nd and 3rd payments. Brazil Egypt, Honduras, Rwanda, Togo, and Ukraine have institutionalized digital payments in full or in part. In Togo, 53 Emergency fiscal package provided for doubling of the payments issued to Social Assistance Scheme beneficiaries. 54 Economic assistance program Ndihma Ekonomike 55 Cost Rica, Egypt, India, Kuwait, Tongo, and Venezuela, etc. 56 Egypt, Fiji (vouchers to be redeemed at post office), Hong Kong, Montenegro 57 Cape Verde, Chile, Dominica, Hong Kong India, Israel, Paraguay, South Africa, Sudan, United States, Uruguay, 33 for example, before the pandemic payments were made over the counter, but with the pandemic payments were switched to digital payment and this will continue henceforth. Box A2. Social distancing protocols in cash transfers delivery In the case of Japan’s special cash transfer, beneficiaries were encouraged to fill application online and in person applications were only restricted to only special case in a attempt to avoid the spread of the virus. Also, in Philippines, “Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS)” program processed only limited application every day in order to adherence with the social distancing measures. Egypt sent SMS regarding payment collection details such as location and time of visit to avoid overcrowding and ensure the safety of beneficiaries. WFP, in Egypt, increased the number of distribution stations to avoid overcrowding. Inua Jamii beneficiaries, in Kenya, were required to maintain 1.5 meters of social distance, while standing in queue at the payment centers. Yemen’s Emergency Cash Transfer beneficiaries were requested to cover their nose and mouth, and maintain social distancing while queuing inside the payment sites. They were also requested to use the provided hand sanitizer before entering and after collecting their cash. Likewise, all project staff were using protective gear (such as masks and gloves). Finally, strong scheduling and crowd management mechanisms were put in place to prevent crowding at the payment sites. Montenegro’s Material security program processed the payments through post office and home deliveries, to enforce social distancing. Similarly, Grenada’s SEED program provided cash assistance delivery at home for elderly while rest of them had to collect it from allotted payment stations. Some countries such as India and Latvia used a unique way of dispersing money to its beneficiaries. For example, to maintain social distancing, India’s Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) program used last digit of the account numbers to provide the delivery of the cash transfer. For account numbers with last digit as 0 and 1 will get the money in their account on 3 April 2020, 2 and 3 will get on 4 April 2020 and so on. Similarly, Latvia’s childcare transfer dates for each child varied as the pay-out took place gradually according to the child's year of birth, starting with the oldest children. Countries are gradually reinstating previously waived conditionalities. Countries like Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Indonesia, and Tanzania have waived conditionalities in the first phases of the pandemic. Some of the conditions that were suspended include job search (e.g., Italy), requirement to attend job centre (e.g., UK), and health and education related co-responsibilities (e.g., Honduras). In economies like Brazil, Chile, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Norway, Panama, and Tanzania conditionalities are being reinstated. Some countries, like Argentina and others 58, have implemented some form of Covid-related conditional cash transfers such as quarantine and no domestic violence (e.g., Colombia), human capital development and economic (e.g., Congo), and training programs (e.g., Benin, Myanmar). There is also an unusual example of conditionality being linked to extension of benefits: Cook Island’s Emergency Hardship Fund had extended the eligibility period for support by 3 months, with an option for further extension of 3 additional months conditional on the fact that the recipients would participate in volunteer work or community service for at least 5 hours/week (or 20 hours/month). Due to the ongoing pandemic situation, there has been numerous extensions with some interesting transfer value and coverage evolution cases. Around 204 cash assistance programs across 108 countries were extended or re- introduced due to the persistent negative impact of Covid-19 on the life and livelihood of people. With these cases, it is observed that the cash transfers were initially decided and implemented for a specific period, but due to increase in the spread of virus and the duration of lockdown, governments have extended or re-introduced the program, which has already ended a while ago. In some countries with such extension, the coverage and/or transfer value evolved over time (see box A3). 58 Cayman Islands, Colombia, Cook Island, Eswatini, France, Gambia, Iran, Madagascar, Uganda, United Kingdom. 34 Box A3. Evolution of benefit size in Brazil and Australia Brazil’s Auxilio Emergencial was extended twice, and the benefit amount and coverage were reduced with each extension. The Auxilio Emergencial-1 (AE1) operated between April 2020 until August 2020 with five instalments of R$600 to beneficiaries of the conditional cash transfer program Bolsa Família (BFP), individuals over 18 years of age in the single registry (Cadastro Unico), and self-employed or informal workers who were not in the single registry but were impacted by pandemic. It reached 68.3 million people. This program was re- introduced as Auxilio Emergencial 2 (AE2) in September 2020 and lasted until December 2020. It introduced a monthly reassessment of the eligibility conditions and reduced the transfer value by 50% (i.e., R$300). Coverage declined to 56.8 million individuals. In April 2021, the program was re-established: the transfer value was further reduced to R$250, and additional eligibility criteria reduced coverage to 39.4 million direct beneficiaries. Brazil's Auxilio Emergencial Australia's Coronavirus income supplement 80.0 R$ 700.00 600 70.0 R$ 600.00 550 R$ 600.00 500 Tansfer value (AUD) 60.0 R$ 500.00 Coverage (million) Transfer Value (R$) 400 50.0 R$ 400.00 40.0 300 R$ 300.00 R$ 300.00 250 R$ 250.00 30.0 68.3 200 56.8 R$ 200.00 150 20.0 100 10.0 R$ 100.00 39.4 0 0.0 R$ 0.00 March - Sept Sept - Dec Dec 2020 - AE1 AE2 AE3 2020 2020 March 2021 Similarly, Australia’s Corona Virus Supplement gradually reduced the benefit amount. In March 2020, Australia announced a time-limited Coronavirus Supplement to be paid at a rate of AUD 550 on a fortnightly basis. The transfer was directed to recipients of the jobseekers payment, parenting payments, youth allowances and other payment types. This supplement was in place for six months (until Sept 2020) at a cost of AUD 14.1B. In July 2020, it was announced that Coronavirus Supplement woulf be extended from September 2020 until December 2020, but the payment amount would be reduced to AUD 250. On December 10, 2020, the government further extended the duration of the payment, but reduced the payment amount to a rate of AUD 150 until March 31, 2021. In-kind transfers Transfers provided in-kind have been provided in a diverse set of modalities and for different goals related to health, food access, food production, education, support during festivities, etc. High income countries tend to display a richer diversity in in-kind provisions, while low-income countries tend to rely relatively more on classic food backets (figure A1) 35 Figure A1. Type of in-kind transfers by income groups HIC Food basket 45 9 21 2 19 9 2 7 Hot meals Food Voucher/ food UMIC 67 5 11 5 36 11 6 3 card Supply side Health and hygiene kit LMIC 65 14 9 5 21 3 Health Voucher covid-19 incentives LIC 45 1 3 2 10 112 Educational/electronic transfers Other transfers 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 Number of programs Note: HIC stands for High Income Country, UMIC and LMIC represents Upper Middle-Income Country and Lower Middle-Income Country respectively and finally, LIC refers to Low-Income Country. Out of the total 115 countries that put inkind transfers in place, three-quarters provided food baskets containing dry rations and other basic food items such as rice, flour, beans, cereals, oil, salt, sugar, dairy products, etc. (table A1). Food backets were mainly targeted at the elderly, people with disability, pregnant women, children, people from informal sector who have lost their jobs, and unemployed people with children. Cabo Verde, for example, provided immediate food assistance to 22,500 families whose income was below minimum wage or without any source of income, as well as supporting 30,000 children from the most vulnerable households. Similarly, Nomadic people in Djibouti received food support, and Madagascar provided basic food items to people who live on daily wages, such as laundry workers, rickshaw pullers, transactional sex workers, university students, and the elderly. Table A1. In-kind programs during 2020-2021, (as % of countries implementing in-kind transfers) Food Health and hygiene Other in-kind transfers Vaccination- education/el Food Hot Food Supply Health and Health Other related ectronic basket meals Voucher side hygiene kit voucher transfers incentives transfers 75% 16% 20% 9% 42% 2% 3% 6% 8% One-sixth of countries which distributed in-kind assistance have implemented hot meals as an alternative to food baskets. A total of 24 countries (e.g., Bahamas) have introduced hot meals through community kitchen. Also, there were initiatives from restaurants targeted at people in quarantining sites: for example, Myanmar’s Yangon regional government, in collaboration with Italy and WFP, provided daily nutritious meals to over 16,000 people who were receiving medical and quarantine care at Aung Myint Moh treatment centre (see also Jamaica, Kuwait, Lao PDR, and UAE). Other programs reached low-income, homeless, and vulnerable people living in care homes. For Instance, in the Caribbean Netherlands (islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba) hot meals were served at least once a week to vulnerable households through private restaurants. Similar arrangements were stablished 36 in the Dominica Republic, Jamaica, Iraq, Kuwait, Liberia, Philippines, St Maarten, and St. Lucia. The Delhi government in India provided free lunch and dinner to those at public shelters. In some cases, food commodities have been delivered to people’s doorstep. For example, Russia had set up hotlines for people above 60 to order medicine and food for home delivery. Comparable initiatives were recorded for Rwanda, Ghana and the Slovak Republic. Pandemic related logistical challenges have led countries to opt for alternative methods – such as food vouchers, food cards, and other tech-based solutions such as switching to digital vouchers and cash payments. For example, unemployed people in Antigua and Barbuda received food vouchers, which were redeemable in supermarket to buy food and other essential items. Similarly, Bahamas provided food voucher and emergency assistance to people who experienced reduced weeks and for those with disabilities. However, in some other countries (e.g., Gambia, Panama), ration (food transfer) was provided instead of vouchers in regions not presenting conducive implementation conditions. In-kind transfers were also provided to bolster food production. This occurred in 11 countries (i.e., Bhutan, Costa Rica, Dominica, Ethiopia, Fiji, Haiti, Marshall Islands, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Trinidad and Tobago). For example, Dominica, and Trinidad and Tobago introduced “backyard garden seeding programs” and “national seeding initiatives”, respectively. Similarly, the Philippines provided starter kit with a packet of assorted vegetable seeds to grow pocket garden, container garden and community garden. Haiti, opted for encouraging the plantation of tuber and cereals, and used unplanted arable land for increasing food supplies. Similarly, costa Rica started “seed donation initiatives” to small famers. There were, of course, other activities geared to enhance supply chains and augment the availability of food. Some of these programs go beyond the scope of this tracker, but they are worth mentioning. For example, India introduced special trains to transport food grains from the farmers to the market. Also, Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa city government purchased a stockpile of food/other essentials and distributed them to 800 retail shops. Other initiatives are more closely related to enhancing access to food: for instance, the Liberian government purchased excess food gain from farmers and distributed them to schools and other institutions. Sixty-four countries (42 percent) have provided medical and hygiene kits, making it the second most popular form of in-kind transfers in terms of number of countries implementing the program. These packages were mainly targeted at vulnerable people, including elderly, people with disabilities, low-income, pregnant women, children, and informal sector workers who lost their jobs, and people living at care homes. For example, St Lucia provided hygiene packages, including masks, sanitizers, and sanitary napkins, to 6,000 poor and vulnerable households. Similarly, hygiene kits were distributed to elderly and people with disabilities in West Bank and Gaza. In Belize, Covid-19 safety equipment was provided to fishing communities and the private sector engaged in seafood processing facilities. Syria leveraged trade unions to distribute sanitary baskets to workers at work sites across the country. To increase the COVID-19 vaccination take-up, governments have provided in-kind transfers as an incentive (e.g., Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and UK). For example, in the UK 18 to 30-year-olds were offered discounted takeaway meals and free travel to vaccination centers. Similarly, in Japan’s Gunma Prefecture, fully vaccinated people between the age 20 and 40 could participate in a lottery for a Subaru vehicle. Governments have provided education related transfers (e.g., Belize, Botswana, Eritrea, Grenada, Iran, Montenegro, Poland, Singapore, and St. Lucia). For example, Grenada first distributed e-devices, such as laptops, to secondary school students and teachers in October 2020; two months later, it had started expanding its e-device 37 transfers to primary school teachers. Similarly, Iran provided in-kind support for students during school closures (like wheelchairs, laptops and tablets). Inkind transfers were also provided to celebrate festivals, such as in Jordan, Kenya, Mauritania, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom. For example, Bangladesh provided 10 kg rice for free to 1 crore ultra-poor and destitute families 59 ahead of Eid-ul-azha. Jordan and Mauritania distributed food vouchers and fish, respectively, to vulnerable families during Ramadan. And Sudan provided Ramadan meals and Eid treats to low-income families (e.g., tea and wheelbarrow workers). A total of 104 programs contains information on source of financing. Out of these, 42 percent are externally financed and 37% are domestically funded. Around, 10% used private sources (such as private individuals, NGO donations, Zakat funds, etc.), while 4% of programs were funded by a combination of sources (only 1 percent of the programs relied on all the three sources). In terms of coverage, countries have expanded vertically and horizontally. Table A2 presents the top 10 in-kind programs by coverage. In terms of direct actual beneficiaries, the Banyanihan 1 program in the Philippines reached over 59.7 million people 60 by providing both food packs and non-food items (table A2). This was followed by Turkey, which covered 20.7 million people 61 through its door-to-door delivery of food and health kits using Vefa Social Support Groups 62. In terms of share of the population covered, Gambia’s National Covid- 19 food assistance programs reached 64% of the population. The program planned to be quais-0universal with a target of 84% of the population receiving rice, sugar and oil. Botswana’s food hamper program also covers close to 64% the population. Egypt’s food program was targeted at lactating, pregnant women and family with children below 2 years of age Table A2. Coverage of top-10 in-kind programs Country and program Number of beneficiaries Philippines (Banyanihan 1; Emergency Subsidy Program) 59,742,303 Turkey (door-to-door delivery of food and health kits) 20,700,000 Myanmar (food transfer) 16,895,177 Egypt (food package to pregnant, lactating women and families with 15,697,259 children <2yrs) Turkey (free potatoes and onions distribution) 14,249,598 Madagascar (Vatsy Tsinjo) 3,563,470 Colombia (Programa Colombia está contigo) 3,526,852 Afghanistan (National Plan for the Distribution of Baked Bread) 2,501,998 Iraq (National Campaign of NGOs and Volunteering Groups to Respond 1,891,976 to COVID-19 Impact) Gambia (National COVID-19 food assistance) 1,555,624 59 Families were required to meet at least four out of 12 criteria, to become eligible for receiving the assistance. The criteria include landless households or those who have only homestead; households dependent on daily wage labour; households dependent on women's income or begging; households with no income-generating assets; households headed by widowed, divorced or separated women; households headed by a freedom fighter with disability, and households without access to two full meals a day for most of the year. 60 From families classified as low-income households by their local government units but were not qualified to receive the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) 61 Primarily consisting of elderly and people with chronic disease, who were ordered to stay-at-home. 62 A voluntary group which was formed 11 days after the country reported its first coronavirus case in March 2020. 38 Country and program % population Gambia (National COVID-19 food assistance) 64% Botswana (Food Hamper Program) 64% Philippines (Banyanihan 1) 55% Eswatini (food parcel) 34% Myanmar (food transfer) 31% Djibouti (Household food security response to COVID-19) 26% Turkey (door-to-door delivery of food and health kits) 25% Gabon (solidarity fund) 23% Paraguay (Ñangareko) 18% Egypt (meal program) 15% Examples of local horizontal expansion include India’s Gujarat government, which expanded free grains even to “APL” families (above poverty line) and Indonesia’s new in-kind assistance program implemented for Greater Jakarta (Jabodetabek) residents. In terms of vertical expansion, examples include India’s Delhi government providing free rations with 50 percent more quantity than normal entitlements. Similarly, Guan increased the value of its food stamp by 15 percent. 63 A number of countries are scaling back to pre-covid levels. For example, over May-October 2020 Mongolia expanded its food support grant from a pre-Covid level of MNT 16,000 per adult and MNT 8,000 per child per month to MNT 32,000 ($11.2) per adult and MNT 16,000 ($5.6) per child per month. However, the transfer was scaled back vertically for adults to pre-covid level from Jan 1, 2021. School feeding 64 A total of 79 countries have implemented school feeding programs since the spread of pandemic. Albeit a small number, on-site meals have now operated in at least 7 countries. 65 This includes 5 economies where traditional on-side school feeding resumed (i.e., Ghana, India, Northern Mariana Islands, São Tomé and Principe, and Somalia) and 2 countries which continued to provide on-site hot meals without any suspension (i.e., Finland, and Bosnia and Herzegovina) (figure A2). 63 A variant is Argentina, which featured a “vertical adaptation”. The Ministry of Social Development ruled that families who have not yet received the Food Support Card (Tarjeta de alimentar) would receive the value of this amount through the Universal Child Allowance (AUH). The plan was to deliver more than 1,500,000 cards to 2,800,000 recipients. To date the food card has reached 1,100,000 people in 400,000 households. On April 29, 2020, the government announced an extra supplement for holders of the Food Support Card. Those families with one child received an extra bonus of $4,000 pesos while this extra amount was $6,000 pesos for families with two or more children $6,000 pesos. In December 2020 the benefit increased to $8,000 and $12,000, respectively. 64 The team is grateful to Edward Lloyd Evans and Carmen Burbano at WFP for their precious advice and courtesy in sharing data included in this section. 65 This consists of 5 countries which resumed on-site meals and 2 countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina and Finland) which continued to provide on-site hot meals without any suspension. 39 Figure A2. School feeding program before and during Covid-19 (2020-2021) 180 161 160 140 No. of countries 120 100 79 80 60 40 20 7 0 Total Total On-site meals 2019 (Pre COVID-19) 2020-21 (UNDER COVID-19) In fact, during school closures on-site meals were replaced by alternative modalities, including take-home rations (both dry food and cooked meals), food vouchers, and cash transfers (table A3) 66. Table A3. School feeding program modalities during 2020-2021 (% of total countries with those programs in place) Take-home ration/meals Food Vouchers and cash or top-up or On-site school feeding Food stamps special allowance Dry/ raw ration or food baskets or Cooked/ hot nutrition supplements meals 54 (68.4%) 20 (25.3%) 12 (15.2%) 15 (19.0%) 7 (8.9%) Note: Modalities are not mutually exclusive, as some countries have offered either multiple school feeding programs with different modalities or multiple modalities within the same program. Therefore, the total exceeds 100%. Out of 79 countries. In the database, 75 countries are classified under School Feeding Program, while 4 are classified under other instruments (e.g., cash transfer, in-kind), reflecting the adaptations introduced under the school feeding program. While take-home modalities existed prior to the pandemic, their share increased to become the most popular modality during school closure. In fact, these were implemented in over 83% of countries. The take-home-ration of dry/raw ingredients can contain food and nutrition supplements (e.g., Colombia and Virgin Islands); fresh food such as bread, eggs, yogurt, and fruits (e.g., Ireland and Bulgaria); food grains like rice and wheat (e.g., India); micronutrient, and mineral and vitamin-fortified bars and biscuits (e.g., Bangladesh, Libya, and Yemen). A total of 20 countries and economies have provided take-home hot or cooked meals 67. For example, Liberia changed from on-site meals to take-home-meals, similarly to the strategy adopted by Sierra Leone and Liberia during Ebola outbreak in 2014-16. Next, Nigeria employed 100,000 cooks to cook and deliver food to school going children at their homes during school closure In around 30% of countries in our sample, or 25 instances, inkind school feeding programs were converted into cash or vouchers, e.g., Brazil, Egypt, Malawi, Niger, Spain, and UK 68. Some programs offered amounts 66 After a pilot to keep school canteen open amid school closures, the government of Costa Rica switched to take-home-rations. 67 Burkina Faso, Cayman Island, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Israel, Japan, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Virgin Islands (U.S.). 68 Full list includes Anguilla (UK), Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Congo, Cook Islands, Egypt, Finland, France, Guam, India, Jamaica, Korea, Laos, Malawi, Mauritius, Niger, Spain, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, Uruguay, and Zimbabwe. 40 equivalent to the cost of the meal, while others cash as a top-up to dry ration modality. The provision of cash and vouchers in lieu of inkind transfers was more prevalent (i.e., 19 out of 28 programs) in high- and upper-middle income countries (figure A3). Figure A3. School feeding program modalities by country income groups 45 No. of programs across differnt modalities 40 8 35 2 30 8 4 1 25 4 4 3 2 20 1 5 3 2 10 1 15 3 10 18 18 12 14 5 0 HIC LIC LMIC UMIC Dry/raw ingredient Hot meals On-site school feeding Cash Food voucher Alternative solutions – i.e., take-home-meal, food voucher and cash – were not mutually exclusive, and some programs entailed multiple modalities. For example, in Colombia and South Africa schools had the choice of selecting their preferred delivery approach based on prevailing local conditions 69. The operational shift from school-based provisions to alternative modalities occurred in different ways. While some countries built on existing delivery infrastructure (e.g., Ireland using food parcels), most of countries had to arrange distribution channels afresh. These strategies included increasing distribution points (in addition to schools); using special transportation (e.g., Chile); and door-to-door delivery by mobilizing teachers (e.g., Honduras) and public work participants (e.g., Guam, South Africa). Distributions often involved allotting time slots and marking on floors to avoid overcrowding at pickup locations (e.g., Cambodia). Broadly, it appears that the eligibility criteria for school feeding programs remained constant in most countries. In fact, less than one-third of the programs in our sample (23 out of 79 countries 70) have expanded horizontally. For example, Burkina Faso’s school feeding program covered every school age child, both in- and out-of-school. And Guam’s Grab ‘n’ Go (take-home-style) school feeding extended eligibility to all children (less than 18 years of age) irrespective of whether they attended private or public schools. In several cases, programs provided a higher benefit compared to pre-pandemic levels. For example, India’s Gujarat state provided cash/vouchers alongside take-home, dry-food rations. This was meant to compensate for cooking costs, including gas, spices, and other items. In some cases (e.g., India, Mongolia, Brazil and UK), the amount of vouchers/cash exceeded the cost of on-site school meals. This was because cash/voucher amounts were typically set based on retail price of food items, which were higher than large scale procurement price obtained 69 In Colombia, the Ministry of Education allowed for choices based on school food supply service, logistics, conservation and availability aspects of food, habits of the population, and social distancing requirements among others. 70 Such as Anguilla (UK), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Croatia, Estonia, Guam, India, Israel, Japan, Korea, Malawi, Mongolia, New Zealand, Peru, São Tomé and Principe, Senegal, United Kingdom. 41 by government agencies for school meals. Other countries (e.g., Gambia and Libya) extended school meals in the form of take-home family ration to also benefit other family members. Information on sources of financing is available for 20 countries. Among them, 35% relied on external sources and around 30% were domestically funded (through central or state budget, fiscal reserves, etc.). Next, 15% was funded using private sources, while about 20% showed mixed financing arrangements. The frequency in the delivery of the school feeding program ranged from one-off lumpsum, daily, weekly, monthly and bi-monthly distributions. For example, in April 2020 Uruguay provided one-off top-up of an extra $424 cash transfer to improve food security, involving 43,000 planned children beneficiaries. This benefit was paid through digital money card, bank accounts or local decentralized networks. The Tallinn government in Estonia scaled-up its program from 1,200 to 11,550 students. Such process involved a shift from on-site hot meals to take-home rations. The change also involved an altered distribution schedule to weekly provisions: the take- home package covered 6 days of lunch, with the menu varying over time. Similarly, Colombia’s monthly prepare- at-home rations contained cereals and fortified flours, milk and dairy products, protein food, fats and sugars designed to last for a month. Waivers and subsidies in utilities, goods, services, and financial obligations Governments have implemented a vast array of waivers. These can be classified into six broad categories (table A4). The reminder of the section is organized around those groups, including utility and rental; loans and mortgages; policies on taxes; measures related to food security and access to essential goods; programs related to transportation and digital transaction; and human capital measures. Table A4. Various waivers and subsidies Type of measures Number of countries (%)* Utility and housing rent 142 (76%) Loans and mortgages 96 (51%) Taxes 92 (49%) Food security and access to essential goods 57 (31%) Commute and electronic transactions 40 (21%) Human capital (education and health) 36 (19%) * Out of 187 countries Around 142 countries 71 have implement 264 programs related to house rent, water, electricity, heaters, and telecommunication. These policies pertain to waiver or subsidies on bills, postponement of utility bills, no suspension of service or no eviction on default, no penalties on late payment. 71 Albania, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla (UK), Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Canada, Caribbean Netherlands, Cayman Islands, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Dem. Rep. of Congo, Rep. of Congo, Cook Island, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark. Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kosovo, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Lebanon, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao SAR, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Micronesia, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat (UK), Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Russian Federation, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turks and Caicos islands, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands (U.S.), Yemen, and Zimbabwe. 42 To assists individuals who are unable to pay utility bills (including housing rent), 46 countries 72 have waived the bills, and 61 nations (e.g., Germany 73) have subsidised it. For example, El Salvador had granted a waiver on utility bill payments to individuals directly affected by the pandemic for a duration of three months, covering electricity, water, telephone, cable, and internet fees. Similarly, in Mauritania, the state subsidized water and electricity bills of low-income families for two months at the outset of the pandemic (from April 2020). Next, Bolivia paid full electricity energy bills of consumers with lower consumption for three months, as well as absorbing half of the cost of potable water and gas bills for all households. Similarly, Greece announced that tenants whose employment contract was suspended were allowed to pay only 60% of their monthly rent for the months of March and April 2020. The Bahamas and others 74 provided opportunities to defer payment of utility bills (including housing rent) for a fixed period of time. For example, in March 2020 Sri Lanka extended the deadline of first quarter of electricity and water bills below LKR15,000 to April 2020. Similarly, Saudi Arabia introduced a special provision allowing for delay in rent payments and utility bills on demand by period of 3 months. Such policy was effective from March to September 2020. Taiwan offered coronavirus rent relief where all renters could apply to defer rent payment deadlines to the end of 2020. Governments have requested utility service providers to charge no penalty for late payment, including no suspension of services and evictions. Antigua and Barbuda, and others 75 have requested utility service providers to continue service without interruption even if bills were not paid. For example, Argentina has ruled that key utilities such as energy, gas, water, phone, internet, and cable services could be suspended during the crisis even if three consecutive bill payments were missed. Next, countries such as (Kazakhstan and others 76) have suspended penalties or fine for late payments. For example, Ukraine introduced a moratorium on penalties for consumers who were late on utility payments. Finally, Italy and others 77 have prohibited eviction of tenants. For example, Guam declared that there would not be evictions or foreclosure actions or proceedings involving real estate or property, whether rental or otherwise, until the public health emergency is over. About 163 programs across 96 countries (e.g., Cyprus, etc. 78) have focused on loans and mortgages specifically. These policies include postponement of monthly repayment of loans and interest, provision of loans, reduction of 72Bahrain, Bolivia, British Virgin Islands, Burkina Faso, Chad, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, El Salvador, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Kyrgyz Republic, Liberia, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Qatar, Samoa, Senegal, Slovak Republic, Spain, St. Kitts and Nevis, Timor- Leste, Togo, Turks and Caicos islands, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. 73 Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Caribbean Netherlands, Colombia, Cook Island, Cyprus, Denmark, Djibouti, Equatorial, Guinea, Eswatini, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Korea, Rep., Kosovo, Lao PDR, Lithuania, Macao SAR, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Micronesia, Mongolia, Montenegro, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Samoa, Seychelles, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vietnam, and Virgin Islands (U.S.). 74 Albania, Argentina, Bahamas, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Eritrea, Guinea, Ireland, Korea, Kosovo, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Lebanon, Madagascar, Marshall Islands, North Macedonia, Oman, Paraguay, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Zimbabwe. 75 Albania, Anguilla (UK), Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Comoros, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Ghana, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Montenegro, Montserrat (UK), New Zealand, Peru, Portugal, Russian Federation, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos islands, Uganda, Ukraine, and Venezuela. 76 Albania, Armenia, Peru, Suriname, Turks and Caicos islands, and Ukraine. 77 Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Congo (Dem. Rep.), Ethiopia, Germany, Guam, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Paraguay, Saudi Arabia, Uganda, and United States. 78 Albania, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla (UK), Antigua and Barbuda, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Dominica, Eswatini, Fiji, Finland, Georgia, Greece, Guam, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea, Kosovo, Lesotho, Liberia, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal, Russian Federation, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, Sint Maarten (Dutch part), Slovak Republic, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the 43 interest rate, waiver of penalty, and government guaranteed loans, among others. Most of these programs pertain to postponement or suspension 79 of repayment of loans and interest. Seventy-two countries 80 have postponed the credit payments including mortgages and consumption credit. For example, St. Vincent and the Grenadines provided a six-month moratorium on the payment of principal and interest on various loans (home mortgages, business loans, personal and consumer loans) as well as on credit cards. Financial institutions arranged specific customised packages of financing or refinancing for their clients. Similarly, Morocco provided an option to defer debt payments until June 30, 2020 for formal employees who lose their jobs and are registered with the pension fund. Governments and financial institutions ensured that postponements of loan repayment would affect the credit history of the borrower. The Slovak Republic and others 81 have not levied any default penalty or late fees during deferral period of the loan repayment. Kosovo and others 82 have not recorded deferral or suspension of loan and interest repayment as non-performing (bad) loans. Azerbaijan and others 83 have not recorded the postponement of repayment into the official debtors register or in the credit history of the borrower. For example, Taiwan announced that individuals may defer payments on principal or interest due on loan statements for three to six months. Default penalties and default interest may be waived during the deferral period. Until the obligation becomes due, such loans would not be handled as a bad debt and an instance of late payment will not be reflected in the debtor's credit record. Governments have also provided loans, some at subsidised interest rates and some with guarantees, made available to those whose income was affected by the pandemic. Barbados and others 84 have provided loans to households for education, housing, and other purposes. For example, Namibia provided a loan scheme for tax paying employees and self-employed who lost income. These workers were able to borrow an amount equal to one-twelfth of their tax payment in the previous tax year, to be repaid after one year. Next, Brazil and others 85 have granted loans at lower than market interest rates. For example, in Suriname commercial banks provided new short-term loans to individuals affected by Covid-19 at a special interest rate of 7.5% per year, which was significantly lower than the market interest rate. Finally, Spain and others 86 have provided guarantees on loans. For example, the Bulgarian Development Bank provided guarantee to commercial banks for the loans granted by them to individuals and legal entities. Individuals were granted interest-free bank loans up to BGN 1,500 per month for a period of three months. Nations have implemented wide range of policies pertaining to taxes (both direct and indirect), related to deferral of payment and tax filing, reduction in tax rate, increase in threshold for non-taxable income, encourage voluntary Grenadines, Suriname, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turks and Caicos islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, West Bank and Gaza, and Zimbabwe. 79 N.B.: Postponement is used interchangeable with grace period, extension of payment deadline, payment holiday, and moratorium. 80 Andorra, Angola, Anguilla (UK), Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bhutan, Brazil, Brunei, Darussalam, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Fiji, Georgia, Guam, Guinea, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Jersey, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lesotho, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Oman, Panama, Philippines, Portugal, Russian Federation, Seychelles, Singapore, Sint Maarten (Dutch part), Slovak Republic, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turks and Caicos islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, West Bank and Gaza, and Zimbabwe. 81 Azerbaijan, Dominica, Taiwan and Uruguay. 82 New Zealand, Taiwan 83 Kosovo, Slovak Republic, and Taiwan. 84 Chile, Kosovo, Mexico, Namibia, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, San Marino, Suriname, Thailand, and Trinidad and Tobago. 85 Cyprus, Nepal, Korea, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago 86 Bulgaria, San Marino and Hong Kong 44 compliance of tax filing, removal of fine for late/non-tax payment. Around 163 programs in 92 countries (e.g., Angola 87) have implemented such policies. The majority of programs include postponement or deferral of direct and indirect taxes. Austria and others 88 have provided the option for deferral of direct (e.g., income, property, land) and indirect taxes (e.g., VAT 89, sales taxes, import duties). For example, Uzbekistan extended the deadline for the payment of property tax and land tax of individuals. St Kitts and Nevis deferred the property tax for the period of June to Sept 2020. Next, Aruba and others 90 have suspended penalties on late tax payments. Kosovo, for example, suspended all interest on unpaid property taxes. Many countries removed or suspended indirect taxes on a variety of essential products, while a few even suspended direct taxes. Angola and others 91 have temporarily removed or suspended VAT or sales tax or import duties on essential goods and services such as food items, medicines, electricity, water, etc. Kosovo removed VAT on imports of wheat and flour. Bosnia and Herzegovina suspended the calculation and payment of indirect taxes on medical items both in the import of equipment and certain assets, as well as in domestic trade. Next, Ghana, Lao PDR and Malawi have even waived direct taxes to targeted groups. For example, Lao PDR exempted employees’ income tax for a duration of 3 months for civil servants and employees of the private sector with income less than LAK5 million per month. Similarly, Ghana waived resident taxes for all foreign healthcare workers. Several governments have also reduced various taxes. Azerbaijan and others 92 reduced different forms of taxes. For example, Estonia reduced excise duty on some types of fuel, electricity, and gas. Similarly, South Korean announced that a 70% individual consumption tax cut on car purchases. Comoros reduced import taxes on food, medicines, and items related to hygiene by 30% during 2020, but returned to previous levels from the beginning of 2021. Countries have taken several measures to ensure that citizens file their tax returns through extending the deadline for filing taxes, and encourage online tax filing and voluntary compliance. China and others 93 have extended the deadline for filing taxes. Thailand extended the tax filing deadline for individual income tax returns from March 31, 2020 to August 31, 2020. Next, Botswana announced that manual statutory filing was not possible during the lockdown period: to avoid incurring penalty for late payments, taxpayers were encouraged to use online compliance platforms provided by the tax authority. To increase tax filing compliance, Malawi implemented a 87 Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Caribbean (Netherlands), Chile, China, Comoros, Congo (Dem. Rep.), Costa Rica, Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Estonia, Eswatini, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guam, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kosovo, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Montenegro, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russian Federation, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia. Senegal, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Somalia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Taiwan (China), Tajikistan, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam 88 Azerbaijan, Belgium, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Caribbean, Netherlands, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Germany, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Kosovo, Kyrgyz Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Malta, Montenegro, Nepal, North Macedonia, San Marino, Senegal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Taiwan (China), Tonga, Turkey, United States, and Uzbekistan. 89 Value Added Tax 90 Belgium, Chile, Curaçao, Jordan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Mongolia, and Nigeria. 91 Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Comoros, Cyprus, Eswatini, Ghana, Guyana, Italy, Korea, Kosovo, Lao PDR, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Norway, Pakistan, Qatar, Samoa, Somalia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan. 92 Belgium, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Comoros, Curaçao, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Kazakhstan, Korea, Mali, North Macedonia, Norway, Senegal, and Thailand. 93 Guatemala, Namibia, Nigeria, Taiwan, Thailand, and Turkey 45 special window to provide opportunity for individuals to regularize their tax affairs without suffering penalties, interests, and charges. Other measures related to tax included tax rebate, credit, relief, and many more. Bulgaria and others 94 have either reduced tax rate (base) or increased the threshold for non-taxable income. For example, Lithuania temporarily increased the threshold for non-taxable income for a duration of 6 months (i.e., the second semester of 2020) from €4,200 to €4,800. Canada and others 95 have provided tax reliefs and rebates for a variety of reasons. For example, Cyprus implemented tenant support scheme to protect tenants by incentivising landlords to reduce rents. A tax credit was granted to the landowner equal to 50% of the rented reduction provided that the reduced rent is between 30 and 50% for a specific period of months. Similarly, Germany provided tax relief to workers working from home during coronavirus for additional household costs (e.g., heating, metered water bills, home contents insurance, business calls or a new internet connection), provided that they worked from home on a regular basis for all or part of the week. Governments bolstered access to essential items by providing free or subsidized agriculture inputs and by setting price ceiling on essential food and non-food items. About 57 countries 96 have implemented around 77 such programs. Around 23 programs in 21 countries (e.g., Rwanda, etc. 97) have provided seeds and other agriculture inputs to improve food insecurity and boost farmer livelihood. Guyana and others 98 have provided free agriculture inputs (tools, seeds, raised seed beds, grow boxes, etc.) to households and small-scale farmers to grow crops in their kitchen or backyard garden and contribute to the collective food supply of their respective nations. For example, Grenada’s backyard gardening program provided material support such as seeds and other planting material, small garden tools. Next, other countries (e.g., Belize, etc. 99) aimed to boost farmer livelihoods by providing agriculture inputs at a subsidized price or for free (e.g., fertilizer, seeds). For example, Lesotho introduced a 60% subsidy on all agricultural seeds. Similarly, Angola subsidized fertilizers up to 35%. Myanmar provided e-vouchers worth 120,000 kyats (US$ 67.5) to around 300,000 farmers with less than 2-acre of land, female headed households with returning migrants, and households of ethnic minority. Around 52 programs in 44 countries (e.g., Anguilla (UK) 100) have applied a price ceiling on food and non-food items. About three-fourth (36 countries; Angola, etc. 101) of these countries have implemented price ceilings on 94 Azerbaijan and Lithuania 95 Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Malaysia, Northern Mariana Islands, Pakistan, and United Kingdom. 96 Angola, Anguilla (UK), Argentina, Aruba, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, China, Comoros, Congo (Dem. Rep.), Côte d'Ivoire, Curaçao, El Salvador, Eritrea, Gambia, Georgia, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Jordan, Kyrgyz Republic, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Micronesia, Myanmar, Niger, North Macedonia, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Turks and Caicos islands, Tuvalu, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. 97 Angola, Belize, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Congo (Dem. Rep.), Eritrea, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Lesotho, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritius, Micronesia, Myanmar, Niger, Solomon Islands, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and Togo. 98 Grenada, Solomon Islands, and St. Kitts and Nevis 99 Belize, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Congo (Dem. Rep.), Eritrea, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Lesotho, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritius, Micronesia, Myanmar, Niger, Rwanda, and Togo. 100 Argentina, Aruba, Barbados, Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, China, Comoros, Congo (Dem. Rep.), Côte d'Ivoire, Curaçao, El Salvador, Eritrea, Gambia, Georgia, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guinea, Honduras, Jordan, Kyrgyz Republic, Libya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritania, Mauritius, Niger, North Macedonia, Russian Federation, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, St. Lucia, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Turks and Caicos, Tuvalu, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. 101 Anguilla (UK), Argentina, Aruba, Barbados, Belarus, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, China, Comoros, Congo (Dem. Rep.), Côte d'Ivoire, Curacao, El Salvador, Gambia, Georgia, Jordan, Kyrgyz Republic, Libya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritania, Mauritius, North Macedonia, Russian, Federation, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Turks and Caicos, Tuvalu, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. 46 food. Similarly, 25 economies 102 also implemented price control on other non-food essentials such as masks, cleaning items, items for sanitizing and disinfecting hands, medicines, etc. Next, governments also ensured price control by monitoring availability of sufficient stock of essential goods (e.g., Georgia 103), and restricting the margin of profit on essential goods (e.g., Greece). For example, Benin introduced a price ceiling for masks in pharmacies (200 FCFA). Next, Uzbekistan enacted price-fixing for specific products on basic food items (such as rice, pasta, sunflower oil, flour, sugar, wheat, buckwheat, beans, and milk powder and its products) by subsidizing related businesses. Similarly, Argentina maintained prices of basic food baskets, beverages, toiletries, and cleaning items as they were on March 6, 2020. The measure was extended several times, and in November 2020, Covid-19 related drugs were also included in the price control program. The last extension was granted until late January 2021. To prevent the spread of virus via manual transactions, about 30 programs in 28 countries 104 have waived-off or subsidised transaction fees, and increased transaction limit on digital payments. To promote the use of digital payments, 26 countries 105 have either waived or subsidized transaction fees – on person-to-person payments (e.g., Côte d’Ivoire 106), merchant payments (e.g., Lesotho and Uganda), and transfers from bank accounts to digital wallets (e.g., Zambia 107) – up to a certain amount. For example, Rwanda waived the charges on mobile money transactions as well as charges on services between bank accounts and mobile wallets. Next, some countries (e.g., Tanzania 108) also increased the upper transaction limit for digital and cashless payments. For example, in Netherlands banks have increased transaction limit for contactless cards in an attempt to prevent virus spreading via PIN pads. In Bangladesh, the monthly transaction limit for mobile financial services had been raised from Tk 75,000 to Tk 200,000. To support safe mobility and reduce transportation costs, about 14 programs across 13 countries 109 have waived- off or subsidized transportation costs, increased frequency of public transport to avoid congestion, and provided special transportation support such as for vaccinations. Ethiopia expanded its bus services to reduce overcrowding in the public transport and provided free public transportation. Similarly, some other countries (e.g., Philippines, etc. 110) have provided special transportation services to migrants, frontline workers, and vaccination takers. For example, as an incentive to get vaccinated, Japan’s Shizuka city announced that the elderly can avail subsidized taxi rides between their home and vaccination sites. Next, Gabon and Guinea have waived public transportation cost, while other economies (e.g., Hong Kong 111) introduced or increased the subsidies for public transportation. Gabon started free public transportation for all users in urban areas in April 2020, and the service continued through July 2021. Similarly, Azerbaijan halved the passenger public transportation rate (from 1.8 AZN to 0.9 AZN per person). 102 Anguilla (UK), Argentina, Aruba, Barbados, Belarus, Benin, China, Congo (Dem. Rep.), Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Guam, Guinea, Honduras, Jordan, Niger, North Macedonia, Russian Federation, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Turks and Caicos, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. 103 Argentina and Syria. 104 Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo (Dem. Rep.), Côte d'Ivoire, Fiji, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Iraq, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mongolia, Mozambique, Netherlands, Niger, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia. 105 Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo (Dem. Rep.), Côte d'Ivoire, Fiji, Ghana, Guinea-Bissa, Iraq, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mongolia, Mozambique, Niger, Pakistan. Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia. 106 Bangladesh, Côte d’Ivoire, Lesotho, Rwanda, Uganda, etc. 107 Kenya, Lesotho, Zambia, etc. 108Bangladesh, Lesotho, Netherlands, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia. 109 Azerbaijan, Denmark, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, Hong Kong, Japan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, Russian Federation, Turkey, and Zimbabwe. 110 Japan, Turkey and Zimbabwe. 111 Azerbaijan, Malaysia, and Russian Federation. 47 In terms of human capital, governments of 36 countries 112 implemented 46 programs including waivers and deferrals in education and health. Around 28 programs in 24 countries (Armenia, etc. 113) have implemented subsidies and waivers on tuition fees, and deferral on student loans. They pertained mostly to higher education level (e.g., college, vocational studies, university), while lower levels (e.g., secondary) were also covered. For example, Jamaica announced that Covid-19 Student Loan Relief would provide deferral on student loan principal and interest payments for 3 months, until July 2020. Similarly, Fiji and Singapore have suspended the repayment of the loans. Some countries (e.g., Armenia) have also subsidised interest rate on student loans based on student’s performance. In Armenia, for graduating student’s fees that were paid through a student loan, the assistance received from the government will be directed to pay the loan. And the support was provided based on the merit: the interest rates on current and new loans for students with a GPA of more than 80 was zeroed for 2020, including for the students at state-accredited universities and Loan interest rates for students with a GPA less than 80 was subsidized by 5 percent and therefore, the loans were available at 4 percent. Next, Countries (e.g., Canada) have also increased the upper limit of the student loan. For example, Canada has increased the maximum weekly loan limit from $210 to $350 for the 2020 to 2021 school year. Next, 16 governments 114 have implemented 19 programs pertaining to partial or full fee waivers or subsidies. Some of these were targeted at students on tuition fee debt (e.g., Armenia), who have lost their parents working in healthcare sector to Covid-19 (e.g., Sierra Leone), whose parents were unemployed (e.g., Taiwan), and from low-income and vulnerable families (e.g., Georgia). Some countries (e.g., Togo) even exempted registration fees for school and university exams. A total of 18 programs in 15 countries (e.g., Cape Verde 115) have focused on waivers and subsidies related to healthcare, and also dealt with supply side 116 of the industry. Six countries 117 have subsidised or waived-off medical expenses related to testing (e.g., Algeria); treatment (e.g., Rwanda); medicine (e.g., Russia); hospital and doctor visit (e.g., France, Jersey, and St Kitts and Nevis); and transportation cost (e.g., Malaysia). For example, Algeria used the National Pension Fund to compensate for Covid-19 related analyses and tests. In June 2020, St Kitts and Nevis waived hospital and related fees for Covid infected people. In March 2021, Russia allocated additional 2.7 billion Roubles (equivalent to $ 35.4 million) for free medicines to patients with coronavirus. Public works Pandemic health and safety protocols made public works generally unsuitable in the early phases of the pandemic. Over time, countries implemented those programs with protective equipment 118 and organized activities in more 112 Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Fiji, France, Georgia, Jamaica, Jersey, Kenya, Malaysia, Maldives, Micronesia, Nepal, North Macedonia, Poland, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Singapore, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Taiwan, Togo, Tonga, Turkey, Turks and Caicos islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. 113 Azerbaijan, Barbados, Canada, Chile, Fiji, Georgia, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, North Macedonia, Poland, Sierra Leone, Singapore, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Taiwan, China, Togo, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu 114 Armenia, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Canada, Chile, Georgia, Kenya, Nepal, North Macedonia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Taiwan, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. 115 Albania, Algeria, Austria, China, France, Georgia, Jersey, Malaysia, Micronesia, Russian Federation, Rwanda, St. Kitts and Nevis, Turkey, and Turks and Caicos islands. 116 A few programs were related to supply side. Cape Verde recruited caregivers to assist elderly in carrying out their daily assistance. Next, France, Malaysia, and Turks and Caicos islands have provided a wide variety of subsidies and waivers for home-based health support (e.g., Albania); psychological support related to mental health for the homeless (e.g., Malaysia) and students (e.g., France); and access to health for the unemployed (e.g., Turks and Caicos Islands). For example, since February 2021, France has been offering free psychological support via the platform (santepsy.etudiants.fr.) to students facing a situation of ill-being. These sessions can last up to 3 meetings of 45 minutes and are completely free of cost. 117 Algeria, Rwanda, Russian Federation, Malaysia, Micronesia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Jersey 118 Initially, Kenya’s Kazi Mtaani program did not provide workers with protective masks and gloves. Eventually, these were made available in August 2020. 48 Covid-sensitive ways (e.g., reduced crew size and worker rotation in Ghana and Botswana). This section will also discuss different types of public works tasks related to the pandemic. Overall, 48 out of 223 countries/territories have implemented 77 public works programs since March 2020. Most of public works were implemented in lower-middle income countries, with the least number in high income settings; and those programs were mostly featured in Sub Saharan Africa, with the least number appearing in the Middle East and North Africa. Public works implemented during the pandemic can be broadly classified into two buckets, namely Covid-related and “classic” activities. Among the first cluster are three forms of public works: those with tasks that are indirectly related to Covid, particularly around Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH); activities that rose in salience, such as digital public works; and specific activities directly related to Covid-19. Examples for each of these three forms are hereafter offered. WASH activities include unclogging drainage, collecting garbage and cleaning streets (e.g., Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, and Nigeria) as well as constructing borewells and promoting clean drinking water (e.g., Guinea). In terms of digital public works, countries like Mali, Tanzania and Kenya have been piloting new approaches using mobile phones for uploading images helping the geolocation of slum services, identification of solid waste sites, green spaces, etc 119. Among more Covid-specific tasks, public works participants have been assigned to raise awareness about Covid- 19 as well as community health and hygiene. For example, Kenya encouraged people from creative industry (such as artists, musicians, performers, other self-employed) to participate in a scheme under which participants produced artwork to entertain and inform about Covid-19. In other cases, participants were engaged in contact tracing (e.g., Ghana); vaccination campaign (e.g., Jordan); preparation of protective equipment (Central African Republic); sanitization and fumigation of public and quarantine sites (e.g., South Africa, Guam, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria and Philippines). Indonesia’s public works program mobilized informal and self-employed workers to disinfect the public spaces in exchange for vouchers. Also, some countries leveraged public works to distribute food parcels during school closure (e.g., Guam, South Africa). Out of 48 countries that have implemented public works, about 12.5% engaged in this first bucket of Covid-related programs. The other bucket of public works involves more traditional activities. Most countries engaged in this second bucket of programs (68.8%), while about 18.8% presented some combo of Covid-related and classic public works. Classic activities were conducted in agriculture, irrigation, fishing and aquaculture (e.g., Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Mauritius. For example, Zambia, created about 150 permanent skilled or semi-skilled positions and 40 part-time unskilled jobs in agriculture and aquaculture value chains. Other works took place in the care sector: an example is South Africa (and Uzbekistan) where public works participants provided childcare and home-based care to elderly. Other works included construction and renovation (e.g., Bulgaria, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mexico). An interesting example is Bhutan, where cash/reskill-for-work programmes were conducted to beautify and maintain main touristic attractions. Environmental activities were also present in, among others, Cambodia, Nepal, Pakistan, Palau, and Uzbekistan. For example, Armenia started a reforestation program to protect riverbeds from erosion and floods. Such works were conducted by hiring vulnerable groups in the agricultural sector to plant local willow trees and fencing the planted area. In terms of implementation, governments have introduced both full-time and part-time public work programs. For example, Cambodia provided short-term work opportunities to people who have lost their jobs and have 119 In Kenya, the program paid $3.12 for each task completed successfully. 49 returned to their hometown from both within and outside the country. Taiwan introduced part-time work opportunities in public agencies to foment labor market attachment. Among main design features and adaptations, countries have waived work requirements (7.8% out of 77 programs), which essentially made public works a cash transfer. This included at least 5 programs in Botswana, Ethiopia (UPSNP), Ghana, Rwanda, and South Sudan; three of those countries recently reinstated work requirements (i.e., Botswana, Ethiopia, Rwanda). A certain degree of flexibility was accorded to recruitment process. Due to travel and lockdown restrictions, five countries (e.g., Grenada, India, Kenya, Mali, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines) have recruited workers locally or have allotted work in their vicinity – hence avoiding major travel. Governments have provided advanced payments and have increased the program duration for which the individual is eligible. In Uzbekistan, participants typically had access to temporary jobs between two weeks and three months: during the pandemic, such period was increased to six months. And Ethiopia’s UPSNP provided three- month advance payments to its participants. In at least four cases, gender sensitive public works were implemented (e.g., Grenada, Nepal). For example, West Bank and Gaza’s cash-for-work program reserves at least half of its short-term employment opportunities to women. In some cases, flexibility was provided in working hours. For instance, mothers or caregivers of children in Ghana’s LIPW program benefitted from reduced working hours. About 60% of public works were new interventions 120. This included, for example, measures in areas previously unreached. For example, the Republic of Congo targeted urban areas, while other countries focused on youth, unemployed, or informal workers (Ghana, Kenya, Kyrgyz Republic, Madagascar, and Papua New Guinea). Conversely, 11 programs expanded their scale based on preexisting programs, such as in Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guam, Kazakhstan, Mexico, and St Vincent and the Grenadines. For example, Nigeria’s SPW program extended coverage of an ongoing, small-scale rural pilot nationally121. Similarly, Uganda’s Urban Cash for Work Program was expanded to main urban areas with high concentration of informal sector workers. Only a few countries increased benefits vertically (e.g., Ethiopia’s Rural PSNP, India and Mozambique) . For example, in April 2020, India’s NREGA increased the average daily wages by around 10%, from Rs.182 to Rs. 202. Wages were further increased in March 2021, but for a lower rate than in 2020. Similarly, Mozambique provided additional payments to Labour Intensive Public Work participants. Based on data for 31 programs (out of 77 programs) for which financing information is available, over half (55%) were externally funded. Around 39% utilized domestic sources. And 3% of programs relied on private funding, and another 3% on mixed sources. In terms of coverage, India’s NREGA tops the list by reaching 65.1 million beneficiaries (table A5). It is followed by Ethiopia’s Rural PSNP covering 2.9 million beneficiaries. The other scheme in Ethiopia, the Urban PSNP, comes in the fifth place covering a little over a million people, and finally, Madagascar’s Argent Contre Travail 120 This was the case in Armenia, Austria, Bhutan, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Congo, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Latvia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, South Africa, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Taiwan, West Bank and Gaza, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Jordan. 121 The Nigeria SPW program was designed and piloted to mitigate the lack of job opportunities in Nigeria’s rural areas through a short- term work for 1,000 unemployed Nigerian youth (aged 18 to 30) from each of the 8 states for a period of 3 months. On April 6th, 2020, government announced the extension of the pilot program to all 36 Nigerian States and the Federal Capital Territory from October to December, 2020 by employing 774,000 people. 50 Productif supported over 215,000 people. In relative terms, India reached 5% of the population, while Myanmar’s cash for work and Ethiopia’s Rural PSNP covered 3% each. Table A5. Top-10 public works programs by coverage Country Program Number of beneficiaries India India’s MGNREGA 65,100,000.00 Ethiopia Ethiopia's Rural PSNP 2,900,000.00 Philippines Philippines Bayanihan 1 2,600,000.00 Myanmar Myanmar cash-for-work 1,689,517.71 Ethiopia* Ethiopia's Urban PSNP 1,015,207.12 Philippines Philippines's Banyanihan 2 797,222.00 Indonesia Indonesia's Ministry of Public Works and 755,816.00 Public Housing Cash Labour-Intensive program South Africa South Africa's Presidential Employment 550,000.00 Stimulus Kenya Kenya's National hygiene program (Kazi 283,210.00 Mtaani) Madagascar Madagascar's Argent Contre Travail Productif 217,767.59 Country Program % of population India India’s MGNREGA 5% Myanmar Myanmar cash-for-work 3% Ethiopia Ethiopia's Rural PSNP 3% Philippines Philippines Bayanihan 1 2% Rwanda* Rwanda's Vision 2020 Umurenge 2% South Africa South Africa's Presidential Employment 1% Stimulus Azerbaijan Azerbaijan's public works 1% Ethiopia* Ethiopia's Urban PSNP 1% Madagascar Madagascar's Argent Contre Travail Productif 1% Philippines Philippines's Banyanihan 2 1% *Countries that have initially waived-off work requirements 51 Annex 2. Planned versus actual cash transfers coverage rates Spend local card (Jersey) 97.4% Universal $930 cash handouts (Japan) 92.6% COVID-19 relief funds (Korea, Rep.) 99.7% Grant to Every Citizen (Israel) 95.7% Triple stimulus voucher (Taiwan, China) 96.2% Bono Familiar Universal (Peru) 88.2% Compensation Bonus (El Salvador) 77.2% The Cash Payout Scheme (Hong Kong) 87.7% Universal one-off payment (Serbia) 89.0% Universal Cash transfer (Tuvalu) 89.1% Universal one-off transfer (Timor-Leste) 100.0% Care & Support Package one-off assistance (Singapore) 80.9% Bono Familia (Guatemala) 76.7% Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme (Pakistan) 52.4% National ID project incentive (Samoa) 72.7% Solidarity Bonus (Panama) 71.4% Social Amelioration Program (Philippines) 67.9% The Sudan Family Support Project (Sudan) 30.0% CARES Act stimulus check (United States) 49.2% Stay at Home program (Dominican Republic) 48.1% COVID-19 Economic Relief Plan (CERP) (Myanmar) 43.5% American Rescue Plan stimulus check (United States) 47.3% Consolidated Appropriations Act stimulus check (United States) 44.6% one-time emergency cash support (Tajikistan) 44.0% Tadamon (Morocco) 78.0% Child Money program (Mongolia) 36.2% WFP cash transfer (Eswatini) 38.1% Auxilio Emergencial 1 (AE1) (Brazil) 32.1% Bono Contra el Hambre (Bolivia) 34.2% Emergency Grant (Iraq) 28.8% Rao Chana (Thailand) 30.8% Bono 380 'Yo me quedo en casa (Peru) 28.8% Pandemic Social Support Program (Turkey) Planned coverage 29.9% One-time emergency income grant (Namibia) 34.1% Nafa Quick program (Gambia, The) Actual coverage 26.6% Social Welfare Department (Zimbabwe) 0.7% School Closure Support (Cook Island) (Cook Island) 27.0% Bono Familia (Bolivia) 24.9% Economic Support Payment (Australia) 26.5% Emergency National Social Solidarity Programme (Lebanon) 10.7% Bono Universal (Bolivia) 31.3% COVID-19 Cash Transfer Program (BCCAT) (Belize) 22.0% Post Emergency Direct Cash Transfers Program (PASD-PE Covid)… 8.7% One-off support to vulnerable pensioners (Ukraine) 24.0% Rao Mai Ting Gun (Thailand) 21.9% Pytyvõ Program (Paraguay) 16.8% Solidarity Income Program (Colombia) 21.4% Cash transfer (Gambia, The) 1.8% Bono de Protección Familiar por la Emergencia por la presencia… 30.6% Child one-off transfer (Russian Federation) 15.8% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Note: The graph only displays numerically actual coverage rates (yellow bars) instead of both to reduce visual noise. 52 Annex 3. Rate of increase in cash transfer benefit size relative to pre-Covid level Child Money program (Mongolia) 400.00% Cash Transfer Program (Zimbabwe) 400.00% Strengthening the Adaptive and Scalable Safety Net System (Niger) 300.00% Emergency Cash Transfer (Uganda) 240.00% Public Assistance Grant (Trinidad and Tobago) 200.00% Earned-Income Tax Credit (United States) 176.61% Subsidio de contención familiar por fallecimiento (Argentina) 150.00% Child Support Grant (South Africa) 111.00% Child Care Allowance (CCA) (Russian Federation) 100.03% School Closure Support (Cook Island) 100.00% Tarjeta Uruguay Social (Uruguay) 100.00% Asignación Familiar Plan de Equidad (Uruguay) 100.00% Stimulus Package in Response to COVID (Turks and Caicos islands) 100.00% Disability allowance (Bahrain) 100.00% Public Assistance Programme (PAP) (Anguilla (UK)) 100.00% Aspiring Family Program (PKH) (Indonesia) 100.00% Child Allowance for Uninsured (Moldova) 100.00% Assistance to vulnerable children (Georgia) 100.00% Ep Fet Po cash transfer (Sierra Leone) 100.00% Support for Medical Professionals (Egypt, Arab Rep.) 75.00% AVERAGE 69.97% Solidarity Allowance (Algeria) 66.67% Valor Criança (Angola) 66.67% Universal child benefit (Lithuania) 66.67% Allocations Familiales (AF) (Cameroon) 60.71% Child Tax Credit (Northern Mariana Islands) 50.00% RSPF (Régime de Solidarité), / (French Polynesia) 50.00% Support package No. 13 (Armenia) 50.00% Programa Tekoporã (Paraguay) 50.00% Because We Care Cash Grant (Guyana) 50.00% Support program for the well-being of working mothers (Mexico) 46.00% Emergency Cash Transfer (Yemen) 45.00% Welfare department programmes (Barbados) 40.00% C19_Cash transfer for the elderly. (Turkey) 33.33% C19_Cash trasnfer (Turkey) 29.00% Informal Sector Support (Tunisia) 27.78% Back-to-school allowance (France) 27.11% Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Cash Transfer (Ghana) 26.32% Ajutor Social (Moldova) 25.00% The urban safety net programme (Somalia) 23.80% Rural PSNP (Ethiopia) 22.00% Thrifty Food Plan (United States) 21.00% Social Pension Program (Tanzania) 20.00% The children's benefit and payments of financial support to needy families… 20.00% Ajutor Social (Moldova) 17.74% Targeted Social Assistance Program (Tajikistan) 17.14% Third Economic Impact Payments (American Rescue Plan) (United States) 16.67% SNAP (United States) 15.00% Integration Income (Belgium) 15.00% CARES Act (Azerbaijan) 15.00% Social Support for Specific Categories of Individuals (Belarus) 14.71% Old Age Pension (China) 14.29% Senior Citizen’s Benefit Scheme/Pension (Samoa) 10.34% Pension system (Uzbekistan) 10.00% Disability allowance (Uzbekistan) 10.00% Special Education Needs (Mauritius) 9.92% Qualified Adult Allowance (Ireland) 9.13% 0% 200% 400% Percentage increase of COVID transfers compared to pre-COVID level 53 Annex 4. Methodology for estimating social assistance and cash transfers coverage There are many ways to define “coverage” and what constitutes a “beneficiary”. Various approaches have pros and cons, and it is important to clearly spell out assumptions and methods underpinning estimates. This methodological note, developed in alignment and partnership with the World Bank ASPIRE team, sets out the approach adopted for definitions and estimates by the tracker. “Coverage”: we define coverage as the number of individuals reached by the highest coverage program in each country. Unless specified differently, estimates refer to actual numbers (not planned beneficiaries). Coverage is defined independently of the duration of programs (i.e., one-off or multiple transfers) reported during the period from March 2020 to January 2022. The indicator includes the horizontal expansion through Covid-related programs, including new measures or extension of existing schemes. The choice of considering only the program with the highest coverage avoids the risk of duplications (counting beneficiaries more than once due to overlapping programs). This approach provides a “minimum” number of beneficiaries covered. However, such approach may be conservative and underestimate program coverage. Note that reported coverage estimates refer to coverage attained during the unfolding of the pandemic, that is, almost two years of Covid-related activities (2020-2021) instead of a single year as coverage numbers are normally reported in pre-Covid times. Programs refer to schemes that were explicitly addressing the Covid crisis among their stated objectives; other programs may have recently been introduced, e.g., for response to displacement crises, energy subsidy reforms or locust response, and these weren’t counted as part of the health pandemic responses. “Direct” and “indirect” beneficiaries: the former are beneficiaries directly targeted by the program, while the latter includes individuals who live in the same household where at least one member receives the program. Because beneficiary numbers can be expressed in “individuals” or “household” units, we assume that all programs that report beneficiary households are indeed meant to serve the household as a whole. As such. all members are considered direct beneficiaries: in this case, we multiply the number of households by the country average household size to obtain individual direct beneficiaries. If the program already reports individual beneficiaries, we assume they are all direct beneficiaries. To estimate coverage of indirect beneficiaries, we multiply by the household size also programs that reported coverage of “individuals”. Since for programs that target households were already converted using household size, this is kept the same. In other words, for programs that targets households direct and indirect coverage is the same (see example below). Aggregate estimates for “indirect” beneficiaries would more than double the level of coverage relative to the “direct” method: specifically, estimates for the former would be 3,001,962,786 people for social assistance and 2,866,385,112 beneficiaries for cash transfers. Household size: to calculate the number of household members for each country, we used countries’ average household size acquired from the UN Database on Household Size and Composition 122. One caveat with this conversion method is that using average household size of the country, and not of the program, can overestimate the indirect coverage. This issue was detected in some countries as converting the highest coverage program led to above 100% coverage of the population. In such cases, we capped the coverage to 100% (i.e., total population). Example: the below grid illustrates the difference between how we calculate direct and indirect. County A is supporting 300 households and country B is supporting 500 individuals (for Country A has an average household size= 2, while for country B such size = 3). 122 United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (2019) Database on Household Size and Composition 2019 (https://population.un.org/Household/index.html). 54 Type of coverage Calculation Coverage of individuals Direct coverage for country A 300 households*2 600 individuals Indirect coverage for country A 300 households*2 600 individuals Direct coverage B 500 individuals 500 individuals Indirect coverage B 500 individuals *3 1,500 individuals Underestimation of global aggregates 123: as mentioned, global aggregates sum the coverage of the largest program per country. Aggregates for both “direct” beneficiaries (which was used in the text) and one for “indirect” beneficiaries may underestimate coverage for the same reasons laid out earlier (i.e., they avoid double counting, but possibly being on the lower bound of coverage estimates). To counter such underestimation, it is possible to identify a factor that would help estimate a realistic, reasonable number of beneficiaries beyond the “minimum” coverage as provided by the program of highest coverage in a country. How should such factor be calculated? Based on most recent survey data available from 113 countries in the ASPIRE database (80% of the information is derived from 2010-2019), we calculated two ratios, namely: (a) the median ratio of the coverage of the largest program to the overall coverage of social assistance in a country, which = 1.2 (i.e., adding 20% of beneficiaries to the “minimum” number of coverage level reported); (b) the same median ratio calculated in reference to overall coverage of social protection and labor, which = 1.7 (an increase of 70%). We opted to report the median ratio, as opposed to a weighted average, because for social protection and labor expansion factors we had four outlier countries with large expansion factors (over 10). These factors are based on pre-Covid surveys, hence generating estimates likely lower than Covid-related measures. 123 We are very thankful to Ana Sofia Martinez Cordova from the WBG ASPIRE team for her excellent analysis for this section. 55 Annex 5. Coverage of cash transfers Number of Beneficiaries Program name (country/economy) Program name (country/economy) beneficiaries as % pop Universal one-off transfer (Timor- PMJDY (India) 200,000,000 100% Leste) CARES Act stimulus check (United 162,000,000.00 COVID-19 relief funds (Korea, Rep.) 100% States) Universal $930 cash handouts (Japan) 116,520,000 Spend local card (Jersey) 97% Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme Triple stimulus voucher (Taiwan, 115,680,417 96% (Pakistan) China) Dibao (China) 83,900,000 Grant to Every Citizen (Israel) 96% Social Amelioration Program 74,379,759 Universal $930 cash handouts (Japan) 93% (Philippines) Auxilio Emergencial 1 (Brazil) 68,300,000 Universal Cash transfer (Tuvalu) 89% COVID-19 relief funds (Korea, Rep.) 51,606,633 Universal one-off payment (Serbia) 89% Village Funds Unconditional Cash 42,453,980 Bono Familiar Universal (Peru) 88% Transfers (Indonesia) The Cash Payout Scheme (Hong Bono Familiar Universal (Peru) 29,076,779 88% Kong) Care & Support Package one-off Tadamon (Morocco) 28,798,915 81% assistance (Singapore) Pandemic Social Support Program 25,242,145 Tadamon (Morocco) 78% (Turkey) COVID-19 Economic Relief Plan 23,653,248 Compensation Bonus (El Salvador) 77% (Myanmar) Triple stimulus voucher (Taiwan, China) 22,970,000 Bono Familia (Guatemala) 77% Child one-off transfer (Russian 22,800,000 COVID-19 relief package (Guyana) 74% Federation) Rao Chana (Thailand) 21,500,000 National ID project incentive (Samoa) 73% National Social Safety Net Program 18,135,286 Solidarity Bonus (Panama) 71% (Nigeria) Poor families cash assistance Social Amelioration Program 14,303,085 68% (Bangladesh) (Philippines) Universal credit standard allowance Ingreso Familiar de Emergencia 13,377,089 63% (United Kingdom) (Chile) The Sudan Family Support Project Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme 13,137,383 52% (Sudan) (Pakistan) CARES Act stimulus check (United Bono Familia (Guatemala) 12,937,068 49% States) Stay at Home program (Dominican Ingreso Familiar de Emergencia (Chile) 12,121,438 48% Republic) One-time emergency cash support Emergency Grant (Iraq) 11,580,000 44% (Tajikistan) COVID-19 Economic Relief Plan Solidarity Income Program (Colombia) 10,880,293 43% (Myanmar) 56 Number of Beneficiaries Program name (country/economy) Program name (country/economy) beneficiaries as % pop One-off support to vulnerable pensioners 10,600,000 WFP cash transfer (Eswatini) 38% (Ukraine) Relaunch Decree (Italy) 9,840,000 Child Money program (Mongolia) 36% Emergency Family Income (Argentina) 9,000,000 Bono Contra el Hambre (Bolivia) 34% One-time emergency income grant Grant to Every Citizen (Israel) 8,820,000 34% (Namibia) VND 500,000 allowance for poor 7,953,060 Auxilio Emergencial 1 (Brazil) 32% households (Vietnam) Tourism voucher for families with Covid-19 safety net support 7,000,000 31% children (Poland) (Mauritania) Economic Support Payment (Australia) 6,800,000 Rao Chana (Thailand) 31% Bono de Protección Familiar The Cash Payout Scheme (Hong Kong) 6,558,910 31% (Ecuador) The Sudan Family Support Project Universal one-off payment (Serbia) 6,145,529 30% (Sudan) COVID 19 Social Relief of Distress grants Pandemic Social Support Program 6,000,000 30% (South Africa) (Turkey) Bono de Protección Familiar (Ecuador) 5,404,238 Emergency Grant (Iraq) 29% Stay at Home program (Dominican 5,216,900 School Closure Support (Cook Island) 27% Republic) Loss of Livelihood Program (Sri Lanka) 5,086,080 Nafa Quick program (Gambia, The) 27% Economic Support Payment Compensation Bonus (El Salvador) 5,006,072 26% (Australia) National Safety Net Programme (NSNP) One-off support to vulnerable 4,730,471 24% (Kenya) pensioners (Ukraine) Care & Support Package one-off Loss of Livelihood Program (Sri 4,600,000 23% assistance (Singapore) Lanka) One-time emergency cash support COVID-19 Cash Transfer Program 4,195,197 22% (Tajikistan) (Belize) Monthly payments of US$100 Solidarity Income Program 4,000,000 21% (Kazakhstan) (Colombia) Monthly payments of US$100 Bono Contra el Hambre (Bolivia) 3,991,179 21% (Kazakhstan) COVID-19 Cash Transfer Programme for Universal credit standard allowance 3,228,290 20% ID Poor Households (Cambodia) (United Kingdom) Emergency Family Income Solidarity Bonus (Panama) 3,079,571 20% (Argentina) Corona support package (Iran, Islamic Emergency Social Income for 3,000,000 20% Rep.) Inclusion (Cape Verde) Post Emergency Direct Cash Transfers COVID-19 Cash Transfer Programme 2,722,427 19% Program (Mozambique) for ID Poor Households (Cambodia) 57 Number of Beneficiaries Program name (country/economy) Program name (country/economy) beneficiaries as % pop Exceptional cash assistance (Egypt, Arab Tourism voucher for families with 1,974,550 18% Rep.) children (Poland) Strengthening the Adaptive and Scalable Emergency cash transfer (Congo, 1,843,099 17% Safety Net System (Niger) Rep.) Aide exceptionnelle de 200 dinars 1,480,000 Pytyvõ Program (Paraguay) 17% (Tunisia) Covid-19 safety net support (Mauritania) 1,436,400 Relaunch Decree (Italy) 17% Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus Child one-off transfer (Russian 1,400,000 16% Package (Malaysia) Federation) Self-Employed Assistance Scheme Universal one-off transfer (Timor-Leste) 1,318,442 16% (Mauritius) Village Funds Unconditional Cash Pytyvõ Program (Paraguay) 1,200,000 16% Transfers (Indonesia) Child Money program (Mongolia) 1,186,289 PMJDY (India) 14% Temporary Cash transfer (Jordan) 1,118,347 Protect Grant (Costa Rica) 14% TOSIKA FAMENO (Madagascar) 1,064,552 Social Safety Net Comoros (Comoros) 13% COVID Allocation of Resources for Cash transfers (Zambia) 1,046,681 13% Employees (Jamaica) Aide exceptionnelle de 200 dinars Emergency cash transfer (Congo, Rep.) 947,629 13% (Tunisia) One-time emergency income grant One-off assistance for worker 867,281 12% (Namibia) (Kosovo) Novissi (Togo) 819,972 Temporary Cash transfer (Jordan) 11% Nutirition Sensitive Direct Support Emergency National Social Solidarity 814,032 11% (Rwanda) Programme (Lebanon) COVID 19 Social Relief of Distress Ingreso Mínimo Vital (Spain) 731,445 10% grants (South Africa) Emergency National Social Solidarity 731,000 One-off compensation (Georgia) 10% Programme (Lebanon) Protect Grant (Costa Rica) 723,520 Novissi (Togo) 10% Temporary jobseeker’s allowance Nafa Quick program (Gambia, The) 641,915 10% (Lithuania) National Social Safety Net Program COVID-19 relief package (Guyana) 580,666 9% (Nigeria) National Safety Net Programme Cash transfer (Azerbaijan) 555,000 9% (NSNP) (Kenya) Post Emergency Direct Cash Transfers WFP cash transfer (Eswatini) 441,800 9% Program (Mozambique) Poor families cash assistance Baxnano program (Somalia) 433,520 9% (Bangladesh) 58 Number of Beneficiaries Program name (country/economy) Program name (country/economy) beneficiaries as % pop VND 500,000 allowance for poor Solidarity Fund (Burkina Faso) 413,260 8% households (Vietnam) COVID Allocation of Resources for Child Grants Programme and Old Age 378,919 8% Employees (Jamaica) Pension (Lesotho) Strengthening the Adaptive and One-off compensation (Georgia) 371,233 8% Scalable Safety Net System (Niger) Transfert en espèces unique (Haiti) 319,959 Druk Gyalpo’s Relief Kidu (Bhutan) 7% Nutirition Sensitive Direct Support Informal workers support (Zimbabwe) 309,146 6% (Rwanda) Temporary jobseeker’s allowance Council of Ministers Decision No. 305 266,000 6% (Lithuania) (Albania) Secondary school students assistance Unique Bonus (Honduras) 260,000 6% (Tonga) Employees benefits (Greece) 246,767 Dibao (China) 6% COVID-19 Emergency Cash Transfers Income Support Grants (Trinidad and 211,281 6% (Sierra Leone) Tobago) One-off assistance for worker (Kosovo) 206,852 Cash transfers (Zambia) 6% Emergency cash transfer (West Bank and 197,573 Cash transfer (Azerbaijan) 5% Gaza) Self-Employed Assistance Scheme Programme Nationale de Solidarite 197,000 5% (Mauritius) Famille (Djibouti) Council of Ministers Decision No. 305 Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus 176,000 4% (Albania) Package (Malaysia) Child Grants Programme and Old Age COVID-19 Emergency Income 167,247 4% Pension (Lesotho) Support Project (Maldives) Proteccion of self-employed and informal Emergency cash transfer (West Bank 156,313 4% workers (Portugal) and Gaza) National ID project incentive (Samoa) 144,275 TOSIKA FAMENO (Madagascar) 4% COVID-19 economic response, April 6 Corona support package (Iran, Islamic 125,016 4% 2020 (Guinea) Rep.) Humanitarian Emergency Solidarity and Barbados Adopt-A-Family programme 125,000 3% Support Fund (Côte d'Ivoire) (Barbados) Social Safety Net Comoros (Comoros) 116,027 Transfert en espèces unique (Haiti) 3% Emergency Social Income for Inclusion 109,450 Unemployment benefit (Montenegro) 3% (Cape Verde) Spend local card (Jersey) 105,000 Baxnano program (Somalia) 3% Support program for the well-being of COVID-19 Emergency Cash Transfers 102,219 3% working mothers (Mexico) (Sierra Leone) COVID-19 Cash Transfer Program 87,584 Unique Bonus (Honduras) 3% (Belize) 59 Number of Beneficiaries Program name (country/economy) Program name (country/economy) beneficiaries as % pop Income Support Grants (Trinidad and 82,500 Employees benefits (Greece) 2% Tobago) Family targetеd monthly allowance 82,110 Informal workers support (Zimbabwe) 2% (Bulgaria) PACAD (Central African Republic) 77,527 Solidarity Fund (Burkina Faso) 2% Exceptional cash assistance (Egypt, Emergency Cash Transfer (Liberia) 65,362 2% Arab Rep.) Child-Sensitive Social Protection 56,200 PACAD (Central African Republic) 2% (Uganda) Programme Nationale de Solidarite 53,648 Parental Benefit (Malta) 2% Famille (Djibouti) Druk Gyalpo’s Relief Kidu (Bhutan) 52,644 Ingreso Mínimo Vital (Spain) 2% Emergency Cash-For-Work (Congo, Proteccion of self-employed and 50,000 2% Dem. Rep.) informal workers (Portugal) Social support for vulnerable and Kwenda (Angola) 27,969 affected people (St. Vincent and the 1% Grenadines) COVID-19 Emergency Income Support 22,946 Public Assistance Program (St. Lucia) 1% Project (Maldives) GMI (North Macedonia) 17,534 Emergency Cash Transfer (Liberia) 1% Family targetеd monthly allowance Unemployment benefit (Montenegro) 17,157 1% (Bulgaria) Temporary cash transfer for vulnerable COVID-19 economic response, April 13,172 1% families (Guinea-Bissau) 6 2020 (Guinea) Universal Cash transfer (Tuvalu) 10,507 GMI (North Macedonia) 1% Barbados Adopt-A-Family programme Temporary cash transfer for vulnerable 10,014 1% (Barbados) families (Guinea-Bissau) Cash assistance to workers in cultural and Humanitarian Emergency Solidarity 9,500 0.47% creative arts sector (Finland) and Support Fund (Côte d'Ivoire) Economic Stimulus Package Parental Benefit (Malta) 8,360 0.47% (Micronesia, Fed. Sts.) Covid unemployed support program Tofa (Netherlands) 7,500 0.34% (Cyprus) Supplemental Unemployment Benefit Labour Intensive Public Works (Nepal) 7,000 0.20% (Bermuda) Secondary school students assistance Cash assistance to workers in cultural 6,509 0.17% (Tonga) and creative arts sector (Finland) Child-Sensitive Social Protection School Closure Support (Cook Island) 4,742 0.12% (Uganda) Covid unemployed support program Parental allowance for disabled 4,060 0.10% (Cyprus) children (Estonia) 60 Number of Beneficiaries Program name (country/economy) Program name (country/economy) beneficiaries as % pop Public Assistance Program (St. Lucia) 2,380 Kwenda (Angola) 0.09% Social support for vulnerable and affected Support program for the well-being of 1,644 0.08% people (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) working mothers (Mexico) Emergency Cash-For-Work (Congo, Creative sector workers grant (Belgium) 1,572 0.06% Dem. Rep.) Parental allowance for disabled children 1,298 Tofa (Netherlands) 0.04% (Estonia) Economic Stimulus Package (Micronesia, Labour Intensive Public Works 535 0.02% Fed. Sts.) (Nepal) UNDP cash support (Gabon) 500 UNDP cash support (Gabon) 0.02% Creative sector workers grant Tour guides support (Czech Republic) 404 0.014% (Belgium) Supplemental Unemployment Benefit 127 Tour guides support (Czech Republic) 0.004% (Bermuda) Public works (Mali) 119 Public works (Mali) 0.001% Note: all estimates refer to direct and actual beneficiaries; as explained in annex 4, estimates refer to the highest coverage program in the country. 61 Annex 6. Timeliness of cash transfers Program Type of adaptation Number of days Programa Tekoporã (Paraguay) Vertical 0 Cash transfers for positive COVID test individuals Horizontal 2 (Colombia) Lump-sum payments to families with childern (Lithuania) Vertical 2 Social Assistance to Children of Individual Entrepreneurs Horizontal 2 (Ukraine) Taka 1,250 crore cash assistance (Bangladesh) Horizontal 3 Solidarity Income Program (Colombia) Horizontal 3 Social Security Allowance Scheme one-off support (Hong Vertical 3 Kong) COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program First Tranche Horizontal 3 (Philippines) Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong First Tranche (Philippines) Horizontal 3 COVID Spa programme (Czech Republic) Horizontal 4 BReST project (Gambia, The) Vertical 4 Grants for the self-employed (Lithuania) Horizontal 4 Emergency COVID-19 social cash transfer scheme Both 4 (Zambia) Pandemic-related parental leave (Luxembourg) Horizontal 5 Child Money program (Mongolia) Both 5 Unconditional Cash Transfer for Non-Jabodetabek (BST) Horizontal 6 (Indonesia) Auxilio Emergencial 1 (Brazil) Horizontal 7 Nutritional Support Bonus (Ecuador) Horizontal 7 Temporary cash assistance to casual labour workers Horizontal 7 (Egypt, Arab Rep.) Student Relief Fund (Gambia, The) Horizontal 7 Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana Package (India) Admin 7 Uruguay Social card (Uruguay) Vertical 7 Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) women Horizontal 8 account holders (India) Aspiring Family Program (PKH) (Indonesia) Both 8 Corona support package (Iran, Islamic Rep.) Horizontal 8 Takaful 2 (Jordan) Horizontal 8 Wage increase for healthcare workers (Latvia) Vertical 8 Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme (Pakistan) Horizontal 8 Relief payment to 900,000 people (Taiwan, China) Horizontal 8 Compensation Bonus (El Salvador) Horizontal 9 Permanent Financial Assistance (Cayman Islands) Vertical 10 Tosika Fameno (Madagascar) Horizontal 10 Panama Solidarity Plan (Panama) Horizontal 10 62 Program Type of adaptation Number of days $1,000 to frontline cleansing workers, toilet attendants Horizontal 11 and security workers (Hong Kong) Emergency livelihood assistance (Korea, Rep.) Horizontal 12 One-off scheme (Sierra Leone) Horizontal 12 Families in Action Program (Colombia) Vertical 13 Cash Payout Scheme (Hong Kong) Horizontal 13 National Social Assistance Program (India) Vertical 13 Special cash payment (Japan) Horizontal 14 Youth in Action Program (Colombia) Both 15 Program for the Elderly Colombia (Colombia) Vertical 15 Permanent increase in main benefits (New Zealand) Vertical 15 Tourist guides UCT (Colombia) Horizontal 16 Myan Ku (Myanmar) Horizontal 16 Senior Citizens' Allowance (Sri Lanka) Horizontal 16 Disability Allowance (Sri Lanka) Horizontal 16 Kidney Disease Allowance (Sri Lanka) Horizontal 16 Universal credit standard allowance (United Kingdom) Both 16 Wealth partaking scheme (Macao SAR, China) Admin 17 Low-income persons affected by the COVID-19 Horizontal 17 pandemic weekly payments (Thailand) Covid-19 financial relief check (Guam) Horizontal 18 Economic Support Payment (Australia) Horizontal 19 COVID-19 relief package (Guyana) Horizontal 19 One-time top-up of SSN (Iraq) Vertical 20 Pytyvõ Program (Paraguay) Horizontal 20 Disability interim assistance (Trinidad and Tobago) Vertical 21 Emergency National Social Solidarity Programme Horizontal 22 (Lebanon) COVID-19 Pandemic one-off Cash Assistance (Ukraine) Vertical 22 Self-Employed Person Income Relief Scheme (Singapore) Horizontal 25 Bolsa Familia (Brazil) Both 27 Coronavirus relief payments (Korea, Rep.) Horizontal 27 Cash-for-jabs scheme (Serbia) Horizontal 27 Childcare allowance (Latvia) Horizontal 28 Government-issued stimulus vouchers (Taiwan, China) Horizontal 29 COVID-19 Cash Transfer Programme for ID Poor Horizontal 31 Households (Cambodia) Emergency Hardship Fund (Cook Island) Horizontal 31 Vulnerable Family Survival Programme (Barbados) Horizontal 32 COVID-19 allowance/voucher for civil servants Horizontal 33 (Zimbabwe) 63 Program Type of adaptation Number of days Cash transfer to 1000 extremely vulnerable households Horizontal 35 (Gambia) Emergency Grant (Iraq) Horizontal 35 Top up of cash transfer programs (Ecuador) Vertical 36 Garment workers emergency income support (Lao PDR) Horizontal 38 Bono Familia (Guatemala) Horizontal 40 Special allowance, Income Support Allowance (Maldives) Horizontal 40 Cash transfer program supporting parents of girls aged 9 Horizontal 42 to 15 (Benin) COVID-19 economic response (Guinea) Horizontal 42 Working Family Allowance one-off special allowance Vertical 42 (Hong Kong) Emergency cash transfer (Sudan) Horizontal 42 One-off cash transfer (Timor-Leste) Horizontal 42 Triple stimulus voucher (Taiwan, China) Horizontal 43 Emergency aid payments for freelance artists (Croatia) Horizontal 44 Self-employed one-off lump sum subsidy (Hong Kong) Horizontal 47 Additional subsidy for informal workers (Timor-Leste) Horizontal 50 Extraordinary bonus for medical staff (Czech Republic) Horizontal 53 Relief Grants for Athletes (Zimbabwe) Horizontal 53 Montserrado County cash transfers (Liberia) Horizontal 56 Spend local card (Jersey) Horizontal 61 COVID-19 Cash Transfer Program (Belize) Horizontal 64 School Uniform Voucher Allowance (Guyana) Vertical 67 One-off universal child benefit (Iceland) Horizontal 72 Toimeentulotuki temporary compensation (Finland) Horizontal 80 Takaful 3(Jordan) Horizontal 80 Relief Grants for Artists (Zimbabwe) Horizontal 83 Relief fund for artists, athletes and technical personnel Horizontal 86 (South Africa) Relief Fund for tourist guides (South Africa) Horizontal 87 Grants for low-income families (Iceland) Horizontal 102 One-off GST Voucher (Singapore) Horizontal 119 64 Annex 7. Overview of social protection measures by component SOCIAL ASSISTANCE SOCIAL INSURANCE LABOR MARKETS Utility Pensions Cash- In-kind (in- Health Social security Labor Reduced Public and Paid and Wage Activation Countries based kind/school insurance contributions regulation work time Works financial leave/unemployment disability subsidy (training) transfers feeding) support (waiver/subsidy) adjustment subsidy support benefits Afghanistan ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Albania ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Algeria ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ American Samoa ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Andorra ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Angola ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Anguilla (UK) ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Antigua and Barbuda ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Argentina ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Armenia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Aruba ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Australia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Austria ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Azerbaijan ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Bahamas, the ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Bahrain ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Bangladesh ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Barbados ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Belarus ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Belgium ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Belize ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Benin ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 65 SOCIAL ASSISTANCE SOCIAL INSURANCE LABOR MARKETS Utility Pensions Cash- In-kind (in- Health Social security Labor Reduced Public and Paid and Wage Activation Countries based kind/school insurance contributions regulation work time Works financial leave/unemployment disability subsidy (training) transfers feeding) support (waiver/subsidy) adjustment subsidy support benefits Bermuda ✓ ✓ ✓ Bhutan ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Bolivia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Bosnia and Herzegovina ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Botswana ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Brazil ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ British Virgin Islands ✓ ✓ ✓ Brunei Darussalam ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Bulgaria ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Burkina Faso ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Burundi ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Cambodia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Cameroon ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Canada ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Cape Verde ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Caribbean Netherlands ✓ ✓ ✓ Cayman Islands ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Central African Republic ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Chad ✓ ✓ Chile ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ China ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Colombia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 66 SOCIAL ASSISTANCE SOCIAL INSURANCE LABOR MARKETS Utility Pensions Cash- In-kind (in- Health Social security Labor Reduced Public and Paid and Wage Activation Countries based kind/school insurance contributions regulation work time Works financial leave/unemployment disability subsidy (training) transfers feeding) support (waiver/subsidy) adjustment subsidy support benefits Comoros ✓ ✓ ✓ Congo, Dem. Rep. ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Congo, Rep. ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Cook Island ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Costa Rica ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Côte d'Ivoire ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Croatia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Cuba ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Curaçao ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Cyprus ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Czech Republic ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Denmark ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Djibouti ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Dominica ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Dominican Republic ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Ecuador ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Egypt, Arab Rep. ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ El Salvador ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Equatorial Guinea ✓ ✓ ✓ Eritrea ✓ ✓ ✓ Estonia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Eswatini ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Ethiopia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 67 SOCIAL ASSISTANCE SOCIAL INSURANCE LABOR MARKETS Utility Pensions Cash- In-kind (in- Health Social security Labor Reduced Public and Paid and Wage Activation Countries based kind/school insurance contributions regulation work time Works financial leave/unemployment disability subsidy (training) transfers feeding) support (waiver/subsidy) adjustment subsidy support benefits Faroe Islands ✓ Fiji ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Finland ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ France ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ French Polynesia ✓ ✓ Gabon ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Gambia, The ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Georgia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Germany ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Ghana ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Gibraltar ✓ ✓ ✓ Greece ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Greenland ✓ Grenada ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Guam ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Guatemala ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Guernsey ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Guinea ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Guinea-Bissau ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Guyana ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Haiti ✓ ✓ ✓ Honduras ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Hong Kong ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Hungary ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Iceland ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 68 SOCIAL ASSISTANCE SOCIAL INSURANCE LABOR MARKETS Utility Pensions Cash- In-kind (in- Health Social security Labor Reduced Public and Paid and Wage Activation Countries based kind/school insurance contributions regulation work time Works financial leave/unemployment disability subsidy (training) transfers feeding) support (waiver/subsidy) adjustment subsidy support benefits India ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Indonesia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Iran, Islamic Rep. ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Iraq ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Ireland ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Isle of Man ✓ ✓ Israel ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Italy ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Jamaica ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Japan ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Jersey ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Jordan ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Kazakhstan ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Kenya ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Kiribati ✓ ✓ ✓ Korea, Rep. ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Kosovo ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Kuwait ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Kyrgyz Republic ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Lao PDR ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Latvia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Lebanon ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Lesotho ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Liberia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Libya ✓ ✓ 69 SOCIAL ASSISTANCE SOCIAL INSURANCE LABOR MARKETS Utility Pensions Cash- In-kind (in- Health Social security Labor Reduced Public and Paid and Wage Activation Countries based kind/school insurance contributions regulation work time Works financial leave/unemployment disability subsidy (training) transfers feeding) support (waiver/subsidy) adjustment subsidy support benefits Liechtenstein ✓ ✓ ✓ Lithuania ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Luxembourg ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Macao SAR, China ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Madagascar ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Malawi ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Malaysia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Maldives ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Mali ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Malta ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Marshall Islands ✓ ✓ Mauritania ✓ ✓ ✓ Mauritius ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Mexico ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Micronesia, Fed. Sts. ✓ ✓ ✓ Moldova ✓ ✓ Monaco ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Mongolia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Montenegro ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Montserrat (UK) ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Morocco ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Mozambique ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Myanmar ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Namibia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 70 SOCIAL ASSISTANCE SOCIAL INSURANCE LABOR MARKETS Utility Pensions Cash- In-kind (in- Health Social security Labor Reduced Public and Paid and Wage Activation Countries based kind/school insurance contributions regulation work time Works financial leave/unemployment disability subsidy (training) transfers feeding) support (waiver/subsidy) adjustment subsidy support benefits Nepal ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Netherlands ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ New Caledonia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ New Zealand ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Nicaragua ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Niger ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Nigeria ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ North Macedonia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Northern Mariana Islands ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Norway ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Oman ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Pakistan ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Palau ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Panama ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Papua New Guinea ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Paraguay ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Peru ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Philippines ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Poland ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Portugal ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Puerto Rico ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Qatar ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Réunion (France) 71 SOCIAL ASSISTANCE SOCIAL INSURANCE LABOR MARKETS Utility Pensions Cash- In-kind (in- Health Social security Labor Reduced Public and Paid and Wage Activation Countries based kind/school insurance contributions regulation work time Works financial leave/unemployment disability subsidy (training) transfers feeding) support (waiver/subsidy) adjustment subsidy support benefits Romania ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Russian Federation ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Rwanda ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Saint Martin (French part) ✓ Saint Pierre and Miquelon (France) ✓ Samoa ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ San Marino ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ São Tomé and Principe ✓ ✓ Saudi Arabia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Senegal ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Serbia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Seychelles ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Sierra Leone ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Singapore ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Sint Maarten (Dutch part) ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Slovak Republic ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Slovenia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Solomon Islands ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Somalia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ South Africa ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ South Sudan ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Spain ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 72 SOCIAL ASSISTANCE SOCIAL INSURANCE LABOR MARKETS Utility Pensions Cash- In-kind (in- Health Social security Labor Reduced Public and Paid and Wage Activation Countries based kind/school insurance contributions regulation work time Works financial leave/unemployment disability subsidy (training) transfers feeding) support (waiver/subsidy) adjustment subsidy support benefits Sri Lanka ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ St. Kitts and Nevis ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ St. Lucia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ St. Vincent and the Grenadines ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Sudan ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Suriname ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Sweden ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Switzerland ✓ ✓ ✓ Syrian Arab Republic ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Taiwan, China ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Tajikistan ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Tanzania ✓ ✓ ✓ Thailand ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Timor-Leste ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Togo ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Tonga ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Trinidad and Tobago ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Tunisia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Turkey ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Turkmenistan ✓ ✓ ✓ Turks and Caicos islands ✓ ✓ Tuvalu ✓ ✓ ✓ 73 SOCIAL ASSISTANCE SOCIAL INSURANCE LABOR MARKETS Utility Pensions Cash- In-kind (in- Health Social security Labor Reduced Public and Paid and Wage Activation Countries based kind/school insurance contributions regulation work time Works financial leave/unemployment disability subsidy (training) transfers feeding) support (waiver/subsidy) adjustment subsidy support benefits Uganda ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Ukraine ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ United Arab Emirates ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ United Kingdom ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ United States ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Uruguay ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Uzbekistan ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Vanuatu ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Venezuela, RB ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Vietnam ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Virgin Islands (U.S.) ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ West Bank and Gaza ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Yemen ✓ ✓ ✓ Zambia ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Zimbabwe ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 74 Annex 8. Measures by countries and territories 1. Afghanistan 41. Chad 83. Guatemala 124. Malaysia 166. Russia 205. Turkey 2. Albania 42. Chile 84. Guernsey (UK) 125. Maldives 167. Rwanda 206. Turkmenistan 3. Algeria 43. China 85. Guinea 126. Mali 168. Saint Martin 207. Turks and Caicos 4. American Samoa 44. Colombia 86. Guinea-Bissau 127. Malta 169. Saint Pierre & Miquelon Islands (UK) 5. Andorra 45. Comoros 87. Guyana 128. Marshall Islands (France) 208. Tuvalu 6. Angola 46. Congo, Dem. Rep. 88. Haiti 129. Mauritania 170. Samoa 209. Uganda 7. Anguilla (UK) 47. Congo, Rep. 89. Honduras 130. Mauritius 171. San Marino 210. Ukraine 8. Antigua and Barbuda 48. Cook Island 90. Hong-Kong 131. Mexico 172. Sao Tome and Principe 211. United Arab Emirates 9. Argentina 49. Costa Rica 91. Hungary 132. Micronesia 173. Saudi Arabia 212. United Kingdom 10. Armenia 50. Côte d’lvoire 92. Iceland 133. Moldova 174. Senegal 213. United States 11. Aruba (Netherlands) 51. Croatia 93. India 134. Mongolia 175. Serbia 214. Uruguay 12. Australia 52. Cuba 94. Indonesia 135. Monaco 176. Seychelles 215. Uzbekistan 13. Austria 53. Curaçao (Netherlands) 95. Iran 136. Montenegro 177. Sierra Leone 216. Vanuatu 14. Azerbaijan 54. Cyprus 96. Iraq 137. Montserrat (UK) 178. Singapore 217. Venezuela 15. Bahamas 55. Czechia 97. Ireland 138. Morocco 179. Sint Maarten 218. Vietnam 16. Bahrain 56. Denmark 98. Isle of Man 139. Mozambique 180. Slovak Republic 219. Virgin Islands (U.S.) 17. Bangladesh 57. Djibouti 99. Israel 140. Myanmar 181. Slovenia 220. West Bank & Gaza 18. Barbados 58. Dominica 100. Italy 141. Namibia 182. Solomon Islands 221. Yemen 19. Belarus 59. Dominican Republic 101. Jamaica 142. Nepal 183. Somalia 222. Zambia 20. Belgium 60. Ecuador 102. Japan 143. Netherlands 184. South Africa 223. Zimbabwe 21. Belize 61. Egypt 103. Jersey 144. New Caledonia (France) 185. South Sudan 22. Benin 62. El Salvador 104. Jordan 145. New Zealand 186. Spain 23. Bermuda (UK) 63. Equatorial Guinea 105. Kazakhstan 146. Nicaragua 187. Sri Lanka 24. Bhutan 64. Eritrea 106. Kenya 147. Niger 188. St. Kitts and Nevis 25. Bolivia 65. Estonia 107. Kiribati 148. Nigeria 189. St. Lucia 26. Bosnia & Herzegovina 66. Eswatini 108. Korea, Rep. 149. North Macedonia 190. St. Vincent and the 27. Botswana 67. Ethiopia 109. Kosovo 150. Northern Mariana Islands Grenadine 28. Brazil 68. Faroe Islands 110. Kuwait (U.S.) 191. Sudan 29. British Virgin Islands (Denmark) 111. Kyrgyz Republic 151. Norway 192. Suriname (UK) 69. Fiji 112. Lao PDR 152. Oman 193. Sweden 30. Brunei Darussalam 70. Finland 113. Latvia 153. Pakistan 194. Switzerland 31. Bulgaria 71. France 114. Lebanon 154. Palau 195. Syria 32. Burkina Faso 72. French Polynesia 115. Lesotho 155. Panama 196. Taiwan 33. Burundi 73. Gabon 116. Liberia 156. Papua New Guinea 197. Tajikistan 34. Cabo Verde 74. Gambia, The 117. Libya 157. Paraguay 198. Tanzania 35. Cambodia 75. Georgia 118. Liechtenstein 158. Peru 199. Thailand 36. Cameroon 76. Germany 119. Lithuania 159. Philippines 200. Timor Leste 37. Canada 77. Ghana 120. Luxembourg 160. Poland 201. Togo 38. Caribbean 78. Gibraltar (UK) 121. Macao, SAR China 161. Portugal 202. Tonga (Netherlands) 79. Greece 122. Madagascar 162. Puerto Rico 203. Trinidad and Tobago 39. Cayman Islands (UK) 80. Greenland 123. Malawi 163. Qatar 204. Tunisia 40. Central African 81. Grenada 164. Réunion (France) Republic 82. Guam 165. Romania 75 (back to the top) Afghanistan Cash-based transfers Under the REACH program, households in urban areas receive a combination of cash and in-kind equivalent to US$100. The World Bank plans to repurpose USD100 millions of its Citizens’ Charter Afghanistan Project for COVID-19 relief efforts, aiming to cover 90 per cent of households under the project. In the context of the overall World Bank's COVID-19 relief response in Afghanistan, $100 million of the Citizens' Charter program resources were redeployed in May 2020 to provide emergency household assistance in the form of food/cash in CCAP participating communities. The government, on 18 July 2020, announced a new program “Dastarkhan-e-Milli”, which combines two World Bank projects - Citizens' Charter Afghanistan Project (CCAP) and Relief Effort for Afghan Communities and Households (REACH). It provides a relief package to Afghan households with incomes of US$2 per day or lower, comprising of essential food staples and hygiene products for Cash transfers Social rural households (reason: (a) security concerns with carrying large amounts of physical cash in rural (conditional and unconditional) Assistance areas; (b) higher fiduciary and corruption risks with cash; and (c) gender and usage considerations - it is highly likely that men will be the ones who decide how to use the cash in the household, and women may not benefit. The early experience under CCAP of transferring the social inclusion grants in cash showed that these risks did materialize. Therefore, the rural transfers will be done in a single in-kind tranche and a combination of cash and food to urban households, in two tranches). Both projects (REACH and CCAP) are covering 90 percent of households in the country under the government’s “Dastarkhan-e-Milli” program, benefitting an estimated 4.1 million households with incomes of $2 a day or less. Based on the program (total program expenditure $244 million), in the first stage, the government will allocate $86 million and then $158 million in the second phase to provide food to people across the country. Each recipient will be receiving AFN 4000 ($50 USD equivalent in food or cash). Social pensions In-kind transfers 76 $280 million grant to fund the COVID-19 Relief Effort for Afghan Communities and Households (REACH) Project. The total grant amount is comprised of $155 million from IDA—the World Bank Group’s fund for the poorest countries—and will be complemented by $125 million from the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), managed by the World Bank on behalf of 34 donors. The project will benefit some 2.9 million households across Afghanistan. The REACH project will complement a parallel relief effort organized under the Citizens’ Charter Afghanistan Project. Together, both will cover 90 percent of households in the country under the government’s “Dastarkhan-e-Milli” program, benefitting an estimated 4.1 million households with incomes of $2 a day or less. The authorities have recently rolled out a relief package, amounting to 1.6 percent of GDP, to Afghan households with incomes of US$2 per day or lower (twice the national poverty line). With its broad coverage, about 90 percent of all households, the program will be near universal in scope. Households in rural areas will receive an equivalent of US$50 in essential food staples and hygiene products in two tranches. The new package will cover 90 per cent of households. Based on the program, in the first stage, the government will allocate $86 million and then $158 million in the second phase to provide food to people across the country. On April 29, 2020, the government started providing free bread to about 2.5 million needy and poor people in Kabul, and plans to extend to other cities. According to the Ministry of Finance, the bread distribution process in the first phase Food, vouchers, others cost Afs2.8 billion ($36 million), of which Afs1.15 billion ($14.8 million) was spent in Kabul. The World Bank plans to repurpose USD100 million of its Citizens’ Charter Afghanistan Project for COVID-19 relief efforts, aiming to cover 90 per cent of households under the project. In the context of the overall World Bank's COVID-19 relief response in Afghanistan, $100 million of the Citizens' Charter program resources were redeployed in May 2020 to provide emergency household assistance in the form of food/cash in CCAP participating communities. According to the Ministry of Finance, the bread distribution process started on 29 April 2020 in Kabul (and extended to other cities). The first phase cost Afs 2.8 billion ($36 million), of which Afs 1.15 billion ($14.8 million) was spent in Kabul. But this program was stopped after 40 days (i.e., 10 June 2020). The delivery happened through bakeries (at least in Kabul), where beneficiaries would go to the bakeries to collect their breads, using a card that has been distributed to them for a month to take ten loaves of dry bread a day. Around 250,000 needy and poor families benefited from the program. The President instructed the relevant institutions to establish a database of deserving and poor people in the country and the government did a survey on needy people. It used state budget to finance this program, however, this was stopped due to widespread corruption. 77 The Afghan government provided four and a half kilograms of wheat to at least 1,000 needy families in Kabul. People complained that wheat transfers were insufficient to feed an entire family. The wheat was delivered to their homes. The government, on 18 July 2020, announced a new program “Dastarkhan-e-Milli”, which combines two World Bank projects - Citizens' Charter Afghanistan Project (CCAP) and Relief Effort for Afghan Communities and Households (REACH). It provides a relief package to Afghan households with incomes of US$2 per day or lower, comprising of essential food staples and hygiene products for rural households (reason: (a) security concerns with carrying large amounts of physical cash in rural areas; (b) higher fiduciary and corruption risks with cash; and (c) gender and usage considerations - it is highly likely that men will be the ones who decide how to use the cash in the household, and women may not benefit. The early experience under CCAP of transferring the social inclusion grants in cash showed that these risks did materialize. Therefore, the rural transfers will be done in a single in-kind tranche and a combination of cash and food to urban households, in two tranches). Both projects (REACH and CCAP) are covering 90 percent of households in the country under the government’s “Dastarkhan-e-Milli” program, benefitting an estimated 4.1 million households with incomes of $2 a day or less. Based on the program (total program expenditure $244 million), in the first stage, the government will allocate $86 million and then $158 million in the second phase to provide food to people across the country. Each recipient will be receiving AFN 4000 ($50 USD equivalent in food or cash). School feeding Public works In May, 2020, the government waived electricity bills of less than Af 1,000 (US$13) for a family Utility waivers residence in Kabul for two months and paid utility bills of the past two months for 50 percent of households in Kabul. The decision benefited more than 1.5 million Kabul residents Paid sick leave Health insurance The program was adapted as part of the response to COVID-19: the Martyrs and Disabled Pension. The program was expanded to cover descendants of deceased health professionals. Social Insurance To support the retirees during the Covid 19 pandemic, the Ministry of Finance will pay retirees’ Pensions pensions for the current fiscal year without the new biometric process on the basis of previous cards. The purpose of paying these pensions without the new biometric process is to help them deal with their problems in the current situation, since these pensions might be their only source of income. MoF transferred pensions in the following three categories: 78 • Retirees with an annual salary of 75,000 Afghanis got 12 months’ salary, or one whole year. • Retirees with an annual salary of 75,000 to 150,000 Afghanis got 75 percent, or 9 months’ salary. • Retirees whose annual salary amounts to more than 150,000 Afghanis will get 50%, or 6 months’ salary. • The retirees whose 25% or 50% pensions remain will get it by the end of the current fiscal year. Unemployment benefits Social security contributions [December 2020] The ADB-funded COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditure Support Program Activation measures includes vocational training to support MSMEs. Labor Labor market regulations Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies 79 (back to the top) Albania Cash-based transfers Economic assistance (Ndihma Ekonomike) received by eligible individuals was doubled in amount during the immediate COVID-19 situation in 2020 for three months. Individuals with an annual personal income of over 2 million are not eligible to receive such support. This measure was reintroduced in 2021, as the COVID-19 situation has not abated, and the government hopes to make the measure permanent. Through the Council of Ministers Decision, No 13, date 22.4.2020, ‘On amendments to Council of Ministers Decision No. 305, April 16th, 2020, ‘On the procedures for the financial support to the actual employees and the unemployed due to Covid-19’, the government introduced a lump sum amount of 40.000 ALL for every employee of the Ballsh Refinery. Ndihma ekonomike: Economic assistance by 16.000 ALL per person for all the applicants of the economic assistance (NE) since July 2019, which have not received any economic assistance until April 2020. Social Cash transfers Self-employed families received a special benefit equivalent to a state-set monthly salary starting in Assistance (conditional and unconditional) March 2020. Through the Decision No 236, March 18th, 2020, the government decided that the retired persons as well as individuals and families benefitting from various social protection public services/programs will be provided home based assistance (monetary assistance) by the local authorities and relevant institutions. Through the Decision 305, “Support for employees in accommodations” of April 13, 2020, a 40,000 ALL lump-sum payment to formal employees in all accommodation structures which were active at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic was provided. 176,000 workers received the payment: 66,000 employees from big businesses, 100,000 employees from small businesses and 10,0000 employees from the tourism sector. The total cost of the program was 70.4 million USD. Welfare benefits and other support to individuals, including sick pay, cash transfers, housing relief Pursuant to Decision No. 254 of the Council of Ministers of March 27th, 2020, which entered into force on April 1st, 2020, beneficiaries of financial assistance equal to the minimum wage at the national level of ALL 26,000 per month include unpaid family employees who work in person; employees in general who work in person; employees in legal entities, with an annual income of up to ALL 14 million. [April 2020] On April 16th, the government announced the second support package which provides financial support to employees of businesses affected by the Covid-19 crisis who were not covered by the first financial package. The financial aid consists of a one-off payment of ALL 40,000 (roughly $350) per person for the entire period April - June 2020 for employees of medium and large businesses closed due to COVID restrictions. In addition to laid-off workers and employees of small businesses that were allowed to operate and thus could not benefit from the first financial aid package, excluding food and groceries stores, drugstores and liberal professionals. Social pensions In-kind transfers Through the Decision No 236, March 18th, 2020, the government decided that the retired persons as well as individuals and families benefitting from various social protection public services/programs Food, vouchers, others will be provided home based assistance (food and health assistance) by the local authorities and relevant institutions. Free flu vaccines have been provided through October 2020 for the groups of population most in need such as the elderly to protect against the compounding effects of COVID-19. School feeding Public works Loan installments payments were postponed to May 31st, 2020, as per the joint Order of the Government of Albania and the National Bank of Albania. This benefit was extended until the end of August 2020. Through Decision No. 58 of the Energy Regulatory Authority, March 26th, 2020, the government relaxed and provided exceptional procedures on metering the consumed electricity during the Covid- Utility waivers 19 emergency. Through the Normative Act No. 3, March 15th, 2020, ‘On special administrative measures during the Covid-19 infection period’ the government allowed individuals (including students) and businesses with up to $14 million ALL turnover to postpone the property, premises and house rental payments for two months in the period of April and May 2020. The government adopted two support packages in 2020 for people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic of a combined size of Lek 45 billion (2.8 percent of GDP) consisting of budget spending, sovereign guarantees and tax deferrals. Through the Decision No 236, March 18th, 2020, the government decided that the retired persons as well as individuals and families benefitting from various social protection public services/programs will be provided home based assistance (monetary assistance) by the local authorities and relevant institutions. In announcing the measures to fight the economic impact of COVID-19 in March 2020, the government said it would write off penalties on delayed electricity bill payments worth some $150 million, which would benefit 211,024 families. Paid sick leave Health insurance Through the Council of Ministers Decision, No 263, March 30th, 2020, ‘On indexing of pensions’, the government increased (indexing) by 2.3 percent the pensions, establishing also new limits – minimum Pensions of 14 thousand ALL and maximum of 28 thousand ALL per month, plus compensations for the lower levels. This measure involved an estimated budget of 2.1 billion ALL. [March 2020] As part of the first economic package announced on March 27, unemployment Social assistance received by the eligible individuals was doubled during the period March-May 2020. Insurance The 2021 budget adopted by parliament on November 16th, 2020, allocated Lek 2.5 billion to a Unemployment benefits temporary increase in the payments for unemployment benefits. The Government of Albania Anti-COVID-19 Financial Package, launched by Decision No. 6 March 21st, 2020 "On Some Changes to the 2020 Budget Law No. 88/2019”, allocated part of 65 million to unemployment benefits for three months. Informal sector employees who lost their jobs during the lockdown will have the full cost of social Social security contributions contributions (employees and employers share) covered for one year if they formalize. Activation measures [November 2020] On November 16, the Parliament adopted the 2021 budget which allocated ALL 4.5billion for a 40% wage increase for the health sector. Labor Markets Labor market regulations The Normative Act Nr. 2, March 11th 2020, "On Some changes to the Law No. 15 on The Prevention and Combatting of the Infections and Infective Diseases" provided for new penalties on employers noncomplying with measures and protocols related occupational safety and health during COIVD-19 pandemic. [March 2020] On March 18, the Government issued the Decision Nr.231 where public administration institutions were instructed to take March 20 as a day off, and to use teleworking for carrying out various tasks as instructed by their supervisors. [August 2020] On August 13, the Government adopted a third support package which provided an additional minimum wage to public transport workers who resumed work one month later than the rest. This measure involved an extra transport budget of ALL 135 million. March 2020] On March 27, the Government introduced a support package, totaling ALL 6.4 billion, part of which covers the monthly salary equal to the minimum wage (ALL 26,000) to employees of Reduced work time businesses closed down as a result of the imposed restrictions by the government. This measure targeted 30,000+ business with annual turnover up to ALL 14 million, and it also include self- employed, informal sector employees (including rural farmers), and unpaid family members who would not otherwise benefit from unemployment benefits. Through the Council of Ministers Decision No 254, amended on March 27th, 2020, ‘On the procedures for the financial support to the employees of businesses with turnover up to 14 million ALL, economic support and unemployment benefits due to the Covid-19’ the government introduced part of the financial package of $6.4 billion ALL to support businesses who were imposed to close. This included receiving a payment equal to the minimal wage (26,000 ALL) per employee. Individuals with an annual personal income over 2 million ALL were not eligible to receive such support In September, the government launched an employment promotion program, that aims to cover part of reemployment costs of those who lost their jobs during the lockdown. For formal sector employees the government will cover half of the wages (at the legal minimum level) and the full employers’ share of social contributions for the duration of the program (4 or 8 months). Wage subsidies The Government of Albania Anti-COVID-19 Financial Package, launched by Decision No. 6 March 21st, 2020 "On Some Changes to the 2020 Budget Law No. 88/2019”, allocated part of 65 million to salaries for small business' workers. [September 2020] On September 23, the finance minister introduced 3 Employment Incentive Programs for integrating job seekers into the labor market. The programs are divided based on the duration of employment (4, 8, or 12 months). For those formally employed (with mandatory social contributions) for 4 and 8 months, the government will fund 100% of the salary (the national minimum wage) for half of the duration of employment. For those employed for 12 months, the government will subsidize 100% of the compulsory insurance contributions (for the employer and employee) calculated on the minimum wage, during the 12 months of employment. The program was still active as of July 2021, when the finance minister announced that 2827 have benefited from the employment incentive programs in the first six months of 2021. According to the minister, USD 570 million is projected in the state budget for 2021 for employment promotion program. (back to the top) Algeria Cash-based transfers (April 2020) A transfer of DZD10,000 (approx. USD80) was announced on 13 April 2020 to top up the DZD6,000 (USD47) for needy families impacted by COVID-19 measures. The transfer is a ‘solidarity transfer’ for Ramadan. A budgeted financial envelope of DZD1,393 billion (EUR12 million), would be deposited into the postal accounts of families through community-based targeting. 319,983 out of the planned 322,000 beneficiaries received the cash assistance for the year 2020, totaling DZD 22 billion. The Solidarity transfer given to some vulnerable households before Ramadan. The solidarity transfer is a yearly in-kind Cash transfers assistance measure given to poor and vulnerable families. In 2019, the Ramadan aid to (conditional and unconditional) vulnerable households changed from an in-kind transfer to a 6000 DA cash transfer. (March 2020) Bonus payment to public workers in the health sector, mobilized within the framework of the prevention and the fight against the spread of the coronavirus. (16.5bn dinars). The premium is paid monthly in lump sums ranging from 10,000 DA for the benefit of Social administrative and support staff, 20,000 DA for paramedical staff and 40,000 DA for Assistance medical staff. It is served for a renewable period of three (3) months. This measure began on February 15, 2020. To reduce exposition risk for elderly people, a proxy letter can be delivered to another person Social pensions to receive pensions/benefits in place of the beneficiary (for retirees, old people receiving cash transfers, etc.). In-kind transfers (April 2020) In-kind distribution campaign of food and hygiene items to the most vulnerable Food, vouchers, others families, including those living in isolated areas and impacted by the lockdown. This distribution is being carried out, for the most vulnerable regions, through a ‘solidarity caravan’ School feeding Public works (December 2020) National Pension Fund will start compensation for Covid-19 analyses and tests. The government will support pharmacies in order to sell the generic medicine with a Utility waivers view to encouraging its use. The compensation, beginning in January 2021, for the scanner will stand at 5000 dinars and 3000 dinars for PCR. As of 22 March, 2020, at least 50 per cent of the public administration workforce at the Paid sick leave central level as well as in local authorities, whose presence in the workplace is not considered essential for the continuity of service, are being placed on paid leave, excluding staff from certain sectors that require continuity. Pregnant women and women raising children, as well as people with chronic illnesses and those with medical vulnerabilities, are considered a priority for exceptional leave. This decision is also applicable to workers in the private sector. Extension of conditions for paid leave for parents of children with disabilities. Expanded coverage of social security to deliveries in private maternal health facilities Health insurance (permanent) Waiver of a need for a medical revision check-up for disability pensions and pensions for accidents at work. The need for a medical revision check-up for this benefit has been waived, Social in order to allow beneficiaries to respect lockdown measures. Pensions Insurance To reduce exposition risk for elderly people, a proxy letter can be delivered to another person to receive pensions/benefits in place of the beneficiary (for retirees, old persons receiving cash transfers, etc.). Unemployment benefits The National Social Insurance fund (CNAS) has extended the deadline for the payment of employers and independent contributions until the end of May and September, respectively, while still covering paid leave and unemployment benefits for some. Penalties from previous late payments not made on time have also been suspended for six months starting from April Social security contributions 2020. Suspending the obligation of contribution of the national social protection funds for employees with disabilities. Activation measures The national minimum wage will be raised from 18,000 DZD (139 USD) to 20,000 DZD (155 USD) Labor Labor market regulations Anticipation of annual holiday payments by the Caisse Nationale des Congés Payés et du Markets Chômage intempéries des secteurs du BTPH (CACOBATPH), in proportion to the number of months contributed during the period from July 2019 to February 2020 Reduced work time Allocation of financial aid for small trades (taxis, hairdressers, etc.) to the value of 30,000 Wage subsidies Dinars, for a period of 3 months, on the basis of a rigorous evaluation of the situation of each corporation during the last 4 months. This measure should be ratified by an executive decree to be issued before the end of the month (back to the top) American Samoa Cash-based transfers On May 22, 2020, it was reported that American Samoans will receive USD 24 million in stimulus from the US Government as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security or CARES Cash transfers Act. The money would cover 9,300 taxpayers and their qualified dependents who filed their 2019 (conditional and unconditional) taxes up to May 13. Single filers will receive $1,200. Couples who file jointly will get double that plus $500 for every child under their care. Social pensions In-kind transfers On July 30, 2020, it is reported that as students get back to school in American Samoa, the Department of Health would supply 45,000 face masks to the students. The 15,900 children enrolled in school were expected to be issued with at least two, and in some cases three masks, after which parents would provide the rest. On 15 June 2020, the Government of American Samoa announced that it is accepting applications for food assistance under the American Samoa COVID-19 Nutrition Assistance Program (COVID Social NAP). The COVID NAP provides $139 per person per month for a duration of up to 6 months for Assistance American Samoa’s low-income individuals (18 and above) who are experiencing economic impacts from the COVID-19. The costs for COVID NAP is $300 million which will remain available through September 30, 2021. This policy is authorized by USDA through the Families FIRST Coronavirus Response Act of 2020 (FFCRA) and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act of 2020 Food, vouchers, others (CARES Act). It is reported on 29 March 2021 that USDA and FNS have approved an increase in monthly vouchers for recipients of the ASNAP (Food Stamp Program) and the COVID-19 Nutrition Assistance Program (COVID NAP) from March 1st to September 30th, 2021. COVID- SNAP will temporarily increase by 34.5% the maximum monthly benefit allotment, from $139 to $187. ASNAP, COVID NAP and COVID-SNAP benefits will be distributed starting Thursday, April 1, 2021, by alphabetical order for ease of distribution. On August 18, 2021, American Samoa announced that children whose access to school meals was disrupted during the last school year will receive food coupons from the American Samoa’s Department of Human and Social Services. US Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service has approved American Samoa’s State Plan to operate a Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P- EBT) Program, for children who lost access to free meals at school due to closure of or reduced attendance in school year 2020/21. The benefits will also extend to children who were eligible to receive free meals from the National School Lunch Program as of the end of SY 2020-21. DHSS estimates issuing $1.3 million in P-EBT food coupons to approximately 11,100 children who lost access to free meals at school when they were scheduled for virtual learning and an additional $6.1 million in P-EBT food coupons to about 14,000 school children who lost access to free meals this summer. DHSS has established that children who attended the 22 public schools that had virtual days from August 31, 2020, to October 9, 2020, qualify for 12 or 17 days of P-EBT benefits or $96 and $135 in food coupons respectively. Children who attended St. For the second part of the P-EBT Program, children who were eligible to receive free meals at school from school lunch as of the end of the school year 2020-2021 qualify for the U.S. standard benefit of $438 in food coupons for the 55 covered days of the summer of 2021. Households are required to complete an application to provide basic information for their children for them to receive P-EBT benefits. School feeding Public works Utility waivers Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Government employees making $50,000 or less a year will be entitled to overtime pay for work outside of their usual 40-hours per week for work involving the coronavirus declaration. American Samoa's governor has ordered cut hours and pay to be restored for government employees stranded off island because of the Covid-19 pandemic. In accordance with ASCA § 26.0I0S(g)(I), the restrictions on "Hazard Pay" in ASAC §4.041 l(b) are Labor Labor market regulations suspended. The Director of the Department of Human Resources is tasked with developing a policy Markets to compensate medical personnel, first responders, and all ASG employees that face increased risk and exposure associated with their duties In accordance with ASCA § 26.0IOS(g)(l), the maximum grant of four (4) hours for "Excused Absences" in ASCA § 4.05 I l(a)( 10) is suspended. The Director of Department of Human Resources is tasked with developing a policy to compensate all ASG personnel that are under quarantine or unable to attend work for reasons related to the restrictions imposed. State of Emergency (SoE) has been amended (1/6/2020), all government workers can return to full Reduced work time working hours. Businesses will only be allowed to trade between 5am-9pm, with some exceptions. American Samoan authorities have said that quarantine will be imposed on COVID-19 related workers, including US Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel entering the territory. Wage subsidies (back to the top) Andorra Cash-based transfers Cash transfers The government of Andorra announced an extraordinary benefit for self-employed workers affected (conditional and unconditional) by economic activity suspension worth €8.6 million. Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding Public works The Andorran government approved a legislative moratorium on April 18th, 2020, to provide Social repayment relief—and also extension of the repayment period in the case of mortgages—until Assistance December 31st, 2020, to households affected by the pandemic, which meet the requirements established by the law. This moratorium applied to mortgages and personal loans to finance housing or vehicles in the case of individuals. On June 11th, 2020, the Andorran Banking Association (ABA) adopted a non-legislative sector-wide Utility waivers moratorium to provide repayment relief to households, for 6-12 months depending upon the types of loan and borrower. This private moratorium scheme complemented the one approved by the government and could not be applied simultaneously. In mid-December 2020, ABA extended until March 31st, 2021, the application deadline for the moratorium. The government of Andorra has relaxed the requirements to accessing rental housing aid for individuals whose economic and social situation worsened due to the health crisis. The government introduced prophylactic/care leave: workers with children can have access to paid Paid sick leave leave while the educational and extracurricular leisure centers are compulsorily closed. Social Health insurance Insurance Pensions [April 2020] On April 1, the government approved Law 3/2020 which relaxed the requirements to Unemployment benefits access unemployment benefits and rental housing aid for individuals whose economic and social situation worsened due to the health crisis. The law will be in force for up to a maximum of two months starting April 1, 2020. [December 2020] On December 16, the government created a new temporary and exceptional involuntary unemployment benefit to support Andorran workers directly affected by the delayed opening of the ski stations. 65 applications were received, amounting to €45,515 in December. The benefit will remain in place until the affected companies are able to resume their normal activities in the 2020-21 ski season. Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations Reduced work time [April 2020] On April 18, the Temporary Suspension of Employment Contracts and the Reduction of Working Hours, Law 5/2020 was approved. The law allows companies interested in temporary suspending contracts or reducing working hours (not exceeding 75%) to cover 25% of the salary of suspended employees, while the government will assume 75% of the salary. While employees will Labor receive reduced salaries, those with lower earnings will have the least reduction, in comparison with Markets higher salaries. The calculation of salaries is based on a formula set by the government. Benefitting companies must have either suspended activity or, have a reduced turnover by at least 50%. The Wage subsidies support measure is expected to cost around EUR 100 million and its duration will be limited to the period between May 1, 2020 and up to 180 days, and should not last beyond December 31, 2020. [Extended - February 2021] On February 26, the government approved the extension of the program until March 31. [Extended - March 2021] On March 24, the government approved the extension of the program until April 30. [Extended - April 2021] On April 22, the government approved the extension of the program until May 31.[Extended - July 2021] On July 1, the government announced the extension of the program until December 31. However, the criteria for company selection have changed and became more selective. (back to the top) Angola Cash-based transfers (May 2020) The Ministry of Social Affairs, Family, and Women’s Promotion (MASFAMU) announced that the Child Grant implemented in Bie, Moxico, and Uige provinces was topped up (from 3,000 to 5,000 Kwanzas, or approximately US$6 to US$10 monthly), including double payment. The program has already benefited 18,399 children under the age of five, in a universe of 9,989 families. The government has also adapted the payment procedures to ensure adequate sanitation and worker protection during the transfers. (August 2020) The provincial Government of Luanda is implementing an emergency cash transfer Cash transfers program. The benefit of 5,000 Kwanzas, or approximately US$10 monthly per child is being (conditional and unconditional) implemented using mobile payments. The program benefited 1,404 children under the age of five, in a universe of 786 families. (April 2020) The Angola Strengthening the National Social Protection System (Cash Transfer) Project supports the cash transfer program “Kwenda”. The first phase of the cash program started in May 2020 to provide temporary income support to poor and vulnerable families including those affected Social by the economic crisis. The program aims to reach 1.6 million families in the country with a benefit Assistance amount of 25,500 kz quarterly per family for one year. Social pensions In-kind transfers (March 2020) In order to guarantee the consumption of food in the basic basket for the most vulnerable families, the Ministry of Social Action, Family and Promotion of Women, the Ministry of Commerce and the Provincial Governments developed campaigns to distribute goods in the basic Food, vouchers, others basket to the most vulnerable populations, targeting more than 17,000 children. (December 2020) The provincial authorities (with the support of WFP) will distribute highly nutritious food supplements to at least 37,000 malnourished children under five. School feeding Public works (April 2020) In order to alleviate family financial expenses / obligations, a 180-day moratorium is Utility waivers granted to families that have difficulties in paying their home's IPU. (April 2020) In order to alleviate family financial expenses / obligations, a 180-day moratorium is granted to families that have difficulties in paying electricity and water supply bills. (November 2020) As part of the 2021 tax reform, limit to transport and food subsidies will be raised to 30,000 kwanza for eligible workers. (September 2021) Executive suspends payment of customs duties on essential goods. The prices of rice, pork, dried beef, chicken leg, corn grain, edible oil and powdered milk may decrease in the domestic market due to the suspension of payment of customs duties for these essential goods. (June 2021) The Government will subsidize the price of fertilizers up to 35 percent, so that it can be sold at a more affordable price. Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures [April 2020] The Minister of Public Administration, Labor and Social Security said that General Labor Inspectorate must control breaches of the General Labor Law, particularly in cases where employers Labor Labor market regulations are not paying wages or suspending legal employment relationships. Companies would not be Markets penalized though, however, compliance will be ensured. Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Anguilla (UK) Cash-based transfers (April 2020) For those that do not qualify for the Unemployment Benefit offered by the social security system, the Government provided direct financial support of up to XCD $800 (US$296) per month. In order to be beneficiary, people need to fulfill one of the following: 1) Be unemployed, either temporarily or permanently laid off, as a result of COVID-19 after February 1st, 2020; 2) Be underemployed as a result of COVID-19 after February 1st, 2020, with a wage less than XCD $800 a month; or 3) Closed business or having an earning less than XCD $800 as a result of COVID-19 after February 1st, 2020. Payments were made directly to bank accounts and first payments were scheduled to reach Cash transfers accounts on or before May 15th, 2020. Unemployed persons received payments of XCD $800 for the (conditional and unconditional) period during which they remained unemployed up to a period of three months, if their previous monthly earnings were XCD $ 800 or more. Persons who earned less than XCD $ 800 received XCD $800. Underemployed persons received the difference between their current earnings and their pre- COVID 19 monthly earnings up to a maximum of XCD $800 (i.e. an earnings top-up) for the period Social during which they remain underemployed up to a period of three months. Assistance (April 2020) A one-off payment of 100% to those persons currently receiving cash transfer public assistance. (April 2020) Provision of EC$400 per month for three (3) months for each child in foster care. Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others (April 2020) Provision of ECD$200 per month per child for children in the school feeding program, School feeding until schools reopen, and coverage expansion of the program to all poor students. Public works (March 2020) The government introduced a maximum price regime for goods (sold by retail or wholesale). These included, but not restricted to, items for sanitizing and disinfecting hands and Utility waivers surfaces as recommended by the Ministry of Health. Penalties up to $25,000 or imprisonment of up to 2 years were suggested in case of breach. The Water Corporation of Anguilla (WCA) has delayed disconnection for people who have defaulted on their bills. WCA is extending payment plan options to individuals who may have challenges making bill payments during the COVID-19 pandemic. This measure was extended until January 15th, 2021. (March 2020) The National Commercial Bank of Anguilla (NCBA) implemented a moratorium on loan repayments for an initial period of three (3) months, with the possibility of an additional three (3) months extension to be granted. The moratorium was offered to both individual and commercial customers affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Paid sick leave Health insurance Pensions [April 2020] The government announced the reintroduction of a temporary unemployment benefit to cater to the unemployed and underemployed through the social security system. The temporary unemployment assistance benefit through the Social Security Board provided financial assistance of up to EC$1,000.00 (US$370) per month, to contributors to the fund whose jobs and wages have been severely impacted by the pandemic. All payments were sent directly to the bank accounts provided at the moment of application. The target date for the commencement of payments was Social April 30th, 2020, and were set to be disbursed for 3 months. [Extension - July 2020] The Insurance Unemployment benefits government approved the extension of the benefit for an additional six months until December 2020. [Extension] According to the Social Security Board, payments would be operational until March 31st, 2021. [October 2021] The Social Security Board issued an announcement to inform the general public that October 31st, 2021, was the final date for acceptance of the Unemployment Assistance Benefit (UAB) applications for the closing period September 2021. [April 2020] The government proposed that companies which continue to pay workers that are Social security contributions “sheltered in place” or required to stay at home will be considered for a waiver of Social Security and Internal Stabilization Levy (ISL) payments for up to three months. [November 2020] In preparation for the Phase Two reopening, the government has offered free Activation measures training courses to over 500 tourism employers – from housekeepers to ground transportation and Labor charter boat operators from November 2020 onwards. Markets Labor market regulations Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Antigua and Barbuda Cash-based transfers In April 2020, a decision was made by the Government of Antigua & Barbuda to offer an honorarium to nurses on the frontline caring for COVID-19 patients. The payment criteria put in place by Mount St. John’s Medical Centre—the only public hospital in the country—required a nurse to work a minimum of 32 (thirty-two) hours in order to receive the allotment of $1000 (monthly). Cash transfers (April 2020) The Antigua and Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association and the Antigua and Barbuda (conditional and unconditional) Workers Union have joined forces in ensuing a fortnightly cash relief payment to employees working at hotels which contribute to the ABHTA/ABWU Thrift Fund. Starting on April 10th, 2020, employees received EC$640 fortnightly for three months, through electronic transfers. Social pensions In-kind transfers Social (March 2020) The Ministry of Social Transformation provided relief packages of food and medication Assistance to elderly living alone, persons with disabilities, and unemployed adults with children. (January 2021) Through the Emergency Food Assistance Program, the government provided for the well-being of the elderly, disabled, single mothers, and other needy persons. Between April to December 2020: 50,664 packages were delivered, and several thousand persons benefitted from this program by January 2021. Food, vouchers, others (April 2020) The government provided food vouchers distribution to unemployed persons (who can prove unemployment from 31st January 2020 due to COVID-19) with children, redeemable at supermarkets. In June 2020 the government announced it would increase the program. This enabled recipients to purchase other essential items they needed which were not initially included in the packages. Vouchers ranged from EC $150 to EC $250 (USD $56 – USD $93). Between April and December 2020, the government distributed $1,250,000 worth of vouchers under the Government Voucher Program. Government Assistance Program (GAP) under which beneficiaries received vouchers for redemption at supermarkets, to ensure that people and their families do not go hungry. In June 2020 the Board of Guardian, Petro Caribe provided cash support to the vulnerable through cash and food grant programs operated by the Ministry of Social Transformation, Human Resource Development and the Blue Economy. No further details provided. From May 25th, 2020, the National School Meals program provided lunches for teachers and students involved in the preparation for CSEC examinations. School feeding (March 2020) The School Meals Program continues to ensure that most economically vulnerable students receive meals during indefinite school closures as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. As of March 31, care packages of dried goods and produce were prepared for distribution to selected vulnerable students and their families. Public works Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) ceased all disconnections of APUA water and electricity to households for 3 months, re-connected customers who have been disconnected, and reduced by 20% the cost of electricity to households for a period of 3 months (April, May, June 2020). In June 2020, APUA decided to increase the discount up to 25%. The suspension of disconnections of water, and electricity accounts has been extended until late September and the reduction in the electricity bills, currently at 15 percent, has been extended until November 2020. Through the Pandemic Relief Barrel Initiative barrels containing foodstuff and sanitizing materials were allowed to enter Antigua and Barbuda from April 1st, 2020, until June 30th 2020, without having any duties and other taxes imposed, except for a $10.00 processing fee and the Revenue Recovery Charge calculated at 10% of the value of the items. Utility waivers (March 2020) Temporary removal of Antigua and Barbuda Sales Tax (ABST) on antiseptics, wipes, sanitizers, toilet paper and paper towels, aloe vera gel, and vitamins were introduced to keep items affordable for consumers and mitigate disease spread. The removal of the 15 percent tax would allow these items to be purchased at an affordable price so that consumers can play their part to mitigate the spread of the virus. (March 2020) The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank and ECCU Bankers Association agreed on a loan repayment moratorium support program that will be implemented by all member banks in the ECCU. The program will facilitate a loan repayment moratorium for an initial period of up to six (6) months with a possible extension upon review. In addition to the deferral of loan repayments, a waiver of late fees and charges will be applicable to eligible customers during this period. Moratorium on mortgage debt repayments, which was extended in September 2020 for a further six months. National Student Loan Fund removed all late fees and penalties for students who are able to demonstrate their inability to service their loans. Paid sick leave Extension of deadline to July 31st 2020 for filing of claims under the Medical Benefits Scheme for Health insurance Social receipts between January to April 2020. Insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits Social security contributions [January 2021] The government offered scholarships to the University of the West Indies (UWI) Activation measures Fourth Landed Campus to nationals who once worked for an air transport company, in order to enable them to re-tool. [May 2020] The government committed to not laying off public service workers in dealing with the economic fallout from the crisis. [May 2020] Industry-specific guidelines have been put forth in some cases (e.g., fishing industry, barbershops, beauty shops and nail salons) to operate in safe conditions. Labor market regulations [June 2020] The Ministry of Health introduced health and safety protocols to business sectors, Labor including food services, fitness centers, casinos, public transportation. Markets [March 2020] Business owners were encouraged to prevent layoffs and termination by taking certain steps such as adopting austerity measures like a reduction in working hours and/or days worked, a Reduced work time reduction in number of days an employee is required to work in a week or the introduction of certain measures outlined in section C42 (2) of the Labor Code, Cap 27, as amended. [August 2020] The government decided to pay salaries to workers of an air transport company in Wage subsidies July 2020. The initiative was aimed at restructuring and recapitalizing the company (EC $3 million – USD $1.1 million). (back to the top) Argentina Cash-based transfers The government introduced the Emergency Family Income (Ingreso Familiar de Emergencia), a non- contributory program that delivers a lump sum payment of $10,000 (US$155) to one member of the family. Informal workers, “Monotributistas” of category A and B and domestic workers were eligible beneficiaries. Initially, this transfer was provided during April 2020 to 3.6 million families. This was later extended in June and August for a second and third round, covering 9 million people. The government launched the Extraordinary Bonus of $3,000 for beneficiaries of Universal Child Allowance and Universal Pregnancy Allowance. This involved more than 5.2 M beneficiaries (Universal Child Allowance 4.394.376 people as of April 2020 and Universal Pregnancy Allowance 0,8M people as of June 2019). The government launched the Emergency Assistance Program for Work and Production (ATP), which included the existing program Productive Recovery Program (REPRO). This consists of delivering non-contributive cash transfers to workers in firms in a crisis situation. Social Later, the government launched a second version of REPRO within the Emergency Assistance Cash transfers Assistance Program for Work and Production (ATP). This version implied a more agile and abbreviated procedure (conditional and unconditional) according to the existing situation in the framework of the Covid-19 pandemic. REPRO II consists of delivering individual cash transfers to workers in firms in a crisis situation. The program is incompatible with the following benefits of the ATP: Complementary Wage and Zero rate credit. The government implemented the Assistance, Training and Infrastructure Plan for Tourism (PACIT), an emergency program to assist the tourism sector. The measure involves financial aid ($50,000) to independent workers, such as tour guides and small operators who are Monotributistas, Monotributistas sociales or self-employed. In order to be beneficiaries, recipients must attend hygiene and tourism-related training offered by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. The program had an initial budget of 100 million pesos. According to the government's website, there was ARS$ 300 M allocated to this program, involving 6,500 self-employed beneficiaries. The government implemented cash transfers in order to strengthen the health care capacity. These cash transfers are aimed at residents and heads of residents in the health sector. Initially, this was granted for a couple of months, but it was extended until December 2020. The government extended and increased the Family support allowance for deceased people Program, which supports families when one of the members passes away. COVID 19-related deceases were included as a cause of death. This transfer is delivered to the unemployed, informal workers, monotributistas sociales, cleaning workers, and for those beneficiaries of other social programs (Universal Child Allowance, Universal Pregnancy Allowance, among others). The cash transfer was increased to $15,000. The government extended a bonus to health personnel and primary care workers. The program consisted of delivering a cash transfer of $5,000. Initially, this benefit was implemented during four months (April to July 2020), but later was extended for 3 further months, until October 2020. The government launched the Extraordinary Bonus of $3,000 for beneficiaries of the non- contributory system, which involved recipients of the following programs: Pension Universal para el Adulto Mayor (PUAM), pensions for the elderly, pensions for disabled people, pensions for mothers of Social pensions seven or more children, and ex gratia pensions. As of March 2020, there were 1,431,189 non- contributory pensioners and 167,596 PUAM, according to the Boletín de Seguridad Social, involving an estimated cost of 4.7B pesos. In-kind transfers The Ministry of Social Development ruled that families who have not yet received the Food Support Card (Tarjeta de alimentar) would receive the value of this amount through the Universal Child Allowance (AUH). This meant a temporary adaptation measure to strengthen food policies during COVID-19 pandemic. The plan is to deliver more than 1,500,000 cards to 2,800,000 recipients. To Food, vouchers, others date the food card has reached 1,100,000 people in 400,000 households. On April 29th, 2020, the government announced an extraordinary reinforcement for holders of the Food Support Card. Those families with one child received an extra bonus of $4,000 pesos while this extra amount was $6,000 pesos for families with two or more children. In December 2020 the benefit increased to $8,000 and $12,000, respectively. School feeding The government distributed the remaining school feeding food stocks as take-home rations. Public works In order to guarantee supply and control the increase in prices during the health emergency, the Ministry of Productive Development re-introduced a price control system from March 20th, 2020, and for 30 days, initially. This involved maintaining prices of the basic food basket, beverages, toiletries and cleaning as they were on March 6th, 2020. The measure covered hypermarkets, retail Utility waivers and wholesale supermarkets, mini-markets, warehouses and self-services. This measure was extended several times. The last extension was granted until late January 2021. In November 2020 covid-related drugs were included in the price control program. The government has prohibited the eviction of people renting accommodation until September 30th, 2020. Simultaneously, all rental contracts were automatically extended until the same date, regardless of current expiration date. In turn, the government froze rental contracts and deferred the rent repayment corresponding to the month of March 2020 until September 30th, 2020, which was later extended until January 2021. The government has ruled that key utilities such as energy, gas and water - as well as telecommunication, internet and Television services cannot be suspended during the crisis even if 3 consecutive or alternate bill payments are missed. Initially, the measure was in place for 180 days and included users who were beneficiaries of Universal Child Allowance, Universal Pregnancy Allowance, retirees and pensioners, those who receive unemployment insurance, and other groups. This was later extended for the entire population until late December 2020. On May 18th, 2020, the government announced that fixed and mobile telephony, internet and pay TV services were considered as essential public services. With the aim of containing the situation of affected people and guaranteeing connectivity and full access to services, the government established the suspension of price increases until August 31st, 2020, for these services. At the same time, the provision of inclusive postpaid, mobile prepaid and fixed internet mobile phone plans for all people requesting the benefit was agreed, with a fixed price until October 31st, 2020. The measure included the commitment of provider companies not to lay off workers during the term of the agreement. Paid sick leave The National Government establishes that COVID-19 will be considered a presumptive disease of professional nature, so that the Aseguradoras de Riesgo de Trabajo must adapt their coverage so that the affected workers receive, immediately, the corresponding benefits. Health insurance Children of members of Health Insurance Agents or Prepaid Medicine Entities, born as of February 20, 2020, and for whom the DNI process has not been completed, are temporarily incorporated and for a term of up to 45 calendar days after the end date of the period of social, preventive and Social compulsory isolation, with only proof of birth. Insurance The government launched the Extraordinary Bonus of $3,000 for beneficiaries of the contributory system, including those who receive the minimum pension (15,892 pesos). As of March 2020, this concerned 4,340,845 beneficiaries, according to the Boletín de Seguridad Social, with an estimated Pensions expenditure of ARG$13,022,535,000. This measure also reached those who received a pension between $15,892 pesos and $18,892 pesos, although these beneficiaries received a benefit equals to the difference that allowed them a total pension of $18,892 pesos. According to the Boletin Seguridad Social, this concerned 467,944 beneficiaries as of March 2020. Unemployment benefits [July 2020] The government implemented a program to assist firms in the pear and apple production sector of the provinces of Nequén, Río Negro, Mendoza, San Juan y La Pampa. The assistance consists of granting an extension period for the payment of social security obligations between 1st of June 2020 and 31st of December 2020.[December 2020] This measure was extended until June 30, 2021 and it was announced that it could be further extended to December 31, 2021, after an evaluation and report on the impact of the program. [April 2020] Under the Emergency Assistance Program for Work and Production, the payment of contributions by employers to the Argentine Integrated Social Security System was postponed or reduced by 95 percent. This initiative only applied to those economic activities that: 1) were affected by the pandemic; or 2) employed a certain number of workers infected with COVID-19 with high-risk diseases, or were told to isolate; or 3) experienced a sharp reduction in sales by the 20th of March 2020. Originally, this applied automatically to those firms with 60 or less employees. Firms with more than 60 employees were required to be legally categorized as "firm in economic crisis" to be beneficiaries. This last requirement was removed in late April. Subsequently, another requirement was introduced: those firms that were considered as in a "critical situation" received the benefit Social security contributions automatically; for those considered as in a "non-critical situation" needed to fulfill the requirements to get a postponement. [May 2020] According to Administrative Decision 747/2020, the program was extended until May 31st, 2020. [June 2020] Under Administrative Decision 1133/2020, the program was extended for the month of June. [August 2020] Under Administrative Decision 1581/2020, the program was extended until the end of September 2020. [October 2020] Under Administrative Decision 1954/2020, the program was extended until the end of October 2020. [November 2020] Under Administrative Decision 2086/2020, the program was extended until the end of November 2020. [December 2020] Under Administrative Decision 2181/2020, the program was extended until the end of December 31st, 2020. [May 2021] The National Government expanded the assistance provided by the REPRO 2 Program, establishing a 100% reduction in employer contributions. According to Decree 323/2021, this program is expected to end by December 31st, 2021. Activation measures [June 2020] The government extended the period of the double redundancy payment introduced in Labor December 2019. Initially, this was extended until the 13th of December 2020, but the government Markets Labor market regulations delayed it until the 25th of January 2021. [January 2021] The government extended the double redundancy payment until December 31st, 2021, due to the state of emergency. [July 2020] The government extended the period of prohibition of dismissals and suspensions, which was first introduced in 2019. [Extension - May 2021] Decree 266/2021 extended the prohibition on dismissals: (i) without justified cause; or (ii) due to lack or reduction of work and force majeure until 31 May 2021. [Extension - June 2021] Decree 413/2021 extended until 31 December 2021 the prohibition to dismiss without just cause and/or due to lack or reduction of work and force majeure, as long as the occupational emergency continues. [March 2020] Remote work was advised for workers in the national public sector, except for those who were involved in the provision of essential services, and private companies were recommended to work with a minimum number of employees and adopt remote work. [August 2021] Employers were allowed to summon their employees who have received at least the first dose of any of the COVID-19 vaccines to return to work in person 14 days after inoculation. Reduced work time [April 2020] The Emergency Assistance to Work and Production (Asistencia al Trabajo y la Producción - ATP) consisted of a wage subsidy for formal workers, paid directly by ANSES (social security administration of Argentina) to the employee bank account. By late April 2020, the allocation amount was equal to 50% of worker's net salary, and this could not be less than the current minimum wage. The average transfer per worker was on average AR$ 20.000. The number of firms that applied and that were allowed in the program in each round varies (decreases over time). The last update on October 28th, 2020, determined that the benefit must range between 1.25 and 2 minimum wages. The sectors considered critical are health, culture, entertainment, tourism, gastronomy, long-distance transport, hairdressers, beauty centers, nursery schools and artistic education. In special cases, the following activities may also be considered critical: education, Wage subsidies industry, commerce, services related to oil or mining, non-metallic mining, transportation, and business and professional services. [June 2020] The Tourist Assistance and Training Fund (FACT) under the Assistance, Training and Infrastructure Plan for Tourism (PACIT) is a program aimed at Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the tourism sector (tourist agencies, tourist accommodations, gastronomic establishments and tourist recreation services), sharply affected by COVID 19 pandemic. The government delivers cash transfers equal to the minimum wage for a period of 6 months. 50% of this aid must be used in wages, and the remaining 50% can be used in other expenses. In return, firms must maintain their payroll of employees, who must at the same time comply with safety and hygiene adaptations training. According to the government's website, this involved a total budget of ARS$ 3,000M and benefited 2,500 MSMEs. [July 2020] The Ministry of Tourism and Sports doubled the number of beneficiaries with the Assistance Program for Tourist Providers (APTUR) II so that all the firms which applied and fulfilled the requirements of the first stage are granted access to the benefit. [August 2020] The government decided to continue to support those whose income was affected by creating APTUR III. [March 2021] The government announced a new edition of the program called APTUR IV. [June 2021] For the fifth edition of APTUR, the government decided to grant a non-refundable contribution of $ 50,000 to travel agencies and passenger tourist motor transport services. [June 2021] The sixth edition of the program was aimed at guides and other providers of tourist services who were to be granted a non-refundable contribution of $ 22 thousand per month from August to December 2021. [July 2021] The government continued its support through the seventh edition of the program. (back to the top) Armenia Cash-based transfers Lump-sum transfers to the vulnerable including individuals who were unemployed after the COVID-19 outbreak On March 25th and 30th 2020, the government approved a comprehensive action plan to counter the adverse coronavirus impact and several measures to offset its economic and social consequences with a total budget of at least US$300M. These included: - Support package No. 4: Assistance to families with children up to 14 years old where the formally employed parents were laid off. This support amounted to AMD 100,000 (US$201) lump sum payment per child and did not apply to public servants or those who had monthly salary higher than AMD 500,000 for the previous 2 months. The payments started from April 1st 2020 and expired at the end of April. Social - Support package No. 6: Support to persons in formal employment (receiving less than AMD Cash transfers Assistance 500,000 for the past two months) who were laid off in the period of March 13th to 30th 2020 in the (conditional and unconditional) amount of monthly minimum wage. Payments were processed from April 2nd, 2020. The support under this package is now over. - Support package No. 7: Support to pregnant women who are not employed until March 30th, 2020, and whose husband and were laid off in the period of March 13th to 30th 2020 in the amount of AMD 100,000 (US$201) lump sum payment. Payments were processed from April 2nd, 2020. The support under this package is now over. - Support package No. 8: Support to hired workers and individual entrepreneurs (formal employment) in Armenia’s private sector most affected by the spread of coronavirus, specifically, in hotel and hostel, public catering, tourism, barber shops and beauty parlors, retail trade. This was expanded to cover also hired workers and individual entrepreneurs from the following sectors: ground transport operations (route transport); preschool institutions (private kindergartens); sporting activities (sports clubs, swimming pools); entertainment and other leisure activities. The amounts ranged between AMD 68,000 and AMD 136,000 (US$137-274). - Support package No. 9: The government supported families with children aged 0-18 years old, where both parents did not have a registered job (part-time or full-time work). This was expanded to cover parents in childcare leave for children under the age of 3. The support consisted of a lump-sum of AMD 26,500 (about US$55) per child. - Support package No. 13: One-time assistance at the rate of 50% of the amount of the social benefit or family benefit for those families enrolled in the Family Benefit system and eligible as of April 2020. 70% of the assistance was available as a cash payment in addition to the amount of the family allowance for April; the balance of 30% will be transferred to the utility operator on behalf of the electricity subscriber. - Support package No. 22: adopted on June 25th, 2020, it supported employees who were employed from January 1st to March 31st, 2020, and lost their jobs. Beneficiaries received a one-time payment equal to the minimum wage of AMD 68,000 (US$140). Those who were employed in financial sector (credit organizations, insurance companies, etc.) and those who had an average monthly salary (calculated based on the 2 months’ average before they were laid-off) of more than AMD 500,000 (approximately US$1,030) were not eligible for this support package. It was reported that in April 2020 about 71,000 citizens lost their job and in May 2020 about 50,000 of them returned to the job market, with about 20,000 still laid-off. As of June 2021, family and social benefits can also be paid through banks (as opposed to delivery by HayPost), if the beneficiaries submit applications to the Unified Social Service. Social pensions In-kind transfers The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MLSA), in collaboration with the Armenian Red Cross, provided between one and three food and hygiene packages to 1,400 citizens. The packages were aimed at elderly people living alone and people with disabilities, including Syrian-Armenian refugees and people in social housing. Also, MLSA announced the provision of food packages and other protective measures for 2 months to about 90,000 households (including 50+ year old unemployed and people with disabilities). Food, vouchers, others The United Nations World Food Program (WFP), in partnership with the Armenian Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MLSA), distributed a one-off food ration for 44,000 vulnerable people who have been affected by the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. WFP has identified people receiving assistance based on the findings of a Food Security Assessment WFP conducted in July and August 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. WFP and MLSA are prioritizing the poorest families especially those who have at least 3 children or children with special needs, as well as pregnant women and children under five. World Food Program (WFP) and the Government of Republic of Armenia (GoA) will jointly provide take-home rations for around 100,000 primary children while school canteens remain closed as part of the COVID-19 pandemic safety regulations. WFP in partnership with the GoA adjusted the operations of the school feeding program to ensure children from the most vulnerable families will still benefit from daily nutritious meals at home until school kitchens reopen and resume the provision of in-school meals. School feeding WFP will provide nutritionally diversified food packages to some 50,000 primary school children across Armenia as part of its School Feeding program that is funded by the Russian Federation. As part of the gradual nationalization of the program, the Government of Armenia will in parallel support around 50,000 additional school children. This one-off distribution supports the food needs of children and their families for 80 days during the first semester of the 2020/2021 school year. The food packages provided both by WFP and the Government include basic staples like buckwheat, lentils, pasta, rice, oil and wheat flour. Support package No. 15: The program aimed at creating temporary jobs for socially vulnerable groups in the agricultural sector while tackling environmental problems through a reforestation program Public works protecting the riverbed from erosion and floods. The minimum daily salary consisted of AMD 10,000 (US$21). The government introduced a support package (No. 14) to assist students during the pandemic, which includes three different options of assistance for students: 1) semester tuition fees for Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD students with a GPA of 90 or more and in graduate course of the existing system of state universities will be 100% paid by the Government. Semester tuition fees for non-graduate students with a GPA of 90 or more will be paid 75 percent. Graduate students who do not have a tuition fee debt may turn down the assistance or receive the amount if it has been paid by an individual. And if the graduating student's fee is paid through a student loan, the money will be directed to pay the loan. 2) the procedure for providing student loans will be simplified. Interest rates Utility waivers on current and new loans for students with a GPA of more than 80 will be zeroed for 2020, including for the students at state-accredited universities; 3) Loan interest rates for students with a GPA less than 80 will be subsidized by 5%; that is, loans will be available at 4%. The government passed a decision with a view to reimbursing tuition fees for one semester for those students who participated in the war of September 2020. The benefit was originally intended for the first semester of the academic year 2020-2021 but was later amended so that the tuition could be reimbursed for one semester in general, considering that there are students who still continue their military service. Such students will regain their status of student in the academic year 2021-2022, yet they will remain eligible, which means that the decision is not time-bound. As of June 2021, families and social benefits can also be paid through banks (as opposed to delivery by Haypost), if the beneficiaries submit application to the unified social service Support package No. 12: The government reimbursed 50% of February 2020 expenditures on natural gas and electricity for those consumers whose gas and electricity bills did not exceed AMD 10,000 (about US$21) and AMD 5,000 (about US$10), respectively and 30% of February 2020 expenditures on natural gas and electricity for those consumers whose gas and electricity bills were from AMD 10,001-30,000 (about US$21-62) and from AMD 5,001-10,000 (about US$10-21) respectively. These transfers were automatic and universal, with no obligation to apply. Beneficiaries: 280,000 households. Support package No. 13: One-time assistance at the rate of 50% of the amount of the social benefit or family benefit for those families enrolled in the Family Benefit system and eligible as of April 2020. 70% of the assistance will be available as a cash payment in addition to the amount of the family allowance for April; the balance of 30% will be transferred to the utility operator on behalf of the electricity subscriber. Support package No. 14: The government introduced three different options of assistance for students: semester tuition fees for Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD students, simplification of student loans and subsidized loan interest rates for students. Support package No. 16: lump-sum assistance to beneficiaries for utilities. 1. 30% compensation for electricity consumption to 207,837 service subscriber residents, and for gas consumption – to 81,697 service subscriber residents, if they consumed from AMD 10,001 to 25,000 worth of electricity, and from AMD 30,001 to 40,000 worth of gas, for February 2020. 2. 50% compensation for electricity consumption to service subscriber residents in 310 villages (rural communities), which do not have gas. The support was provided to those subscriber residents who consumed up to AMD 25,000 worth of electricity in February 2020. 3. 50% compensation for water consumption to those service subscriber residents who consumed up to AMD 3,000 worth of water in March 2020. The total number of beneficiaries for this package was 424,972 people. The Public Services Regulatory Commission allowed the delay of electricity, water or gas outages payment during the period of March 15th and May 15th , 2020. Utility bills could be paid in June 2020 with no disruption risks. Paid sick leave Health insurance All pensioners who received their pensions in cash did not need to go to the post office and have their pensions delivered to them by HayPost (Nationwide Postal Office) employees. Arrangement of Social delivery of pensions and social benefit packages, so that beneficiaries could receive them without Pensions Insurance leaving home. The Government has shifted to bank payments for pensions. Pensions are paid through banks primarily in Yerevan, Gyumri and Vanadzor (bigger cities), except for persons with 1st and 2nd disability and those above 75 years of age (as of July 2021). Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Enterprises and companies which have resumed operation since April 17th, 2020, are obligated to ensure preventive/anti-epidemiological measures inside organizations and to ensure safe transfer of Labor market regulations workers to and from their workplaces. The government set up a hotline and provided instructions on preventive actions for citizens and employers in terms of organizing remote work. Reduced work time [March 2020] Through Support Package No. 5, the government announced this measure to support separate business entities facing issues related to the maintenance of productive workforce resulted Labor by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was created to support businesses which had consistently had Markets between 2 to 50 employees within the period from 1 January 2020 to 1 April 2020 and no change in the actual payroll during the mentioned period. It was aimed at business entities with the exception of banks, credit organizations, pawnshops and insurance companies, currency exchange points, organizations dealing with the purchase and sales of securities, investment organizations, investment funds, gambling businesses and other similar organizations. A lump-sum grant was to be provided to Wage subsidies the potential 12,000 beneficiaries of the measure. [May 2020] Through Support Package 18, it was modified to include business entities registered in the Republic of Armenia that had between 2 to 100 employees in the period from February 1, 2020, to April 30, 2020. [June 2020] Through Support Package 21, this measure was aimed at business entities with 2 to 100 employees as of March 1, 2020, through May 31, 2020, in the form of a one-time grant, in the amount of the salary of every 5th employee. (back to the top) Aruba (Netherlands) Cash-based transfers Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others (July 2020) Distribution of 800 food packages to people in need, upon Super Food donations. School feeding Public works Fiscal emergency plan 2020. On March 27th, 2020, the government presented the Fiscal Emergency Plan 2020 (Plan di Alivio Fiscal 2020). The plan was to alleviate the tax burden for the sole purpose of solidarity and the recovery of the economy following the COVID-19 outbreak. This included the Social following measures: Assistance 1) Extension of the legal payment term of the monthly tax resources: taxpayers with a turnover of less than AWF $1 M per month affected by COVID-19 engaged in tourism activities, transportation, commerce, cleaning sector and construction can be given extra time on request to pay the tax due for the months of April, May and June 2020. 2) No payment of the employer's contribution AOV / AWW for the months of April, May and June 2020 for tourism activities. Utility waivers 3) Extension of the statutory declaration and payment term of the 2019 profit tax due, with the exception of financial institutions for 6 months (until November 30th, 2020). 4) Postponement of payment arrangements already concluded for 3 months, since April 2020. 5) Default fines for non, partial or late payment of the tax due were suspended for the months of April, May and June 2020. 6) The interest collection in the event of non-payment or partial non-payment of outstanding (tax) debts were suspended for three (3) months from April 2020 on the condition that the taxpayer concluded a (new) payment arrangement. 7) Affected taxpayers were granted easier access to new flexible payment arrangements for all tax and non-tax means such as income tax, national insurance contributions, profit tax, land tax and leasehold. 8) When paying outstanding old (tax) debts all at once, the taxpayer can appeal to the following discounts. (May 2020) In accordance with the Price Regulation for special and temporary maximum prices COVID-19), the government, through the Department of Economic Affairs, introduced a maximum prices system for the crisis package as of May 14th, 2020. This included controlling prices of food as well as health items. (December 2020) The government implemented the Fiscal Emergency Plan part 2, which took effect on November 1st, 2020, including the following measures for individuals: - Broadening of the beneficial policy concerning the savings and provident fund scheme for the years 2020 and 2021, approved to allow employees to withdraw the amount saved untaxed during the years 2020 and 2021. This applies in the case of funerals, home purchases, children's studies, and other emergencies. - Abolition of Special tax on rental cars and rental motorcycles (BBVAM). - Flex payment arrangements for businesses, individuals, and retirees non-entrepreneurs. To make the taxes payable, the new flexible payment arrangements imply the choice of payment in 6, 12, or 18 months with a minimum repayment amount of Afl. 100. For retired non-entrepreneurs: choice of payment in 12, 18, or 24 months with a minimum redemption amount of Afl. 75,00. - Taxpayers are entitled to a 30% discount on the payment of a lump sum of outstanding old (tax) debts. The remediation policy is valid until June 30, 2021. Paid sick leave Health insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits Fiscal emergency plan 2020. On March 27th, 2020, the government presented the Fiscal Emergency Plan 2020 (Plan di Alivio Fiscal 2020). The plan was to alleviate the tax burden for the sole purpose of solidarity and the recovery of the economy following the COVID-19 outbreak. This included the Social following measures related to social security contributions: Insurance - No payment of the employer's contribution AOV / AWW for the months of April, May and June 2020 for tourism activities Social security contributions - Affected taxpayers were granted easier access to new flexible payment arrangements for all tax and non-tax means such as income tax, national insurance contributions, profit tax, land tax and leasehold: - Maximum 24 months for individual taxpayers with a minimum amount of AWG $100. - Maximum 24 months for entrepreneurs with a minimum amount of AWG $500. - Maximum 36 months for 60+ with a minimum amount of AWG $75. Activation measures The government decided to cut salaries of ministers, civil servants and pensioners for the period May- December 2020 as follows: Ministers, officeholders, advisers, and directors of government entities are Labor market regulations surrendering 20%. Officials and employees of subsidized foundations and government entities contribute 12.6%. Pensioners of the APFA will give 4.5%. This implied an estimated cost of AWG $91 M. The Government has introduced a flexibility package for 3 months to provide relief for all the economic turmoil caused by the Coronavirus, effective from April 1st, 2020. This included the following: 1) Opportunity for businesses and employees to apply for compensation from the Emergency Social Assistance Funds (FASE) to help cover the loss of income of employees due to the reduction of Reduced work time working hours, causing them to earn less than AWG $950 monthly. Initially, FASE was launched on March 19th, 2020, for a duration of 3 months. It was extended until September 2020. 2) Labor Law: Flexibility on the working hours of employees. Employees retain the right to receive payment for the hours they have worked, in mutual agreement with their employer. The government Labor urged companies to maintain working agreements active; it was recommended to grant paid vacation before reducing working hours while still keeping five vacation days as a buffer. Markets [April 2020] As part of the flexibility package to provide relief for all the economic turmoil caused by the Coronavirus, the government launched the Emergency Social Assistance Funds (FASE) effective from April 1st, 2020. The fund allowed businesses and employees to apply for compensation from to help cover the loss of income of employees due to the reduction of working hours, causing them to earn less than AWG $950 monthly. Initially, FASE was announced on March 19th 2020 for a duration of 3 months. It was extended until September 2020. Wage subsidies The government introduced salary subsidies in June 2020. The salary subsidy was a financial support for local businesses that have been financially affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in the form of revenue loss of more than 25%. The government gave each employer subsidy based on their monthly loss of revenue, to pay their employees a maximum of 60% of their salary and up to the limited amount of monthly AWG $5,850. The financial aid given to employers was exclusively for payments of employee’s salaries and associated fees, such as taxes and social contributions that employers are responsible for. (back to the top) Australia Cash-based transfers The Australian Government is providing two separate one-off $750 payments to social security, veteran and other income support recipients and eligible concession card holders. The first payment was announced on March 12, 2020, as part of the. $17.6 billion stimulus package and the payment were made from 31 March 2020 and the second payment was announced as on 22 March 2020 and the payment was from 13 July 2020. Around half of those that benefit are pensioners. Eligibility for the payment include beneficiaries of Age Pension, Carer Allowance, Carer Payment, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, Disability Support Pension, Double Orphan Pension, Family Tax Benefit, Pensioner Concession Card. These payments helped support confidence and domestic demand in the economy. As part of the Federal Budget on 6 October 2020, the Australian Government announced 2 additional Economic Support Payments of $250 to continue its support of the Australian community through the pandemic. One was made in December 2020 and another one was made in March 2021. The second, third and fourth payment was not available to those eligible for the Coronavirus supplement (i.e., JobSeeker Payment, Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY from Services Australia; Education Allowance from DVA). For the first round 6.6 million people were planned to be covered and for the rest of the rounds around 5 million people were planned to be covered. The first 2 rounds of payments are Social Cash transfers expected to cost 8.33 billion AUD while the third and fourth together cost 2.6 billion AUD. Assistance (conditional and unconditional) On 22 March 2020, as part of the second economic stimulus package, the government of Australia announced a time-limited Coronavirus Supplement to be paid at a rate of AUD 550 per fortnight (around USD 330) to recipients of Jobseeker payment, parenting payment, youth allowances and other payment types. This supplement was placed for six months at a cost of AUD 14.133bn (USD 8.5bn). The Coronavirus Supplement of $550 per fortnight was available until September 24, 2020. It is reported on 21 July 2021, that the Coronavirus Supplement has been extended from September 25, 2020, but the payment amount would be reduced to $250 per fortnight until December 31, 2020. On December 10, 2020, the government further extended the duration of the payment but further reduced the payment amount to a rate of $150 per fortnight until March 31, 2021. On 17 March 2021, the Tasmanian State Government of Australia will provide a one-off emergency relief payment of $250 for individuals and up to $1,000 for families who are required to self- quarantine. This will be available to low-income persons, casual workers and self-employed persons who are required to self-isolate due to COVID-19 risk. Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding Public works The Australian Government, on 2 April 2020, announced the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Relief Package as a temporary measure to ensure the viability of the ECEC Sector and the continued provision of care for children of essential workers and vulnerable children (for the period 6 April to 28 June 2020). The government is providing $1.6 billion to support childcare services to remain open in the wake of COVID-19 and to provide families who need it with access to care. To receive these payments childcare services must prioritize care to essential workers, vulnerable, disadvantaged and previously enrolled children, and must not charge families any fees for sessions of care provided. On 17 August 2020, it is reported that the Australian Government has extended the utilities concession to eligible asylum seekers, giving them access to the annual $700 utilities concession and an additional one-off $200 rebate for the year 2020-21. In 2021, the Government has permanently Utility waivers extended the assistance provided under the Utilities Concession to eligible asylum seekers who hold an ACT Service Access Card from 1 July 2020. From 1 July 2021, the annual concession amount will permanently increase by $50 to $750. In the 2021-22 financial year, an additional one-off $50 increase will be provided to the utility concession in light of the electricity prices increases. As part of the COVID-19 measure, a one-off $200 rebate will also be provided to eligible households, resulting in a total concession of $1,000. N.B. the Utilities Concession covers electricity, natural gas, water and sewerage and is calculated on a daily basis, with rates depending on the season. The concession is available on the principal place of residence only and the account must be in the cardholder’s name. Only one Utilities Concession per eligible household can be claimed. The Utilities Concession is also available to eligible residents of ACT caravan parks and retirement villages with embedded electricity networks. The Concession will be paid directly to eligible residents rather than as a reduction applied to utility bills. Please contact the ACT Revenue Office directly. Sole traders, self-employed, casual workers and contract workers are entitled to the Job Seeker Payment & Coronavirus Supplement in case of sickness or mandatory quarantine, if they meet the required criteria. Paid sick leave Social Paid pandemic leave has been available to eligible residential aged care employees covered by the Aged Insurance Care Award, Nurses Award and Health Services Award. This entitlement ended on 29 March 2021. Health insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits The government is allowing individuals affected by the Coronavirus early access up to $10,000 of their superannuation in 2019-20 and a further $10,000 in 2020-21. Eligible individuals were able to apply online to access up to $10,000 of their superannuation before 1 July 2020. They were also able to access up to a further tax free $10,000 from 1 July 2020 for approximately 3 months. The Social security contributions withdrawals were available to those in financial distress due to coronavirus as well as sole traders whose hours or income had fallen 20 percent or more due to coronavirus. The COVID-19 early release of super program closed on 31 December 2020. Nearly 2.45m Australians have applied to get early release of their superannuation and 2.45m applications were approved for FY 2019-20. The new Apprentice and Trainee Re-engagement Register will support displaced apprentices and trainees displaced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, by connecting them with a network of employers across the country. The register enables eligible apprentices and trainees who were in a training contract with a small business on March 1 to upload details such as qualifications, work experience and resumes to help them connect with employers. Employers of any size, including group training organizations, are able to register their details and post a vacancy for an apprentice or trainee. Employers who re-engage an apprentice or trainees displaced from a small business may be eligible for a wage subsidy of 50 per cent of the apprentice’s or trainee’s wage, under the government’s Activation measures Supporting Apprentices and Trainees initiative. The register is hosted by the National Apprentice Employment Network (NAEN) and supported by the Australian Government, as part of the economic response to COVID-19. Who can register: - Apprentices and trainees from small businesses who were in a training contract on 1 March 2020 or 1 July 2020 and have since lost their jobs - Apprentices and trainees from medium businesses who were in a training contract on 1 July 2020 Labor and have since lost their jobs Markets - Employers of any size, including Group Training Organizations, who wish to register their details and post a vacancy for an apprentice or trainee Employees who are employed under one of the affected awards can access up to 2 weeks’ unpaid pandemic leave (or more by agreement with their employer) if they're prevented from working: - as a result of being required to self-isolate by government or medical authorities, or acting on the advice of a medical practitioner, or - by measures taken by government or medical authorities in response to the pandemic (for example, an enforceable government direction restricting non-essential businesses). Labor market regulations The leave is available in full immediately to full-time, part-time and casual employees – they don’t have to accrue it. Employees don’t have to use all their paid leave before accessing unpaid pandemic leave. The leave needs to start before, but can finish after, the date when the unpaid pandemic leave provisions in the relevant award stop applying. All eligible employees can take the 2 weeks’ leave. It is not pro-rated for employees who don't work full-time. Unpaid pandemic leave doesn’t affect other paid or unpaid leave entitlements and counts as a service for entitlements under awards and the National Employment Standards. Under Schedule X, employees can take their annual leave at half pay, and double their time off work, if their employer agrees. This means an employee can get 1 week of annual leave (including annual leave loading if applicable) for every 2 weeks of annual leave they take. The agreement has to be in writing and the employer needs to keep it as a record. The leave needs to start before the date Schedule X stops operating in the relevant award but can finish after that date. An employee on leave at half pay accumulates annual leave and sick and carer’s leave as if they were on leave at full pay. Under Australia’s Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws employers have a duty of care for the health and safety of their workers and others at the workplace. This includes providing and maintaining a Reduced work time work environment that is without risk to health and safety and providing adequate facilities for workers in carrying out their work. COVID-19 work health and safety (WHS) guidance varies by industry The Australian government injected A$1.5 billion ($1.1 billion) into a wage subsidy program to counter rising unemployment, Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements (BAC) wage subsidy, which involved the payment of 50% of the wage of commence apprentices or trainees: apprentices and trainees, initially, from January to September 2020. The subsidy amounted to AUD 21,000 and for a total cost of AUD 1.3 billion. Through the subsidy, any business or Group Training Organization that engages an Australian Apprentice between October 5th, 2020, and September 30th, 2021, may be eligible for this subsidy per new or recommencing apprentice or trainee for a 12-month period from the date of commencement to a maximum of $7,000 per quarter. There is no cap on the number of eligible trainees/ apprentices. After 12 months of this support, employers will be eligible to transition to the time-limited Completing Apprenticeship Commencements (CAC) wage subsidy for the second and third years of an apprenticeship. The BAC and CAC are available to employers of any size, industry or Wage subsidies geographic location. The Supporting Apprentices and Trainees wage subsidy to retain existing apprentices and trainees ran from 1 January 2020 through to 31 March 2021. Eligible employers are able to claim 50 per cent of an Australian Apprentice's gross wage up to $7,000 per quarter, per eligible apprentice or trainee. Employers have until 30 June 2021 to submit claims in arrears of wages paid and can potentially do so for the life of the subsidy. Your small business may be eligible if: you employ fewer than 20 people; or you are a small business with fewer than 20 people, using a Group Training Organization; and the apprentice or trainee was undertaking an Australian Apprenticeship with you on 1 July 2020 for claims after this date. Claims prior to 1 July 2020, will continue to be based on the 1 March 2020 eligibility date. Your medium-sized business may be eligible if: you employ fewer than 200 people; or you are a medium business with fewer than 200 people, using a Group Training Organization; and the apprentice or trainee was undertaking an Australian Apprenticeship with you on 1 July 2020. Any employer (including all small, medium or large businesses and Group Training Organization) who re-engages an apprentice or trainee displaced from an eligible small or medium business may also be eligible for the subsidy. [March 2020] Australia is providing a wage subsidy (so-called “JobKeeper payment”) for all permanent, part-time and casual workers who have worked for at least a year with their employer and were employed as of March 1, 2020. It is up to AUD 1,500 (USD 909) per two weeks for a period of six months, which is around 70 percent of the national median wage. Firms must show major reductions in turnover to qualify, which is a 50 percent reduction in turnover for large firms and 30 percent for smaller firms. This is expected to cover around 6 million of the 13 million strong workforces. In the first phase of JobKeeper (30 March to 27 September 2020) eligible businesses and not-for-profits were able to receive $1,500 (before tax) per fortnight per employee to cover the cost of wages. [September 2020] In the extension phase the Payment was reduced and paid at two rates: from 28 September 2020 to 3 January 2021, the payment rate was $1200 per fortnight for employees who worked 20 hours or more a week on average in the reference period and $750 for employees who worked less than 20 hours a week on average in the reference period. From 4 January 2021 to 28 March 2021, the payment rate was $1000 per fortnight for employees who worked 20 hours or more a week on average in the reference period and $650 for employees who worked less than 20 hours a week on average in the reference period. The JobMaker Hiring Credit scheme is an incentive for businesses to employ additional young job seekers aged 16–35 years. Eligible employers can access the JobMaker Hiring Credit for each eligible additional employee they hire between 7 October 2020 and 6 October 2021. The credit provides: $200 per week for new employees between 16 to 29 years of age, and $100 a week for new employees between 30 to 35 years of age. Payment is from the start date of the employee for 12 months. The time-limited $716 million Completing Apprenticeship Commencements (CAC) wage subsidy for the second and third years of an apprenticeship: under the CAC, eligible employers will receive a 10 per cent wage subsidy in the second year of an eligible apprenticeship, up to a maximum of $1,500 per quarter per apprentice, and a 5 per cent wage subsidy in the third year of their apprenticeship, to a maximum of $750 per quarter per apprentice. The CAC is available to employers of any size, industry or geographic location. As per the current process with BAC claims, a CAC claim form will be automatically issued to eligible employers as the CAC claim period falls due, the first being 1 January 2022. Final claims for payment must be lodged by 30 June 2025. (back to the top) Austria Cash-based transfers Cash assistance for one-person companies and freelancers affected by the crisis (e.g. service providers, artists, etc.) through a hardship fund, implemented by the Austrian Economic Chamber. The maximum amount of compensation for the net loss of income per observation period was € 2,000 per month, with a minimum of € 500 if eligibility requirements were met for a period of three months. This was later increased to six months. To support families, the federal government is providing 650 million euros for families with children with the child bonus. Every child who was eligible for family allowance of 360 euros in September 2020. Payment was made automatically and without an application. This also applied to people who receive increased family allowances, for example people with disabilities. Support for job seeker: The government introduced unemployment benefits for anyone who was unemployed for 60 days between May and August 2020. This implied receiving a one-off payment of 450 euros. This measure involved a planned budget of 200 million euros and was implemented in Social July 2020. Cash transfers Assistance (conditional and unconditional) Corona hazard bonus of €500 for workers in the social and healthcare sectors for those directly dealing with COVID-19 patients between March 16th 2020 and June 30th 2020 was agreed upon in July 2020. The government implemented a Corona-bonus of €150 for workers in the electrical and electronics industry, in the chemical industry, and in the shoe and textile industries in May 2020. Payments were expected to be completed by the end of October 2020. A so-called temporary “Corona Family Hardship Fund” (Corona Familienhärtefonds) was introduced in April 2020, with an earmarked budget of €60 million. Families with children are eligible for a payment of up to €1,200 per month (depending on the household composition) in cases where, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, at least one parent became unemployed, or is on CSTW, or is self- employed and has financial difficulties because of the pandemic. This transfer may be granted for a maximum of three months and is subject to means testing. The Family Bonus program was increased to EUR 2,000 per child as part of the tax reform of October 2021. The increase in the family bonus by 500 euros per child and the increase in the additional child amount to 450 euros compared to the previous regulation are important steps to relieve the families in the country in light of the past few months of the corona pandemic. Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding In October 2020, the Public Employment service in lower Austria known as AMS NO along with the support of the private employment service provider “itworks” started implementing the Jobs Guarantee scheme that aims to "eradicate long term unemployment and improve social, health, and Public works well-being outcomes for people in long-term unemployment." The program will be implemented in the town of Gramatneusiedl. The program has a budget of 7.4 million EUR and will create 250 jobs for 3 years. The government approved a deferral of personal and corporate income taxes (for 2020), social security contributions (3 months), and VAT payments (until end-September 2020). This meant a total 10 billion euros. The deferral of tax payments was reintroduced from March 31st, 2021 to June 30th, 2021 with no interest charges. The government prohibited electricity, gas or heat disconnections until May 1st 2020. The government also discussed the possibility of deferring utility payments or an installment plan. The ban on shutdowns was extended for a further two months on April 30th, 2020. Several alleviations for tenants of rented apartments have been made, for those who suffer from the pandemic with income losses, disabling them from paying the monthly rent in part or fully. Utility waivers Measures included * the prohibition of the termination of a rental contract due to such financial problems; * the temporary exclusion of the enforceability of rent arrears; * reliefs with regard to the extension of fixed-term residential rental contracts; and * the statutory deferment of eviction for dwellings. The date until which the landlord may not claim the arrears of payment in court or cover them from a deposit handed over by the tenant was postponed from 31 December 2020 to 31 March 2021. The regulation that non-payment of the rent for the time period April to June 2020 will not result in the possibility of being sued for eviction until July 2022 remains in place. The government announced the provision of a specific COVID-Fund worth €100 million for the 460,000 persons in need of nursing care in March 2020, to be distributed among Austria's nine federal states (as nursing care lies within their competencies). It lies within the regional states' responsibility on how to invest this money. For example, some federal states have made exceptions to travel bans for care workers from Romania and Slovakia. Employees with care responsibilities for one or more children under the age of 14 can take up to 3 Paid sick leave weeks of care leave (Sonderbetreuungszeit) with full wage replacement, being 33% of it reimbursed to the employer by the government. Health insurance Pensions (March 2020) Temporary waiving of the conditionality to regularly meet the case worker at the labor market service to receive unemployment benefits (March 2020) Increase in unemployment assistance: income support to unemployed workers who have exhausted their entitlement to unemployment benefit raised to the level of unemployment benefits [Extension - September 2020] The topped up emergency assistance (see content of measure), which has been increased to the amount of unemployment benefit for the 'duration of the pandemic' has been extended to 31 December 2020 Unemployment benefits [Extension- February 2021] The top-up of the emergency assistance to the amount of the unemployment benefit has been extended retroactively to 31 March 2021. Social [Extension- May 2021] The top-up of the emergency assistance was once more prolonged until 30 Insurance September 2021. [Extension- September 2021] The increased emergency assistance (to the level of unemployment benefits) which has been extended several times to 30 September 2021, has not been prolonged due to decreasing unemployment figures. Applications for unemployment benefits and unemployment assistance could be made without a personal visit The government approved a deferral of personal and corporate income taxes (for 2020), social security contributions (3 months), and VAT payments (until end-September 2020). This meant a total 10 billion euros Social security contributions [March 2020] The government approved a deferral of social security contributions (3 months). Deferral of social security contributions for self-employed. Those self-employed who were financially affected by measures which had been implemented and had difficulties providing the social security contributions, should contact the insurance. All insured were offered the following options: * Deferral of contributions; * Payment of contributions in installments * Reduction of the provisional contribution base * Total or partial leniency of interest on late payments [June 2020] The re-start bonus is intended for people who are currently unemployed, who are registered with the public employment service (PES) and who are willing to take up a new position (job offer registered with the PES) where they would earn less than in their previous job. The minimum number of working hours of the newly taken up are 20 hours per week. The PES then increases this income from part-time work to 80% of the person's full-time net income before unemployment (the PES pays the difference up to an amount of €950 net). The duration of the allowance is limited to a maximum of 28 weeks and concerns fully insured employment relationships that are taken up between 15 June 2020 and 30 June 2021. [December 2020] - Since 1 December 2020, it is not a prerequisite anymore that the newly taken up employment relationship must have been previously registered as a vacancy with the PES. [Extension - May 2021] - The deadline for take-up of employment in order to qualify for the re-start bonus has been extended from 30 June to 31 December 2021.. [March 2020] As part of the apprenticeship bonus, apprentices are provided training. The government implemented an apprentice bonus for companies creating apprenticeships, which amounted €2,000 for every apprentice hired between March 16th and October 31st 2020. The money was paid in two tranches: €1,000 at the start of the apprenticeship and €1,000 if retained Labor after the probationary period (usually three months). Funding was also provided for taking over Activation measures Markets apprentices in the first year of training from an inter-company apprenticeship scheme until March 31st 2021. In total, €62.7 million were budgeted for the measure [October 2020] The education bonus is provided for taking part in a training measure which lasts at least four months and is agreed upon with the PES. It lies at €4 per day (i.e. cumulating to around €120 per month) and is provided for training measures which start from 1 October 2020 to 31 December 2021. The bonus is provided in addition to the unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance and the pre-existing training allowance (which lies at around €60 per month). It is supposed to partially compensate for any additional training-related expenses which arise. It is not paid if the training provider pays a grant to the student. The bonus does not need to be specifically applied for, it is paid automatically together with the unemployment benefit or assistance. In total, €58 million are budgeted until 2022. The funding agency is the Federal Ministry of Labour, Family and Youth. . [October 2020] With the “Corona job offensive”, the federal government is creating the largest labor market policy offensive in the history of the Second Republic to create sustainable employment prospects and to support future-oriented economic development. People who complete a qualification measure or (re) training as part of the job offensive that lasts longer than four months receive an education bonus of 180 euros per education bonus in addition to their normal unemployment insurance benefits. The education bonus is automatically paid out with the unemployment benefit after participation in the training. An application is not required. With a total budget of around 700 million euros, the Corona Job Offensive is designed for participation by up to 100,000 people and funds training courses that are started by 31 December 2021. [March 2020] The government decided to extend the employment permit up to twelve months for seasonal workers who were already employed and have been granted a permit before. In order to counteract the impending labour shortage, the permitted duration of employment is extended for those third-country seasonal workers who are already employed in the country and have been granted a permit and are needed for urgent work. The current maximum duration of employment for one and the same seasonal worker is extended from nine months to twelve months. On 11 March 2020, this regulation came first into force concerning commuters entering from Italy. [Extension - March 2020] It was updated on 22 March 2020 to include commuters entering from Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Hungary and Slovenia. [March 2020] New type of short-time working scheme, called "Corona Kurzarbeit": in the case of "temporary, non-seasonal" economic difficulties due to Covid-19, company employees in all sectors have the option of reducing their working hours by 10-90 percent for six months, but a social Labor market regulations partner agreement is a prerequisite for use of the scheme and the employment level must be maintained during the scheme and one month beyond. [Extension - May 2020] The Austrian social partners negotiated a new agreement which extends the Corona short-time work measure for another three months ("phase II"). [Extension- July 2020] On 29 July 2020, the social partners agreed with the federal government on the extension of short-time work for a further six months ("phase III"). [Extension - November 2020] Additions to the existing phase III of the short-time work scheme were added in November 2020. [Extension- February 2021] starting on 1 October 2020 until 31 March 2021. Phase III foresees several changes to the previous regulation for phase I (1 March until 31 May 2020) and phase II (1 June until 30 September 2020). [Extension - June 2021] Upon the expiration of the short-time work scheme "phase IV" the social partners and government negotiated the extension into "phase V" via two different models. The Corona short-time work phase 5 applies from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022 for short-time work projects of a maximum of 6 months each. What is new is that there are 2 lines of short-time work, one for particularly affected companies (limited to December 31, 2021) and the other for the other companies. Reduced work time [March 2020] The federal government pays companies a bonus of €2,000 for every apprentice hired between 16 March and 31 October 2020. The money is to be paid in two tranches: €1,000 at the start of the apprenticeship and €1,000 if retained after the probationary period (usually three months). Funding will also be provided for taking over apprentices in the first year of training from an inter-company apprenticeship scheme until 31 March 2021. If the apprenticeship is terminated during the probationary period, the first instalment will have to be paid back. This bonus is in addition to a pre-existing basic subsidy that is being paid to all companies training apprentices in the amount of three gross monthly apprenticeship payments in the first apprenticeship year. In total, €62.7 million are budgeted for the measure. [October 2020] October 1st 2020, an additional bonus of €500 for micro enterprises (i.e. companies with fewer than ten employees) and €1,000 for small enterprises (i.e. companies with between ten and 49 employees) was implemented. Wage subsidies [March 2020] The federal government pays companies a bonus of €2,000 for every apprentice hired between 16 March and 31 October 2020. The money is to be paid in two tranches: €1,000 at the start of the apprenticeship and €1,000 if retained after the probationary period (usually three months). Funding will also be provided for taking over apprentices in the first year of training from an inter-company apprenticeship scheme until 31 March 2021. If the apprenticeship is terminated during the probationary period, the first instalment will have to be paid back. This bonus is in addition to a pre-existing basic subsidy that is being paid to all companies training apprentices in the amount of three gross monthly apprenticeship payments in the first apprenticeship year. In total, €62.7 million are budgeted for the measure. [October 2020] October 1st 2020, an additional bonus of €500 for micro enterprises (i.e. companies with fewer than ten employees) and €1,000 for small enterprises (i.e. companies with between ten and 49 employees) was implemented. (back to the top) Azerbaijan Cash-based transfers The government introduced an additional lump-sum payment of AzN 190 to individuals who received social assistance under the April 4th, 2020, relief package. This temporary assistance was provided for 600,000 persons registered as unemployed in the State Employment Service and informally employed low-income people who lost their jobs due to the special quarantine regime. The government provided for the payment of allowances/benefits to medical workers taking part in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. (AzN 0.1 bn). Originally scheduled to end in January 2021, the program was extended to March 31st, 2021. As one of the measures to increase government support for low-income families in Azerbaijan, the coverage of the targeted state social assistance program is expanding. According to the ministry of of Labor and Social Protection of the Population, from April 1 to date, the number of citizens receiving targeted social assistance has grown by 12,000 families and reached 82,000. Meanwhile, the number of family members receiving social assistance this month increased by 50,000 and Social Cash transfers currently stands at 340,000 people. The average monthly amount of social assistance for each Assistance (conditional and unconditional) family continues to grow, reaching 222 manat ($130.5). As the ministry noted, the support was also provided to low-income families whose term for receiving targeted state social assistance during the special quarantine regime has expired. The term for the provision of this assistance to them has been extended to one month following the end of the quarantine regime. During the month of June 2020, when a strict quarantine regime was in force in only certain cities and regions, the one-off cash payment covered 283,000 individuals, totaling about AZN 55 million. In the fourth installment completed on August 21st, 2020 (after skipping the month of July), 272,000 persons received cash totaling AZN 52 million. The grand total of cash payments during the quarantine period thus amounted to AZN 333 million. As part of the Republic of Azerbaijan COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditure Support (CARES) Program which will be rolled out in 2021, the government will increase the number of low-income households receiving support to at least 80,000, covering 335,000 individuals, of which 50% are women. Extension of the term of disability of persons with disabilities (including children) that expired on March 1st, 2020 until the 1st day of the month following the end of the quarantine regime. This measure covered 14,000 people, and AZN 2.6 million were allocated for this purpose. Social pensions As part of the Republic of Azerbaijan COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditure Support (CARES) Program which will be rolled out in 2021, the government will increase the average monthly old-age pension payments by at least 15% and provide continuous provision of pensions to more than 742,000 old-age pensioners, of which at least 63% are women. In-kind transfers Social services have been provided to more than 15,000 single people over the age of 65 and to people with special needs in social service institutions and facilities. Through social partners, about 100,000 food packages have been distributed.. Food, vouchers, others The United States has provided, as of August 2020, over $5 million to support Azerbaijan’s response to the immediate and longer-term health and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds have contributed to the provision of food and hygiene supplies to over 3,600 vulnerable individuals across the country. School feeding The government ensured public works participation for 50,000 new beneficiaries in June 2020. This Public works number was later increased to reach a total of 90,000 beneficiaries. The amount of funds allocated for preferential/privileged mortgage loans has been increased to AZN 90 million (USD 52 million). The government provided social assistance to support the payment of utility bills on electricity consumption for the population. A certain period of exemption from VAT on goods necessary to meet the food and medical needs of Utility waivers the population was enacted in June 2020. Exemption from VAT on imports of raw materials and supplies related to production to meet the population’s needs in terms of food, medicine and other necessary products was provided for in the short term. In case of full or partial delay in business and consumer loans (principal or interest-bearing debt), credit organizations were advised not to levy a fine, penalty and other payments from the borrowers and not worsen their credit history until September 30th, 2020. The reform to the tax code provided for a reduction of the withholding tax rate on real estate lease from individuals from 14% to 7%. Scholarships were given to students who have had breaks in vocational training courses. Depending on the method of taxation chosen, individual taxpayers will be provided with several tax benefits for a period of 1 year from January 1st, 2020: exemption from current tax payments and issuance of certificates related to current tax payments for a period of 1 year; extension of the deadline for payment of the taxes for 2019 until September 1st, 2020; provision of extension of deadlines for submission of simplified tax returns for the 1st and 2nd quarters of 2020 and reports on profit and property taxes as well as payment of accrued tax to the budget until September 1st 2020. The passenger transportation rate (except taxis) was reduced for each seat to cost 0.9 AZN instead of the current rate of 1.8 AZN. To protect workers, the government has announced that people who were forced to stay at home or not work at full capacity were able to receive a salary. Paid leave was maintained to take care of children under 14 years of age or with disabilities who did not have relatives up to the second degree Paid sick leave of consanguinity or affinity who can care for them (except grandparents). Both parents must be in this situation and be single-parent families. Health insurance Reserves of Social Security Fund for 2019 were used to ensure the sustainability of pension and benefits during April-December of 2020. Pensions The rescue of private pension plans is also allowed for a maximum of the amount of the minimum Social wage on a monthly basis. Insurance The government decided to expand the coverage of unemployment insurance payments and create a proactive appointment mechanism. Continue to pay insurance payments and stipends during the special quarantine regime for persons whose unemployment insurance payments have expired but Unemployment benefits are not employed, and students who are in break from vocational training courses. Expansion of unemployment insurance coverage to 20,000 people until December 2020 (20 million manat/$11.7 million were allocated). [June 2020] On June 2, the government announced that interest accrued on unpaid taxes, the social Social security contributions insurance pension fund and the amount of unemployment insurance is postponed from April 1, 2020, to January 1, 2021. From April 1, 2020, to January 1, 2021, the rate of contributions to compulsory social insurance for individuals engaged in self-employed activities in construction and trade sectors will be 25% of the minimum wage and 15% of the minimum wage in other areas (decreased from 50% and 25%, respectively). From 2021 to 2026, the rates will be 50% of the minimum wage and 25% in other areas. For persons engaged in entrepreneurship individually who do not have employees, the following rates will apply until January 1, 2026: For businesses involved in entertaining events – 5% of the minimum wage; for tailors or persons engaged in the repair of household appliances, providing services at home etc. – 3% of the minimum wage. [April 2020] On April 13, amendments to the social insurance law provides deductions in mandatory social insurance contributions, with privileges for business entities engaged in individual entrepreneurship under the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. The rate of 50% of the minimum wage in construction and trade was reduced to 25%, and the rate of 25% of the minimum wage in other areas was reduced to 15%, from April 1, 2020 to January 1, 2021 [Extended - January 2021] Article 14.5.1 of the law on Social Insurance has been changed. This provision will be effective from January 1, 2021 and will remain for the next five years until January 1, 2026 Agriculture sector Mandatory state social insurance contributions for each family member of individuals using agricultural lands owned by them, depending on the area of land calculated by the amount of the minimum monthly wage (250 AZN): up to 5 hectares - in the amount of 2%. from 5 to 10 hectares - in the amount of 6%. more than 10 hectares - in the amount of 10%. It is also planned to replace the submission of social insurance reports by landowners with a fixed receipt. Mandatory state social insurance fees for members of the bar association (attorneys), independent auditors and independent accountants were paid in the amount of 20% of gross income. In case of full or partial delay in business and consumer loans (principal or interest-bearing debt), credit organizations were advised not to levy a fine, penalty and other payments from the borrowers Labor Activation measures and not worsen their' credit history until September 30, 2020. Markets For taxpayers engaged in public catering and passenger transportation, which are payers of the simplified tax, It is planned to provide a 50% discount on the simplified tax amount. Reduction of the withholding tax rate on real estate lease from individuals from 14% to 7%. The rental property tax in the COVID-affected areas is reduced from 14 percent to 7 percent. Extension of the deadlines for paying personal income tax for 2019 Subsidization of interest rates and improvement of credit guarantee instruments by the Mortgage and Credit Guarantee Fund, including increasing the ceiling amount of the warranty-to-loan ratio, eliminating guarantee fees, applicable penalties and other restrictions, reducing annual interest rates on loans with subsidy interest, increasing the limit on guaranteed payments and reducing commissions on guarantees. Private business entities, including individuals engaged in entrepreneurship were provided with the opportunity to restructure loans (of satisfactory quality, and with interests subsidized by the government) issued to them until March 1st, 2020, without deteriorating their quality. Depending on the method of taxation chosen, taxpayers will be provided with several tax benefits for a period of 1 year from January 1, 2020. Exemption from current tax payments and issuance of certificates related to current tax payments for a period of 1 year. Extension of the deadline for payment of the taxes for 2019 until September 1, 2020; Provision of extension of deadlines for submission of simplified tax returns for the 1st and 2nd quarters of 2020 and reports on profit and property taxes as well as payment of accrued tax to the budget until September 1 of the current year. A certain period of exemption from VAT on goods necessary to meet the food and medical needs of the population. Exemption from VAT on imports of raw materials and supplies related to production to meet the population’s needs in terms of food, medicine and other necessary products in the short term. From April to May 2020, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population conducted legislative work on employers and ensured daily controls in order to prevent unjustified dismissals and layoffs of employees in the private sector. Such terminations in the public sector are prevented, Labor market regulations and salaries of employees on leave are being maintained. [March 2020] On March 18, in accordance with the decree of the President of Azerbaijan No. 1974, the State Agency for Compulsory Medical Insurance paid urgent allowances/salary increases up to 5 times the reference wage for frontline medical staff during the period of the pandemic. [Extended - January 2021] On January 8, according to the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan No. 2, the payment of urgent allowances to the salaries of medical workers has been extended until March 31, 2021 [Extended - July 2021] On July 9, according to the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan No. 198, the payment of urgent allowances to the salaries of medical workers has been extended until August 1, 2021 [Extended - August 2021] On August 23, according to the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan No. 238, the payment of urgent allowances to the salaries of medical workers has been extended until September 1, 2021. [April 2020] The Prime Minister signed a decree on "Strengthening the Social Protection of Workers Participating in the Provision of Social Services during the Special Quarantine Regime." which encourages the provision of social services during the special quarantine by providing a one-month salary for workers in the regional (city) departments of the State Social Protection Fund and in the subordinate social services. On May 16, the Prime Minister signed a decree on the duration of payment of the supplement, which was determined to be paid in accordance with the working time in the period between April 1, to June 1, 2020. Daily monitoring is carried out through an electronic system to protect the jobs and salaries of employees in various sectors. State employees are on paid compulsory leave and have been encouraged to work from home. Their long-term job security has been ensured. Reduced work time The Government has advised against small- and medium-sized enterprises laying off staff during the 2020. On April 4th 2020, the authorities announced a support to the affected businesses and individuals in the amount of AzN 3.3 billion (4.85 percent of GDP). Measures aimed at redressing damage to entrepreneurs and supporting incomes include: partial coverage of salaries (AzN 215 million). The program, which costs AZN 215 million, covers part of the salaries of existing employees, paid in two disbursements in April and May, with a maximum of AZN 712. The program will cover 300,000 Wage subsidies employees and 42,000 employers, and about 300,000 private or micro-entrepreneurs in sectors affected by the pandemic. Allocation of AZN 71.6 million to 22,913 taxpayers for their wage payments to staff working in affected areas and of AZN 56.9 million to 97,379 individual (micro) entrepreneurs operating in such areas (as of 21 May 2020). (back to the top) Bahamas, The Cash-based transfers On April 6th, 2020, the government introduced the Government Funded Unemployment Assistance for COVID-19 that provided weekly payments of $200 to self-employed people and workers in the tourism sector for a period of up to eight weeks. The delivery of the transfer was managed by the National Insurance Board (NIB). This fund was extended with an extra allocation of $45 million from July 2020 until December 2020, expanding its coverage to the following groups: o Self-employed tourism workers who remain unemployed and were receiving assistance prior to July 1 o Hurricane Dorian survivors who remain unemployed and were receiving unemployment assistance prior to July 1 Cash transfers o Youth - NIB contributors who are under 35 years old, who were unemployed during the COVID-19 (conditional and unconditional) shutdown but did not meet the contribution threshold to receive a benefit o Individuals who maxed out their 13-weeks of eligibility under the ordinary National Insurance unemployment benefit scheme o NIB beneficiaries who were eligible to receive BSD $150 per week in government assistance for a maximum of 13-weeks of unemployment up and until March 23, 2021 Social In February 2021, it was announced that the Unemployment Benefit Program was extended again, Assistance with the potential for another extension. As of December 2020, the government provided an estimated $90 million in direct cash assistance and income replacement to nearly 38,000 unemployed Bahamians since March. Persons with disabilities under the age of 16 who normally receive their services every two months, had their April 2020 assistance advanced in March 2020. Similar arrangements were also made for people receiving foster care subsistence. Social pensions (May 2020) Temporary monthly increase in the Old Age Pension, to aid the elderly who may be dependent on other family members that are unemployed. In-kind transfers The government delivered food vouchers of B$100 and other forms of social support to workers who were affected by reduced weeks. As of April 6th, 2020, this involved a total budget of B$4 million (USD 2 million), reaching 10,000 beneficiaries. Beneficiaries needed to present a copy of the Food, vouchers, others NIB card. (May 2020) Emergency Food Assistance vouchers of BSD 50 (USD 50) also provided to walk-ins at the Department of Social Services Centers pending thorough assessment for longer term assistance via the Temporary Food Assistance Program. This emergency assistance was extended to persons with disabilities who are not existing recipients of the department. (March 2020) Ministry of Education’s school feeding program continues via the distribution of food vouchers to the 4,300 students who depend on the initiative during the school year. (May 2020) The National Food Distribution Task Force is a public/private group that provide emergency food assistance (through food parcels) for vulnerable Bahamians and residents affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, until December 31st. The task force delivers emergency food relief through the distribution of food parcels and food vouchers. To coordinate outreach and food distribution, the NFDTF divided The Bahamas into zones. People who register are placed in 3 needs categories: most vulnerable, moderately vulnerable and least vulnerable. Assistance to these groups is weekly, every other week, and once a month, respectively (March 2020) Ministry of Education’s school feeding program continues via the distribution of food School feeding vouchers to the 4,300 students who depend on the initiative during the school year. Public works Utilities companies to defer payment of residential customers diagnosed with the COVID-19, in quarantine, or laid off. The government has increased subventions to the utility companies to assist with this. In July 2020, Bahamas Power and Light introduced a fuel hedge facility to lock in low energy prices Utility waivers for 18 months. (April 27, 2020) A rental referral system was announced allowing the renter to defer 40 percent of their rent over a three-month period, effective from April 1st, 2020. The program was limited to residential rentals and was only for those whose employment or income has been affected by COVID-19. Rent cost must be BSD $2000 or less. The National Insurance Act and Regulations provided for the payment of Sickness Benefit when a worker is quarantined. Employees with at least 40 contributions to the NIB, who have a doctor's Paid sick leave certificate and the employer's confirmation are eligible for this benefit. The benefit is 60% of the worker’s average insured income and is payable for 14 days. Social Payment of premiums related to health, medical and life insurance have been suspended until 60 Insurance Health insurance days after the removal of the state of emergency. Temporary incremental monthly increase of BSD $50.00 at the Old Age Pension administered by Pensions the National Insurance Board, to aid the elderly. Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Bahrain Cash-based transfers Tamkeen launched financial packages to support registered taxi and bus drivers and driving Cash transfers instructors, with the payment of BHD 300 monthly. Furthermore, Tamkeen paid the full salary of (conditional and unconditional) kindergarten and nursery employees not insured by the Social Insurance Organization. Funds allocated: BHD 856,000. April – June 2020 (3 months). (April 2020) The GoB also planned to double the value of the disability pension, which benefits Social pensions 12,000 persons with disabilities who are registered in the lists of Labor and Social Development Ministry.They received BHD200 instead of BHD101 In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding Public works Social At end-July 2020 the authorities approved the exempting households from paying municipality fees on their first residence for three months Funds allocated: exemptions valued at BHD 25 million. April Assistance – June 2020 (3 months). The program was extended in July for 6 months with BHD 1.2 million budget. The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) terminated monthly work fees and fees for issuing and renewing work permits. Funds allocated: exemptions valued at BHD 56 million. April – June 2020 (3 months). Utility waivers Postponed housing mortgage installments collected by Eskan Bank. Funds allocated: exemptions valued at BHD 25 million.March – August 2020 (6 months). (April 2020) The government provided direct aid to families in need and doubling the monthly assistance for those registered in social affairs and the Royal Foundation for Humanitarian Action. A budget of BHD5.5 million was allocated to double the value of social security benefits, which cover 17,000 Bahraini families. They received BHD200 instead of BHD100. This is a subsidy on utility bills for households with no sources of income, including widows, divorced women, families of those imprisoned, those unable to work, unmarried daughters, orphans. (April 2020) The Electricity and Water Authority will pay individuals and businesses’ utility bills for 3 months from April 2020 (up to the costs incurred during the same period in 2019). This measure was extended for a further 6 months effective July 2020 until Dec 2020. Funds allocated for April - June: BHD 90 million. Funds for the extension was BHD 24 million Paid sick leave The King of Bahrain ordered the Ministry of Health to cover the treatment expenses of COVID-19 Health insurance Social patients, including testing and quarantine services, for all citizens and residents Insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations Reduced work time [March 2020] As part of the economic stimulus package, the salaries of all Bahraini employees in the private sector will be paid for three months (starting April 2020) through the unemployment insurance fund. It will cover 100,000 of Bahrain's private sector employees (total cost of BHD215 million). [Extended - June 2020] In June, the Cabinet agreed to pay 50% of Bahrainis’ wages in the private sector in the most COVID-19 affected sectors for an additional three months from July to September 2020. Labor [Extended - September 2020] In September, the government announced that it will continue to pay Markets 50% of all Bahrainis wages in the private sector’s most affected sectors from October to December. [Extended - June 2021] In June, the Labour and Social Development Minister announced the Wage subsidies extension of part of economic stimulus package. The Government will provide insuread Bahrainis' salaries in affected private sector companies for three months, paying full (100%) salaries for June, and 50% for July and August. The support package would benefit 10,880 companies and 58,298 citizens, and costing up to BHD 60 million. [May 2020] In May, the Chief Executive Officer of Tamkeen announced the the decision to pay the full salary of 422 kindergarten and 102 nursery employees not insured by the Social Insurance Organization. [Extended - June 2021] On June 23, the government announced the extension of Tamkeen support of kindergarten and nursery employees for three months starting June 2021 until August 2021. (back to the top) Bangladesh Cash-based transfers Bangladesh on 13 May 2020 announced the disbursement of Taka 12.50 billion cash assistance among 5 million poor families hit hard amid the COVID-19. The disbursement will start on 14 October 2020 and end on 18 October 2020 and each household will get Taka 2,500 through the mobile financial services (MFSs) – bKash, Rocket, Nagad and SureCash. The list has been prepared with the poorest 50 lakh families of the 1.25 crore vulnerable families who are now getting the government's relief assistance. According to Finance Division officials, Taka 627 crore was disbursed for the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) from the Budget-1 wing while Taka 630 crore also for the PMO from Budget-3 wing. The PMO is supervising the operations of this initiative. Nagad, a joint venture of the postal division and a private firm, will distribute the highest amount of Tk 425 crore, while market leader bKash will disburse Tk 375 crore, Rocket Tk 250 crore and SureCash Tk 200 crore, sources at the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry said. April 13, 2020, the government has announced that Tk 1 billion was being allocated to provide bonus/ special pay for frontline workers. This package includes two months' basic salary as incentive Social for doctors and other health workers to around 50,000-55,000 people, who are on the front line in Cash transfers Assistance the war against the Covid-19 pandemic. On April 15, Bangladesh Bank announced that bankers will (conditional and unconditional) get a month's basic salary if they work at least 10 days during the ongoing shutdown. The central bank order also said that contractual staffers at banks will get 65 percent of their salaries as special incentive, which will range from a minimum of Tk 30,000 to a maximum of Tk 100,000. However, as of Nov 29, 2020, it is reported The government on April 23, 2020 announced that doctors, nurses, and other health care employees, administration officials, members of armed forces and law enforcement agencies, and other employees working during the pandemic, would be compensated, if they get infected with coronavirus or died from the disease. A grade 1-9 government employee infected with Covid-19 was supposed to get Tk 10 lakh, grade 10-14 employee Tk 7.5 lakh, and grade 15-20 employee Tk 5 lakh in compensation. The amount was supposed to be five times higher in case the employee died with the disease. For the purpose, the government allocated Tk 7.5 billions, of which Tk 162.5 Million have been disbursed. At least 42 government healthcare employees died of Covid-19 and 10,888 others got infected as of November 15, 2020 according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). However, DGHS officials said the family of only one dead doctor got compensation. As of November 26, 2020 to date, from the police headquarters, 16,025 police and 2,453 Rab personnel tested positive and 75 police and five Rab members died. It was reported on 10 December 2020, that the European Union and Germany are joining forces with the Government of Bangladesh and will provide €113 million to safeguard the livelihoods of vulnerable workers in the garment and leather export-oriented industries. This grant will be channeled through the EU sector budget program on National Social Security Strategy reforms in Bangladesh. This support will allow these workers to transit over a specific critical period, without major disruptions in their lives and consumption levels. According to the Ministry of Labor and Employment of Bangladesh guidelines, temporary cash assistance will be provided to workers who suffered income losses and who lost their jobs because of reduced worldwide demand or due to health and safety precautionary measures. Eligible workers will receive 3,000 taka per month for a period of three months. As part of the budget, on June 30, 2020, the Bangladesh government’s Ministry of Social Welfare announced that 1.75 million deserted and destitute women of 112 poverty-prone upazilas will receive Taka 500 each. The number of beneficiaries has increased by 350,000 (i.e., horizontal expansion) and the total expected expenditure for 2020-21 is Taka 12.3 billion. As part of the budget 2021-22, government on June 30, 2021, announced that the program has been extended to 400,000 new beneficiaries making it 2.15 million beneficiaries in total for financial year 2021-22. Again each of them will receive Taka 500 per individual and this will cost 14.954 billion. The old age allowance is an unconditional cash transfer program administered by the Department of Social Services (DSS) under the Ministry of Social Welfare. The program aims to target poor and vulnerable elderly (62 years and older for women; 65 years and older for men). As part of the budget, it is announced on June 30, 2020 that the Bangladesh government has allocated 29,400.00 million to 4.9 million beneficiaries, that is a horizontal increase in the number of beneficiaries of 500,000 Social pensions individuals. Each beneficiary in the program will obtain 500 monthly per head payable every 3 months. For financial year 2021-22, it is announced on 30 June 2021 that the government has allocated 34,445.40 million Taka in this financial year 2021-22. The total Beneficiary was further increased by 801,000 individuals making the total beneficiaries as 5.701million and each beneficiary gets the same benefit amount as last year and at the same intervals as well. In-kind transfers On 7 July 2020, the disaster management and relief ministry of the Bangladesh government is set to distribute 10-kilogramme of rice for free to each of over 10 million "ultra-poor and destitute families" ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. These ultra-poor and destitute people, especially those belonging to Food, vouchers, others women-headed households, are at risk of starvation and malnutrition amid this pandemic. The food aid of 1,00,068 tonnes of rice for the all the 1,00,06,869 vulnerable group feeding (VGF) card holders across the country aims to mitigate the consequences of disasters like flood and coronavirus outbreak. According to the letter sent by the disaster management and relief ministry, the ultra- poor and destitute families will need to meet at least four out of 12 criteria, to become eligible for receiving the assistance. The criteria include landless households or those who have only homestead; households dependent on daily wage labour; households dependent on women's income or begging; households with no income-generating assets; households headed by widowed, divorced or separated women; households headed by a freedom fighter with disability, and households without access to two full meals a day for most of the year. Only one beneficiary per household can receive the food aid, which will be distributed by local public representatives. It was announced again on July 6, 2021 for to distribute 10-kilogramme of rice for free to each of over 10 million "ultra-poor and destitute families" ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. It is reported on 13 May 2020 that the Bangladesh Government is distributing fortified biscuits to houses of over 3.16 million primary school students to nearly 15,800 primary schools in 104 upazilas to ensure their nutrition while schools are closed due to COVID-19. Prior to the pandemic, children were given cooked meals only in 14 upazilas while vitamin-enriched biscuits weighing 75 grams with School feeding 300 calories were served in other upazilas assisted by the World Food Programme. During the pandemic, they started providing 30-50 packets of biscuits bi-monthly at a time for each student at their homes. It was mentioned that the biscuit distribution program had been on hold since March 17, 2020 when the government closed down all schools in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19. This new adaptation (i.e., take-home-biscuits) covered all prior recipients. Public works Food subsidies would include selling rice at Tk5/kg through OMS, down from Tk30/kg. Bangladesh Bank on 19 March 2020 instructed Mobile Financial Service (MFS) providers to offer free cash-out for a maximum of 1000 Taka (11.86 USD) daily. For essentials/medicines trade - MDR or Interchange Reimbursement Rate (IRF) fee will not be applied if these goods are bought through credit/debit card up to a daily limit of 15,000 Takas and a monthly limit of 100,000 Takas. However, Utility waivers the bank has ended the fee waiver on MFS on 25 Aug 2021. Bangladesh Bank on 19 March 2020 announced that MFS users (P-to-P) also would not have to pay any charges on transactions for urgent shopping. Also, the ceiling for this transaction has been raised from Tk 75,000 to Tk 200,000 monthly. In addition, no charge would be required for cash- out of Tk 1,000 daily at a time. As of Aug 25, 2021, the government announced that the MFS monthly transaction limit remains unchanged at Tk 200,000 monthly. Paid sick leave Social Health insurance Taka 7.5 billion was announced to provide health insurance for government employees. Insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures [June 2020] The World Bank announced that the $250 million Second Programmatic Jobs Development Policy Credit will create fiscal space to support the government’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, while helping recovery and building resiliency of the economy, of workers and of vulnerable populations to future shocks. Pillar B aims to support increased job quality through targeted reforms and enhanced implementation of existing laws and standards, through the following actions: (i) following the passage of the Labor Act (Amendment) 2018, the second Labor market regulations operation will focus on strengthening capacity for enforcement of labor and safety regulations, through the roll-out of a Labor Inspection Management System (LIMA) including mechanisms for Labor feedback from workers and employers. Actions under Pillar C aim to strengthen existing institutions Markets and programs that facilitate access to quality jobs for women, youth, and migrants, including: (i) adoption of key rules and regulations to close legal gaps in the migration management system in order to support accessible, safe, and lower cost migration; (ii) Enactment of the Child Daycare Act to support efforts to improve women’s access to labor markets. Reduced work time [March 25, 2020] Taka 50 billion (about US$ 588 million) stimulus package for exporting industries Wage subsidies was declared as worker’s salary support and was disbursed through mobile financial services and bank accounts. (back to the top) Barbados Cash-based transfers (April 2020) The government established the “Household Survival Program” (BBD 20 million or USD 10 million) including Barbados Vulnerable Family Survival Program assisting 1,500 vulnerable families identified by the Welfare Department and the Household Mitigation Unit with BBD 600 monthly (total of BBD10 million) for 3 months. (March 2020) The government aimed at benefiting over 200 licensed beach vendors with the opportunity to register with the National Conservation Commission and benefit from the $600 per month under the Household Mitigation Unit. (March 2020) Adopt a Family Program: households with an income of more than BD 100,000 asked to adopt a vulnerable family providing support in excess of welfare payments or to contribute to Cash transfers “Adopt a Family Fund”. The program aims to assist the most vulnerable families in Barbados with (conditional and unconditional) $600 a month stipend. The goal was to reach up to 2,500 families. The government provided for the first 1,500 families. Funds were issued by E-cheque, to allow the government to issue payment cards Social to the families allowing them to access their funds using ATMs and Point of Sale terminals island- Assistance wide. Initially, the program was placed for three months only, but was extended in July 2020. As of July 2020, the program benefited 3,453 families. (November 2020) The Government of Barbados is investing another BD $10 million (USD 4.95 million) into its Adopt-A-Family Program that will extend its life until March 31, 2021, the end of the fiscal year. (April 2020) Part of the “Household Survival Program” was an increase of 40 per cent in all rates and fees paid by the Welfare Department to its beneficiaries that served on annual basis (up to BBD 10 million). Social pensions In-kind transfers (April 2020) The government has distributed 4,000 care packages, comprising a 14-day supply of basic food and sanitary items, to vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, the disabled and the impoverished in the community, as identified by social service agencies, including the National Food, vouchers, others Assistance Board, the National Disabilities Unit, Barbados Council for the Disabled, the Welfare Department, Salvation Army, Jabez House, Prison Fellowship. In February 2021, the GoB did another round of distribution of care packages to vulnerable persons during COVID-19 restriction measures. (September 2020) The Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training (METVT), in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Barbados Defence Force (BDF), has distributed approximately 921 hygiene packs to vulnerable and special needs students. These packages included the following items: one bottle of liquid hand soap, one bottle of hand sanitizer, two disposable masks and one roll of toilet paper. School feeding Public works The government implemented a six-month payment moratorium on all existing loans and mortgages for persons and businesses who were directly affected and impacted by COVID-19. (March 2020) The Barbados government has announced that 48 items would fall under the new COVID-19 basket of goods to ensure they were protected from price gouging or shortages. This included the following items: baby food, luncheon meat, tuna, sardines, red herring, pasta, rice, corn meal flour, potatoes, sugar, biscuits, bread, vitamin C, oranges, sanitary items such as adult, baby diapers and toilet paper as well as antibacterial and disinfectant items. (March 2020) The Student Revolving Loan Fund (SRLF) offered borrowers several repayment options to help them cope with the COVID-19 outbreak. The measures intended to cushion the financial impact of the crisis on families. This included reduced monthly payment; deferral of payment for up to six months; suspension of interest for up to three months; and a waiver of late fees. Utility waivers Customers of Digicel and FLOW who were unable to pay their financial commitments due to the negative impact of the pandemic could be placed on an agreed basic package for three (3) months (May – July 2020) where they were expected to pay their current charges each month while they cleared any outstanding debt over the three (3) month period. (May 2020) The Barbados Light & Power Co. Limited (BL&P), Barbados Water Authority (BWA) and National Petroleum Corporation (NPC) have agreed to allow customers to take a payment plan facility. Those customers were expected to pay their current charges monthly while they cleared any outstanding debt over the three (3) month period. (April 2020) The Homes for All Program is a proposed measure to assist with the recovery of the country’s economy, from the COVID-19 pandemic. Its objective is to enable low-income households to offer collateral for a construction mortgage to own their own homes. The aim of this policy was the development of about 1,400 affordable homes, involving BBD $40 M from the Housing Credit Fund. Paid sick leave Health insurance Pensions [March 2020] Persons who were laid off had the opportunity to get their unemployment benefits, guaranteeing them 60 per cent of their insurable earnings, up to a limit of 26 weeks. The National Insurance Board has agreed to relax the requirement to visit the employment exchange at Warrens. Social Unemployment benefits Insurance [April 2020] As part of the economic package introduced on April 29th, 2020, the government implemented the Business Cessation Benefit. This measure consisted of delivering BDD $1,500 per month to self-employed who made contributions to the National Insurance Scheme. This measure was in place on April and May 2020. [March 2020] For those employers who were prepared to retain three quarters of their workforce, even if some on short week, the government deferred their obligation to pay the employer’s Social security contributions contributions for three months, in the first instance, with the preparation to extend it for another three months if the crisis continues beyond that period. [September 2020] The government, in conjunction with ILO, introduced an online upskilling program for unemployed workers commencing with Core Skills module. To be followed by training in OSH and Entrepreneurship. Each course was 8 hours in duration and participants had 2 weeks to complete it. Available during pilot until September 2020. [September 2020] This program was extended, including courses related to entrepreneurship. Activation measures [August 2020] The government, in support of the Commonwealth of Learning, launched the Coursera Workforce Recovery Program. The program aimed at reaching 1,500 unemployed people as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The training involved various free tertiary-level courses between August 31 – December 31, 2020, administered by the Ministry of Labor. Labor [May 2020] The Barbados Optional Savings Scheme (BOSS) consisted of public sector workers Markets opting in or out to receive portion of their salaries in the form of government bonds to be cashed in later with interest accruing at 5% per year. Principal to be repaid in four years. The program proposed that people working for less than $36,000 annually would not be asked to participate, however, they could volunteer if they chose it. As of September 30, 2021, public sector workers held about 18 million of the BOSS bonds. Labor market regulations [July 2020] The government introduced a program that allows visitors to work remotely from Barbados for a year at a time as a creative solution to the challenge of short-term travel in the context of COVID. [July 2020] The government launched an Occupational Safety and Health training for workers in the tourism and transport sectors. Over 700 workers attended these trainings. [March 2020] With respect of the Holidays with Pay Act 2017, the Ministry has advised employers, that while they may determine the date on which an employee starts his/her annual holiday, they must be mindful that Sub Section 4(5) of the Act states that an employee is entitled to at least 14 days’ notice prior to the commencement of the holiday. Reduced work time [April 2020] As part of the economic package introduced on April 29th, 2020, the government implemented the Small Business Wage Fund. This consisted of delivering BDD$500 per month per employee up to 5 employees for those firms which could not be eligible for VAT Loan Fund, were registered at Barbados Revenue Authority (BRA) and National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and Wage subsidies committed to holding 75% of their staff. This measure was initially in place from April to May 2020. This measure involved a planned budget of BDD $20 million. (back to the top) Belarus Cash-based transfers On 24th April 2020, the President issued the Decree No. 143 “On Support of the Economy” Cash transfers (amended on 31st December 2020), which stipulated additional disability benefits to persons (conditional and unconditional) actually caring for a child under 10 years of age attending a preschool or schools if this child has a contact with persons with COVID-19 infection. On March 25, 2020, “Belpochta” (Belarusian Post Office) announced that it would provide pensions Social pensions home-delivery service by post worker due to COVID-19 pandemic. Pensioners could also pay their communal services when they received pensions/benefits. In-kind transfers On April 6th 2020, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection informed that the social services were ready to provide support to elderly people and people with disabilities and to deliver foods and medicines. This support was provided by social workers and volunteers through the 146 territorial Food, vouchers, others centers of social protection of population, located in every district of the country. The number of people living alone and people with disabilities is about 830,000, including almost 160,000 people Social who have no close relatives. Assistance School feeding Public works The Ministry of Anti-Monopoly Regulation and Trade introduced state regulation of prices on medical masks and disinfectants (antibacterial and decontaminating agents). The National Bank of Belarus asked banks of the country to announce payment holidays for their clients, who were natural persons. These measures were extended throughout 2021. The Ministry of Anti-monopoly Regulation and Trade of the Republic of Belarus decided to extend Utility waivers state regulation of the prices of socially important goods in the territory until December 31st, 2021. The list of "socially important goods" includes foodstuffs such as baby food, flour products, canned meats, and fruits/vegetables. On May 18th, 2020, the President signed the Decree No. 169 “On Financial Incentives for Staff Members of the Organizations Providing Social Services”, which provides for social service workers who work according to the rotating scheme with living accommodations in such organizations. Through the Ordinance of the Council of Ministers no. 208 “On Self-Isolation Measures”, the government decided that people who had COVID-19 or were first-level contact should self-isolate for 14 days, whereas second-level contacts should self-isolate for the same period if they manifest respiratory symptoms only. This Ordinance stated that people who worked and paid fees to the Social Protection Fund (or by their employers) were eligible for sick-leave benefits during the period of self-isolation. This involved the payment of 50 percent of the benefit calculated according to the legislation. Non-compliance with the self-isolation behavior rules or other sanitary and epidemiological requirements entailed administrative liability (a fine up to 50 base rates, where 1 base rate equals to 27 Belarusian rubles or administrative arrest) or criminal liability (including deprivation of freedom). Paid sick leave Social Later, starting from 17 July 2021, the conditions for self-isolation were weakened, e.g., the self- Insurance isolation term was reduced to 7 days, adolescents were exempted, more activities for infected persons were allowed, etc. Also uncertified sick leave was allowed for students and pupils for up to 5 days. Sickness benefits are granted out of the state social insurance funds for persons taking care of a child under 10 years of age, who attends an education institution and is in contact with persons with COVID-19 infection. Health insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations (April 2020) In order to maintain employment and increase labor mobility, the minimum period for Reduced work time warning workers about changes in essential working conditions by the employer has been reduced (without reducing wages). Labor Through the Decree No. 178 of May 28th 2020, the government provided the possibility to employers Markets of receiving subsidies up to the minimum wage to pay additional payments to their employees in the event of their involuntary underemployment or announcement of inactive period from May 1st to July 31st 2020. Wage subsidies The government has mandated that public sector salaries are kept at least at the legislated minimum and and provided subsidies to public sector organizations which have ceased their operations for a period of time due to the pandemic or are forced into part-time employment. On 16th April 2020, the President issued the Decree No. 131 “On material incentives to the health care sector staff” introduced the monthly salary increase for hospitals staff dealing with COVID-19 in the range from 1500 Belarusian rubles (612 USD) for doctors, and 1300 Belarusian rubles (530 USD) for nursing staff, to 900 Belarusian rubles (367 USD) for hospitals other staff. The Ministry of Health Order No. 892 of 20th July 2021 amended the rules of how the salary increase is computed. Thus, more strict approach was applied from 1st August 2021 to the time of medical staff working in contact with COVID-19 patients in order to reduce subsidy amounts. Belarus Prime Minister mentioned on 19th October 2021 that public budget expenditure for the hospital staff salary increase subsidies have amounted about 1.3 bln Belarusian rubles (530 mln USD) during the COVID-19 pandemic time. (back to the top) Belgium Cash-based transfers Temporary parental allowance for self-employed workers with a monthly allowance of 532.24 euros (875 euros for single-parent families) for the months of May and / or June 2020 for parents of a child under 12 or disabled. A grant was introduced for people working in the creative sector. That support was renewed and increased in November 2020. Any worker in the cultural sector can apply for a maximum of €2,000 in aid if they have received a net income of €3,000 between 1 June and 30 September 2020. If their income between June and September reaches €4,000 net, they may apply for support of up to €1,500. If they had a net income of €5,000 during that period, the amount will be up to €1,000. People who did not receive financial support between 13 March and 31 May can apply for the grant for both periods. In March 2020, the government approved measures to support persons who are self-employed as Social their main activity and were forced to stop work due to the coronavirus crisis, as long as this Cash transfers interruption lasted longer than one week. The financial support amounted to EUR 1,266.37 per Assistance (conditional and unconditional) month if they do not have dependent family members and EUR 1,582.46 if they do. The "droit passerelle" was raised to 1,614.10 euros (with dependents) or 1,291.69 euros (w/o dependents) for the months of March and April 2020. This elevated rate and expanded coverage were extended until the 31st of December 2020 in October 2020. A draft law was passed in October 2020 amending the law of March 23, 2020 establishing a gateway right in favor of self-employed workers and introducing temporary measures in the COVID- 19 framework in favor of self-employed workers. The "crisis gateway" was doubled for impacted self-employed workers, with amounts now amounting to 2,583.38 euros (single self-employed) or 3,228.20 euros (self-employed with family). The measure targets all self-employed workers, carers and assisting spouses working in sectors that have had to completely or partially interrupt their self- employed activity due to COVID measures. In addition, self-employed workers, carers and assisting spouses who are active in sectors dependent on the aforementioned sectors and who have had to completely interrupt their self-employed activity are taken into account. The law was further expanded in January 2021 until June 2021 to remain at the increased rate and cover families impacted by quarantines and sectors who have had at least 40% of turnover impacted by COVID. Supplementary allowance for incapacity for work so that self-employed cohabiting workers who are sick also benefit from an allowance as high as the droit de passerelle (this is already the case for single self-employed workers and self-employed workers with family responsibilities). Concretely, this is a premium of more than 300 euros per month. Extended Nov 6th, 2020. As part of the economic stimulus package of November 2020, the government announced a premium of 50 euros per month for beneficiaries of the integration income, the income guarantee for the elderly (GRAPA) and the income replacement allowance (ARR). As part of the economic stimulus package of November 2020, the government increased the reimbursement percentage (up to 15%) to the CPAS for the payment of integration income. The government introduced a single premium for the self-employed, helpers and assisting spouses whose self-employed activity has been severely affected by the sanitary crisis and who were able to benefit from temporary crisis measures over a certain period. This measure is therefore aimed at the self-employed, regardless of their sector of activity, who have been severely affected by the corona crisis and who actually need additional support due to this unprecedented sanitary and socio- economic crisis. In concrete terms, the measure provides for a single premium and an additional bridging right for a gross amount of EUR 598.80 if the self-employed person meets the condition of having enjoyed the bridging right for at least six months between 1 October 2020 and 30 April 2021. Workers in temporary unemployment will receive an advance of €1450 while their dossier is being processed by the RVA/ONEM (the National Employment Office of Belgium). Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding Public works Evictions from housing were suspended in Wallonia, Brussels, and Flanders in March 2020. Initially intended to last for a period of 30 days, the measure was extended to last until June 30th, 2020. It was later reintroduced during the second lockdown in November 2020, lasting until the end of 2020. Utility waivers Vivaqua decided on March 13 2020 to no longer cut water for households and businesses "until a return to a normal situation", for health reasons linked to the coronavirus. This measure was extended in July 2020 until March 2021, and was later extended to last indefinitely until the end of the health crisis. In Brussels, it was announced that water cuts for under-priveleged individuals would be banned starting in 2022. In 2020, the Brussels government extended by one month - until April 30 2020 inclusive - the period of prohibition on gas and electricity cuts in order to cushion the social consequences of the measures taken to combat the spread of the coronavirus. This ban normally applies during the so- called winter period, from October 1 to March 31. Its extension concerns 546 electricity customers and 465 gas customers (figures as of January 31, 2020). In Wallonie, a ban on cuts had been enacted between December 2020 and June 2021. The financial sector undertakes to grant viable, non-financial businesses and the self-employed, as well as mortgage borrowers with payment problems as a result of the corona crisis, postponement of payment until 30 September 2020 without charge. This has been extended twice since initiated and will now run until 30 June 2021. The first "charter" covered 2020, the second "charter" does run until 31 March 2021 and the third charter will run until 30 June 2021). It includes the payment of mortgages/credits and premiums for fire insurance and outstanding balance insurance for families, viable firms and the self-employed. Grants a tax reduction to taxpayers and companies who have acquired, by December 31, 2020, new shares or shares of companies showing a sharp drop in their turnover and who need resources. Households received a two-month deferral of deadlines for payment of VAT for March and April 2020.. Consumption Check is a paper-based check aimed at offering additional purchasing power to Belgian workers while jointly supporting the revival of the sectors hardest hit by the Coronavirus crisis, such as restaurants, brasseries and cultural and sporting activities. Employers can grant his workers checks with a maximum value of € 10, without exceeding the sum of € 300 per worker. These checks are deductible by the employer and fully exempt from social contributions and personal income tax. The measure was reintroduced in June 2021 to last until the end of 2021 at a higher maximum amount 500 euros per worker. The rate of interest on late payments of VAT is temporarily reduced for the months April, May, and June 2021 and also for the months in the third calendar quarter of 2021 (July, August, and September). People on a low income finding it difficult to pay their rent on the private housing market in Brussels-Capital Region may receive financial support through a rent subsidy, whereas the Walloon Region introduced an exceptional temporary zero-percent loan, covering a maximum of six months rent, to be paid back over a maximum of 36 months. A temporary extension of the status of "protected client" has been provided for those eligible for the lower social tariff, to all households under a certain income threshold, and not only to people on minimum income benefits in order to maintain gas and electricity consumption during the health crisis. The measure has been extended to last through December 2021. Self-employed workers who are incapacitated for work for at least 8 days are entitled to an incapacity for work benefit payable by the health insurance scheme from the first day. New parental leave. The purpose of this leave is to help workers balance their work with the time needed to care for their child (ren) during the coronavirus crisis. This new parental leave coexists with the already existing ordinary parental leave. The new formula provides for more flexible access conditions, a higher allowance and a fast application procedure than the ordinary parental leave. There are 3 possibilities: • The interruption of a fifth, to reduce benefits and continue working 80% of full time; • The half-time break, to reduce benefits and continue working 50% of full time. • Complete interruption. This allows individuals to interrupt their benefits in order to stop working. From July 1, 2020, the complete interruption is only possible for the single parent and for the parent of a disabled child. Other workers cannot take corona parental leave in the form of a complete interruption. Social Paid sick leave Note: Corona parental leave does not provide for the possibility of obtaining a 1/10 interruption. If Insurance individuals want a 1/10 break, they can request ordinary parental leave according to the usual rules. Who can take corona parental leave? • Parents of at least one child under 12 or under 21 if that child has a disability; • The adoptive parents of a child under 12 or under 21 if this child has a disability, who is entered in the population register or in the foreigners register as a member of their household; • Foster parents of a child under 12 or under 21 if that child has a disability that has been placed with their family by the court or by a community approved placement service; • Parents who take care of a child suffering from a disability without age limit, if he or she benefits from a service or treatment in a hospital setting or outside a hospital setting, organized or recognized by the Communities. In this case, corona parental leave can therefore also concern adults. Corona parental leave can be obtained from May 1st, 2020. From July 1st, 2020: Corona parental leave is extended until September 30, 2020. Other changes from July 1: Single parents (living only with one or more dependent children) and parents of children with disabilities will be able to take corona parental leave in the form of a full suspension in addition to the ½-time and ½-time reductions. The amount of the break allowance for single parents and parents of disabled children is increased by 50% compared to the allowance for ordinary parental leave. The amount of this increased interruption allowance will be capped to ensure that the interruption allowance does not exceed the gross salary lost. The law of May 17, 2019 establishing the recognition of informal caregivers (entered into force on October 1, 2019) makes changes to the recovery law of January 22, 1985 containing social provisions and introduces a new thematic leave, namely leave for caregivers recognized relatives. The worker who wishes to take this new leave for informal caregivers must meet a certain number of conditions. The worker must be recognized as an informal caregiver as provided for in the Royal Decree of June 16, 2020 (*). To find out about these conditions, see info sheet T164. From September 1, 2020, workers recognized as informal caregivers can request this new thematic leave from their employer and apply to the ONEM to obtain the allowance to which they are entitled. Health insurance A royal decree provides for the “Corona end of career time credit”. It allows workers of at least 55 years of age who have at least 25 years of salaried professional experience to obtain interruption allowances if the start date of their reduction in benefits is during a period of recognition of the business as a business in restructuring or in difficulty. The aim is, among other things, that pensioners who have an activity as an employee or self-employed can combine their pension with Pensions compensation for temporary unemployment or bridging rights. In addition, the constitution of pensions for temporarily unemployed people will be preserved, including the constitution of the second pillar. It is also necessary to prevent pensioners who temporarily resume an activity, for example in the care or education sector, from losing part of their pension. These measures were extended on Nov. 6th, 2020. [July 2020] The law of July 15, 2020 provides for temporary relaxed eligibility for full unemployment benefits. Under certain relaxed conditions, the worker who has carried out sufficient artistic or technical activities in the artistic sector during the period from March 13, 2019 to March 13, 2020 can benefit from full unemployment benefits for a limited period of from April 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020. Unemployment benefits [Extension] This policy was later extended to September 30, 2021. [March 2020] A worker has the right to take time off work to look after a child who cannot go to nursery, school or reception center for disabled people in due to a measure to limit the spread of the coronavirus, and worker would be entitled to a temporary unemployment benefit due to force majeure corona. The benefit amounted to a maximum of 70% of workers' remuneration (capped). A professional withholding tax of 15% is withheld from this amount. In addition, worker still received a supplement of 5.63 euros per day in addition to the unemployment benefit. [Extension] This measure was extended to the 31st of December, 2021. Legal basis: the law of 23 October 2020. March 19 and 24, 2021 decisions: All schools, except nursery schools, are closed during the week of March 29 until April 3, 2021. Following the complete or partial cancellation of a summer camp or an organized out-of-school reception, the worker who has to take care of a minor child with whom he cohabits during the Easter holidays, may be entitled to temporary unemployment benefits for force majeure corona for the days when he takes care of the child. By partial cancellation, we mean that, before the March 19 decision of the Concertation Committee, more children were registered than currently allowed, thus causing the cancellation of the registration of some children. The worker can only claim this right if the child was already registered by March 18, 2021 at the latest for the colony or organized out-of-school care. [March 2020] The National Employment Office announced on March 17 2020 that it would extend the scope of force majeure to companies that voluntarily close down (although this would not constitute force majeure under normal circumstances). [April 2020] Temporary unemployment available and the associated benefits were increased from 65% of wages to 70% (the ceiling being set at € 2,754.76 per month). The employer was required to submit a file at the National Employment Office (RVA/ONEM) to prove the situation of force majeure [November 2020] All temporary unemployment due to the coronavirus were reopened from the 1st of October, 2020. It was allowed to be considered temporary unemployment due to force majeure corona , regardless of whether or not the employer was recognized as being affected by the crisis or whether or not it belonged to a particularly affected sector. [Extension - September 2021] This measure was extended until December 31st, 2021. The following instances can be qualified as force majeure: For workers whose company is forced to close by the government (e.g. the mandatory closing of all bars, restaurants, clubs and non-essential stores). For workers who cannot be employed due to the abolition of events, cultural activities, sports activities, closure of cinemas, etc. For workers whose company must close down the workplace in order to stop the spread of the virus (e.g. in case employees got contaminated). For workers who are forced in quarantine in another country which makes it impossible for him to work. For workers from suppliers of companies affected by an imposed closure, to the extent that this renders them unable to work at all. For workers of Belgian companies affected by the effects of the Corona virus in other areas – for example, because they are dependent on suppliers from the affected region, if, as a result of production stoppages, it is no longer possible for the company to continue to employ staff. On April 6 2020, temporary unemployment due to force majeure will be extended by 3 months, until 30 June 2020. Temporary unemployment due to force majeure may also be invoked pending recognition of the status of a “company in difficulty”. Companies need to obtain this status to be able to make their employees temporarily unemployed for economic reasons. Obtaining temporary unemployment due to force majeure is possible within three to four days. The system has been extended as well as adapted (starting September 2020). From that date, two systems will apply (one for companies or sectors that are considered to be very badly hit and one for companies that are less impacted but still require the measure. The sectors that are badly hit are: the audiovisual sector, the entertainment companies, the socio-cultural sector, the taxi sector, the hotel industry, the tourist attractions sector. These are automatically recognized due to a second wave of the pandemic. On November 6, 2020: Reopening of temporary unemployment due to force majeure for all companies. During this period, the temporarily unemployed salaried worker receives compensation equal to 70% of his gross monthly salary (capped at 2,754.76 euros). In addition, the salaried worker receives an allowance from the ONEM of 5.63 euros per day of temporary unemployment. This measure will apply until March 31, 2021, with the possibility of extension. [December 2020] The federal government announced a bonus for people who have been on temporary unemployment benefits for more than two months. This premium amounts to 10 euros per allowance, with a minimum of 150 euros. If an individual has received half allowances as a voluntary part-time worker, the premium is 5 euros per half allowance, with a minimum of 75 euros. First part of the premium was planned to be delivered in December 2020. [Extension - September 2021] This measure was extended to the 31st of December, 2021. The amount of the premium is obtained by carrying out the following calculation: (X - 52) x 10 (or x 5 if individuals have received half allowances). X = the total number of allowances or half-allowances received as a temporary unemployed person for force majeure due to the coronavirus or for economic reasons, in the period from March 2020 to November 2020 inclusive. In summary : If, in the period from March 2020 to November 2020 inclusive, individuals received less than 53 temporary unemployment benefits, individuals are not entitled to the premium. If individuals have received between 53 and 67 allowances, individuals are entitled to 150 € gross. From 68 benefits received, individuals are entitled to the minimum amount of 150 € and to 10 € per benefit received beyond the limit of 67 days. The premium is paid automatically by your payment organization. Individuals do not have to take any action. Individuals may already receive in December 2020 a first part of the premium, calculated on the basis of the temporary unemployment benefits that have already been paid to individuals for the months of March 2020 to October 2020 inclusive. When the ONEM has verified all the payments of the paying agency for the months of March 2020 to November 2020 inclusive, individuals will receive a second part as long as a balance has not yet been paid. This second payment can be made, at the earliest, during the months of May / June 2021. (April 2020) The amount of unemployment benefits decreases over time. The Government has decided to freeze the degression of unemployment benefits during the period from April 1 to June 30, 2020. This measure only concerns fully unemployed people receiving benefits. The situation in which the fully unemployed person finds himself on April 1, 2020 is therefore extended by 3 months. There is neutralization of the months of April, May and June 2020. The freeze also targets the determination of the reference period of 12 and 18 months to establish the entitlement to unemployment benefits for artists. Royal Decree of September 27, 2020: A new extension of the freezing period for the degression of unemployment benefits for fully unemployed people receiving benefits has just been adopted: The period of freezing of degression of unemployment benefits, initially scheduled until June 30 then until August 31, 2020 is now extended until September 30, 2020. The situation in which the fully unemployed person finds himself on April 1, 2020 is extended by 6 months (instead of the 3-month period initially planned and then extended at 5 months). The months of April, May, June, July, and August 2020 were neutralized. September 2020 is now also neutralized. The benefit was then extended until Dec 31 2020. February 12 2021 the extension of the freeze on the degression of unemployment benefits until June 2021. "[March 2020] If companies suffer from payment difficulties and want to avoid the recovery of their debt by injunction, the Belgian National Social Security Office may allow them amicable repayment terms. The measure shall apply to the following contributions: - the contributions for the holiday allowance for the financial year 2019, and the financial year 2020 Social security contributions - social contributions for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters of 2020 and the 1st and 2nd quarter 2021 - certain changes in contributions." "[March 2020] On March 20, 2020, the postponement of payment of sums due to the Belgian National Social Security Office (ONSS) until December 15, 2020 was announced. The hospitality, recreational and cultural sectors, as well as any business affected by the compulsory closure automatically benefited from this postponement. Companies that were not affected by a mandatory closure but which had to close because they were unable to comply with health measures could obtain a postponement on the basis of a declaration on honor. Companies that were not obliged to close and which, for reasons other than not being able to comply with sanitary measures, decided to close completely. Companies, which were not required to close but closed for reasons other than non-compliance with sanitary measures, because they had to stop production and sales. These companies were therefore also completely closed. These companies can also benefit from the postponement until December 15 on the basis of a declaration on their honor. " Self-employed workers who are affected by the consequences of the coronavirus can submit a written request to their social insurance fund to request a 1-year deferral of the payment of provisional social contributions, without being charged any increases and with no effect on benefits. Payment plans for self-employed workers who have obtained a deferral of payment of social contributions, while retaining the right to reimbursement of health care costs. Until December 31, 2021. Assimilation: individuals no longer have to pay social contributions for a maximum of 4 quarters, but individuals keep their rights to medical care, family allowances and incapacity for work indemnities. During the period of bridging rights, individuals do not in principle build up any pension rights. Do individuals benefit from classic footbridge rights following an event that occurred between April 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021? From the fourth quarter, the quarters of bridging rights can be assimilated to quarters of activity for the calculation of the pension, for a maximum of four quarters. This extension was introduced as a temporary measure following the crisis. Assimilation can be granted from the quarter following the one in which the event occurred, but only if individuals have ceased their activities for at least one full calendar month. To be entitled to it, individuals must also meet the conditions of the gateway right at least during the entire first calendar month of the quarter following that in which the event occurred. In the context of the crisis gateway law, no assimilation is possible. In this case individuals are only entitled to compensation. If companies suffer from payment difficulties and want to avoid the recovery of your debt by injunction, the NSSO may allow individuals amicable repayment terms. The measure shall apply to the following contributions: the contributions for the holiday allowance for the financial year 2019, and the financial year 2020 social contributions for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters of 2020 and the 1st and 2nd quarter 2021 certain changes in contributions. For the social security contributions in the first two quarters of the year 2020, one year's postponement without interest on arrears or exemption from payment of social security contributions shall be granted. Again, this is provided that there is a demonstrable link with Covid-19. Additional postponement for the payment of the contribution payable by companies until the end of 2020. A postponement was already planned until October 31, 2020; it is now extended until December 31, 2020. Nov 6, 2020: Widening of the scope of the exemption from social security contributions for the third quarter of 2020 to other sectors (than the hotel and catering industry and the events sector) which have been forced to close. Suppliers in sectors that have had to shut down may also resort to this measure if they can provide evidence of a loss of sales of at least 65%. A ceiling will be applied per company with regard to the total amount of this exemption. Due to the Corona outbreak, the government has taken several measures. One of these measures taken on March 20, 2020 is the postponement of payment of sums due to the ONSS until December 15, 2020. The hospitality, recreational and cultural sectors, as well as any business affected by the compulsory closure (in accordance with the provisions of the ministerial decrees of March 13, 18, 23 and 24, 2020) will automatically benefit from this postponement. Companies that are not affected by a mandatory closure (as referred to in the ministerial decrees of March 13, 18, 23 and 24, 2020) but which are closed because they are unable to comply with health measures can obtain a postponement on the basis of a declaration on honor. Other companies that can also benefit from the postponement until December 15 on the basis of a declaration on their honor are: - Companies that are not obliged to close and which, for reasons other than not being able to comply with sanitary measures, have themselves decided to close completely. - Companies, which are not required to close but are closed for reasons other than non- compliance with sanitary measures, because they had to stop production and sales. These companies are therefore also completely closed. An example is the closure of suppliers or the closure as a result of clients being closed. (April 2020) A platform will be set up in cooperation with regional ministers to better match the Activation measures supply and demand of student temporary workers, especially now that the jobs for student in the hospitality and non-food sector have faded away. Employers could submit a request for temporary unemployment for their workers due to lack of work, because of economic reasons. The procedure and conditions for this form of unemployment are stricter than for force majeure. Nov 6, 2020: The federal government has decided to reintroduce the simplified temporary unemployment procedure for all employers and workers (workers and employees) from October 1 2020 until June 30 2021 inclusive. Consequently, all temporary unemployment due to the coronavirus can again, from October 1, 2020, be considered temporary unemployment due to force majeure corona, regardless of whether the employer is recognized as particularly affected by the crisis or whether it belongs to a particularly affected sector. It can therefore be a complete suspension of the performance of the employment contract (for example, following an imposed closure) or a partial suspension of the performance of the employment contract, where the worker can still work certain days a week. This is again a departure from the strict definition of force majeure. The Ministerial Decree of October 28, 2020, Article 3, which concerns salaried (or self-employed) workers living or residing abroad who are temporarily employed in Belgium. Employers or users who call on these persons are required, in the context of contact tracing, to keep a register containing a Labor number of data on these persons (identification, place of residence, telephone number and the Markets persons with whom the employee or the self-employed person worked during his work in Belgium). Labor market regulations This obligation applies to 5 specific sectors (construction, cleaning, agriculture, horticulture and the meat sector). The Ministerial Decree of January 12, 2021 extended Art. 3 of AM Oct 28,2020 to all sectors: all employers who temporarily employ salaried workers or the self-employed foreigners in Belgium (with the exception of employers who are natural persons) must therefore keep such a register. This obligation does not apply to frontier workers or when the stay in Belgium does not exceed 48 hours. The register can be requested by the contact tracing services and by the inspection services (art. 3, §1 MB). Implementation of the agreement of the social partners by which the State partially intervenes in the financing of the holiday pay for the temporarily unemployed. In the calculation of this holiday pay, days of temporary unemployment are assimilated to days worked. In critical sectors, employers and workers may enter successive fixed-term employment contracts without limitation, without this resulting in the conclusion of an employment contract of indefinite duration. This will allow workers, including those who are temporarily unemployed, to enter fixed term contracts of short duration and therefore to offer more labor in the sector where there is a high demand. Fixed-term contracts must have a duration minimum of 7 days. Extended Nov 6, 2020. Employers may temporarily place their workers at the disposal of employers in critical sectors, with a certain flexibility. The workers will have to give their consent. The conditions and duration of this provision must be specified in a document signed by the three parties. The user must ensure that workers can work in safe conditions. The mechanisms of workers’ protection against social dumping, such as the principle of equal pay for equal work, will continue to apply. Extended Nov 6, 2020. (April 2020) Mobilize asylum seekers:Given the current crisis and the lack of seasonal workers due to border closures, there is a great need for additional labor. People awaiting a decision on their application of international protection will be authorized to work (Directive 2013/33 / EU). (March 2020) Employers pay 20 euros / month for the professional use of your own computer system (PC / laptop, printer ...) and for the professional use of your own internet connection. [March 2020] Temporary office allowance of €126.94 per month for teleworking to cover the costs of heating, electricity, small office equipment or other necessary facilities at home was granted free of social security contributions to all employees who work from home, including those who did not work from home prior to the pandemic situation, and therefore without the employer and employee having concluded a formal telework contract beforehand. This was paid by the employer. [January 2021] It was announced that the work-from-home allowance would increase to €144.3 for the second and third quarters of 2021 for employees and business leaders and it would decrease to €126.94 starting from October 1, 2021. [April 2020] There is an increased quota of voluntary overtime up to 220 hours in the care sector, other crucial sectors and essential services. This additional overtime will be tax and parafiscal exempt; no additional salary will be applied. [Extension - November 2020] This measure was extended on November 6th, 2020. The consultation committee decided on Wednesday March 25 to strengthen checks on compliance with the obligation to work from home. It applies to the staff of each company, association and service, unless the nature of the function or the continuity of the management of companies and organizations, services and activities prevent it. Employers will therefore have to keep a register specifying who is present at the workplace and when. Reduced work time Therefore, in order to strengthen the control of this measure, any employer will be required to communicate to the ONSS, each month and from the month of April, the number of workers in service on the 1st working day of the month and the number of workers on duty the 1st working day of the month who do not perform a function that can be performed by teleworking. When a company has several establishment units, it will have to indicate the number of workers per establishment unit, specifies the administration. The social inspection services will use this data as a point of reference to monitor compliance with the measure. "Any worker who occupies an executable function in teleworking but who will be present in the company will have to justify his presence", warns the ONSS. This declaration will also serve as a point of reference when it comes to gradually lifting the measure of compulsory teleworking. The ministerial decree of October 28, 2020 "COVID-19 urgent measures" puts this norm into enforcement. Increased quota of voluntary overtime up to 220 hours in the care sector, other crucial sectors, and essential services. This additional overtime will be tax and parafiscal exempt; no additional salary will be applied. Extended Nov 6, 2020. [April 2020] Students were able to perform student work without restrictions during the period from April 1st to June 30th, 2020 and these hours were not be counted towards the annual quota of 475 hours. They could also work these overtime hours while benefiting from a reduction in Social Security. [Extension] This was extended to the fourth quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021 and subequently, to the end of the second quarter of 2021. [Extension - August 2021] A Royal Decree was published which extended this measure until September 30th, 2021 for students in all sectors of activity. From July 1st, 2020, this decree (L’Arrêté royal n° 46,) allows individuals to obtain a corona time credit, for a period of 1 to 6 months with employers in the private sector. This is a new time credit that coexists with the ordinary time credit that already exists. In the context of the economic difficulties that may arise from the coronavirus crisis, the corona time credit allows employers of companies recognized as restructuring or in difficulty to offer Wage subsidies workers a partial half-time or a fifth break in order to, temporarily, reduce their benefits. Interruption periods taken within the framework of the corona time credit are not deducted from the maximum duration of the ordinary time credit. During the corona time credit period, when all the conditions are met, the worker is entitled to an interruption allowance, in order to mitigate the reduction in his remuneration. This allowance is the same as that provided for under ordinary time credit. (back to the top) Belize Cash-based transfers As a complement for when the Unemployment Relief Program will be discontinued and for those who do not qualify for it, the GoB is planning an expansion (of the number of beneficiaries and value of the transfer) of the Building Opportunities for Our Social Transformation (BOOST) cash transfer program. BOOST targets poor households through the application of a proxy means test. Its cash transfer varies by household structure and averages between US$25 to US$30 per month. The Government is considering a temporary expansion of the program, based on: (i) the relaxation of the eligibility threshold, aimed at including also vulnerable households above the poverty line; (ii) an increased value of the transfer for six months, to match that of the Unemployment Relief Program (BZ$150 every 2 weeks). The government launched direct support to farmers and agricultural households suffering from the Cash transfers effects of two-year drought and the pandemic through reallocation of World Bank funds from other (conditional and unconditional) projects. (September/October 2020) Social (December 2020) the Gov of Belize announced a new temporary cash transfer program to assist Assistance poor and vulnerable households that are not receiving support from any other social assistance program, such as, BOOST, Food Pantry, Unemployment Relief Program and any contributory or non-contributory pension scheme. COVID-19 Cash Transfer Program (BCCAT) will support 21500 households with a series of 3 payments over 6 months (February-August 2021) at a cost of US$9.7 million. The program started on 15 February 2021 and ended on 31 Aug 2021. It covered 21,362 households with a total cost of 11.4 million. Social pensions In-kind transfers 39,129 households have received, and continue to receive, packages under the food assistance program. This has been at a cost of 20 million dollars; and with another 20 million coming from OFID. The government is now doubling the amount of beneficiary families Food, vouchers, others Through the Fiscal policy, the government allocated BZD 29 million in Direct Food Assistance. The Fisheries Department handed over COVID-19 safety equipment for the Fishing Cooperatives and private sector seafood processing facilities. The equipment included seven COVID-19 testing units, sanitizing supplies, and two laptops. Through the nationwide Emergency Food Assistance Programme, the government provided food hampers (2-week supply) to those affected by the crisis. Public officers, teachers, and members of the security forces were not eligible, nor were recipients of the Unemployment Relief Programme, non-contributory pensions, and the pre-existing cash transfer program for the needy (BOOST) and food pantry programs (program offering food items at a lower cost). Children on national school meal programs got take-home hampers and high schools were School feeding encouraged to do same Public works Utility waivers Agriculture: funds for the purchase of eligible agricultural inputs. Access to paid leave: employers must give 16 working days with full pay to all those who have Paid sick leave worked in the same center for 60 days or more. The Labor Act does not provide for furlough (temporary leave due to special circumstances initiated by the employer). Health insurance Pensions Advancing one month of pension payment. [April 2020] The COVID-19 Unemployment Relief Program provides temporary benefits to the Social unemployed and persons who directly lost their job as a result of the crisis. Employed and self- Insurance employed who lost their jobs directly as a result of the COVID19 crisis received BZ$150 every 2 Unemployment benefits weeks for 12 weeks (US$450). Persons who were unemployed prior to the crisis received BZ$100 every 2 weeks for 12 weeks (US$300). Applications were processed online. [Extesnion- August 2020] The government extended the program to end of October 2020. [March 2020] The government allowed the delay in payment of contributions to the Social Security Social security contributions Fund without penalties but with the condition of employers keep on filing returns with information about employees and contributions. Activation measures [July 2020] As part of the recovery strategy for the agriculture sector Belize introduced the automatic extension on all licenses for 12 months. Labor Markets [August 2020] As part of the Labor (Amendment) Act,2020 the government allowed employers to Labor market regulations reduce the wages of workers, conditional on the employees’ agreement. [August 2020] As part of the Labor (Amendment) Act,2020 the government allowed employers to place employees on leave without pay, with the agreement of said employees. [December 2020] The Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labor and Local Government announced plans to transition the Temporary Employment Permit (TEP) System online. Effective from January 14th, 2021, all TEP Applications were processed online only. The measure aimed at increasing the quality and efficiency of the Ministry’s service and mitigating against the spread of COVID-19. Reduced work time August 2020] As part of the Labor (Amendment) Act,2020 the government allowed employers to reduce the maximum number of working hours, conditional on the employees’ agreement. [November 2020] Work from home orders and/or staff shift rotation mandated for employees at all organizations as part of new Covid-19 measures. [July 2020] As part of the MSME Support program the government allocated BZD$7 million on wage Wage subsidies subsidies to promote employee retention on the condition that these businesses keep their employees’ Social Security contributions current. (back to the top) Benin Cash-based transfers On August 26th, 2021, the Beninese government announced further measures to assist enterprises and their workers cope with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of the measure is to support the employees of vulnerable micro and small businesses affected by the health crisis. It concerns businesses in all sectors of activity and extends to both formal and informal Cash transfers businesses. Salaried employees will be given cash transfers. (conditional and unconditional) Cash transfer program implemented by Ministry of Social affairs and Microfinance together with UNICEF, the Embassy of the Netherlands and Care Project aims to alleviate household poverty, fight against child marriage and keep girls in school in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic by supporting parents of girls aged 9 to 15 who face economic difficulties due to the pandemic. The project also entails different training components Social pensions In-kind transfers Social Food, vouchers, others Assistance School feeding Public works To promote the use of electronic payment tools, the Western Africa Central Bank (BCEAO) is providing more flexible measures to open a mobile money and making transfers between people backed by the electronic money free. On March 30th, 2020, the national electricity company suspended disconnections for non-payment of bills to ensure the continuity of the electricity supply during COVID-19 pandemic. Utility waivers The government introduced a price control system for the purchase of face masks. On April 09th 2020, the government announced that there should no longer be masks in pharmacies that would cost more than 200 FCFA, under penalty of criminal penalties The government launched a general grant to all citizens who benefitted from a reduction in electricity and water tariffs, which involved a total expenditure of 5.76 billion CFA francs. Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures The government introduced the obligation for employers to install the hand washing device in the workplace and to ensure that the minimum distance of one (1) meter between people is respected. The National Board of Benin (CNP Benin) published a Communiqué on March 17th, 2020, with guidelines against the COVID-19 pandemic to employers and workers, to make them aware of the Labor market regulations sanitary measures to be taken. (April 2020) Labor inspectors were subject to a weekly rotation schedule from April 6th, 2020, in order to allow them to better observe the containment measures. Labor Markets Reduced work time The government introduced financial support over a period of three months. This meant subsidizing 70% of the gross salary of the declared employees. The government delivered cash to 55,000 craftsmen for a period of 3 months of lost earnings. This Wage subsidies included hairdressers, dressmakers, welders, carpenters, small saleswomen, among others. This measure involved a planned expenditure of 4.98 billion CFA francs, distributed as follows: 2.1 billion CFA francs to formal sector enterprises, 1.6 billion to those in the identified informal sector, and 1.2 billion to the unidentified informal sector. (back to the top) Bermuda (UK) Cash-based transfers As the 16-week unemployment benefit came to an end in 2021, the Government was cognizant that many people within the community were still in need of assistance. To address this, the Government introduced the Supplemental Unemployment Benefit (SUB) and allocated funds to support families and individuals who remained in need of assistance. The Supplementary Unemployment Benefit is only for Bermudians and Spouses of Bermudians who do not qualify for support through the Cash transfers Department of Financial Assistance yet still require financial support. Originally scheduled to run (conditional and unconditional) until March 31, 2021, the SUB was extended to June 30, 2021. It has been further extended until March 31, 2022. All Supplementary Unemployment Benefit recipients will receive monthly payments. Social Those recipients who already have health insurance will receive a flat monthly stipend, and persons Assistance without health insurance will receive coverage by the Health Insurance Department in addition to their flat monthly payment. Recipients will receive a monthly flat rate of $1,520 deposited directly into the individual’s bank account or funds can be directly paid to vendors on behalf of clients. Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding Public works Utility waivers Paid sick leave Health insurance The government implemented a one-time withdrawal for members from certain occupational pension plans that are younger than age 65 (the normal retirement age) and who are not yet retired. Eligible beneficiaries may request withdrawals of up to B$12,000 (US$12,000) from their account Social Pensions balances. The deadline for requests is June 30th 2021, and pension plan administrators must process Insurance the withdrawals within 20 business days after approving a request. This measure is part of an economic relief package for persons affected by the COVID-19. (March 2020) The government introduced an unemployment benefit for laid-off employees who were not on financial assistance. The transfer amount was set at 60% of gross earnings up to a Unemployment benefits maximum of $500 a week. The benefit is less than $500 per week when the eligible applicant receives a percentage of their salary from their employer. To be eligible, applicants must meet the definition of an employee under employment legislation, and be Bermudian, the spouse of a Bermudian, a permanent resident’s certificate holder, or a work-permit holder unable to leave Bermuda because of travel restrictions. They must have been in full-time employment and have been laid off or had their employment terminated because of the Covid-19 pandemic, put on mandatory medical quarantine without compensation from their employer, or be self-employed and no longer at work because of the illness Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Bhutan Cash-based transfers The Druk Gyalpo’s Relief Kidu (DGRK) launched on April 14th, 2020, for a duration of 3 months from April 2020 until end of June 2020. It was extended twice: once from 1 July 2020 to end of March 2021 (phase 2) and next from April 2021 to July 2022 (phase 3, announced on 22 April 2021). The DGRK provides immediate financial support for people who have been laid off or placed on reduced salaries, or those whose livelihood was negatively impacted. Eligibility was based on an application. Eligible beneficiaries include individuals laid off, placed on unpaid leave or on reduced pay from businesses, as well as self-employed individuals who lost their earnings either partially or completely. The Kidu amount was revised from Nu. 12,000 per month for full amount beneficiary and Nu. 8,000 Cash transfers per month for partial amount in Phase I to Nu. 10,000 and Nu. 7,000 respectively in Phase II. Kidu (conditional and unconditional) will continue to be granted at Nu. 10,000 and Nu. 7,000 for Phase III. It is reported 52,644 individuals who were granted income support relief kidu amounting to Nu 2.25 billion over the last one year from April 2020 to March 2021. The Relief Kidu application process is designed to ensure accessibility and transparency with simultaneous application through online processes as well as through walk-in centers across the 20 Dzongkhags and a toll-free line (1188) to respond to queries from the people. Furthermore, the committee also ensured widespread publicity through television, Social radio, newsprint and social media. Government officials in the Dzongkhags also provided valuable Assistance support to spread the message as well as assist applicants. Social pensions In-kind transfers On 25th April 2020, the government has stocked essential items enough to last for four months— worth Nu 104 million. By mid-May, the country will have stocked essential items to last for six months. Besides Food Corporation of Bhutan Limited (FCB), 16 wholesalers and large retailers were provided concessional working capital to stockpile essential and other commodities for six months. Food, vouchers, others The country will require 17,000 metric tons (MT) of rice in the next six months. Within this month, 14,000 MT of rice would be procured from the SAARC food security reserve. FCB has stockpiled 972 MT of cooking oil and 530 MT of legumes and grains. The government is stocking at the dzongkhag headquarters, but the stocks will be distributed later to towns and villages. The education ministry in collaboration with WFP and UNICEF will cater dry ration to more than 10,000 vulnerable children identified by the government across the country from May 2020. The School feeding ration will consist of fortified rice, fortified cooking oil, chickpeas, and pulses along with toiletries and menstrual hygiene. It will be distributed through the program called “Take-Home Ration” which will be formally launched 28 May 2021. It is to ensure that the children meet their daily dietary and nutritional requirements and in response to Covid-19. They will supply the ration that will last for a month from the stock left with the school feeding program to each student in the family. The identified students are mostly from economically backward backgrounds??, displaced students, single parent, those with disabilities, landless farmers, and divorced parents, including students depending on Kidu, among many. Each student will receive Nu 905 worth of ration: 12kg of rice, 1.5 liters of cooking oil, half a kg of chickpeas, and 2kg of pulses. The National School Feeding Program spend around Nu 9 million on this project. On July 01, 2020, the Prime Minister of Bhutan launched the Build Bhutan project with the aim to engage around 7000 individuals over a period of two years of which 2000 will be provided with skilling, reskilling and upskilling opportunities in construction trades leading to national certification. The individuals engaged under the program will be paid an engagement top-up and skilling stipend. The benefit ranges from 12,000 to 20,000 Nu depending on your qualification. The project will also facilitate the formation of specialized groups in construction occupations and provide support such as tools and equipment, wage top-up, outsourcing work and also facilitate the creation of a conducive policy environment. The eligibility criteria is a Bhutanese citizen who has completed minimum of class VI and attained minimum of 18 years and who is either: laid-off and/or on unpaid leave due to COVID-19, overseas returnees or job seekers registered in MoLHR job portal. Public works The Tourism Stimulus Package was reported on April 17, 2020. The program will cover 2,436 people formally affiliated with the tourism sector and will provide support to them through cash-for-work and cash-for-reskilling style programs. Work provided under this program includes beautification of the main tourist attractions, maintenance of relevant infrastructure, hotel assessments, support to carrying out of survey and studies aimed to improve performance of the sector, as well as waste management. Those eligible will be provided Nu 6,000 (~USD 80) per month in case of selecting in training, and Nu 15,000 (~USD 200) per month in case of opting out for construction and development work. The duration of the program was not specified. Total budget of the programs is Nu 286 million (~USD 3.8 million). As per the official press release on 11 April 2020, the Interest payment relief includes deferment of loan repayment and 100 percent interest waiver for three months from April 2020 to end of June 2020. As per the official press release on June 26, 2020, the deferment of loan repayment was further extended from 1 July 2020 to 31 March 2021, and 100 percent interest waiver was extended from 1 July 2020 until 31 September 2020 and the rate of interest was reduced by 50 percent from Utility waivers 1 October 2020 to March 2021. On 22 April 2021, the government announced further extension for 15 months starting from April 2021 until June 2022. However, for the latest expansion, only the loans sanctioned as of June 30, 2020, shall be eligible for the deferment of loan repayment for another one year until June 2022. It is reported that 60,002 salaried individuals benefited from the interest payment relief support from April 2020 to March 2021 and it cost 1.15 billion. On 20 August 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests of Bhutan in Thimphu Thromde, published that with the opening of shops in different zones, we have started with the delivery of vegetables to these shops in bulk. With issuing this notification, shops in Babesa and Lungtenphu areas have been supplied with cabbage, potatoes, carrots, and chillies (large and small). To ensure that shopkeepers do not take advantage of the lockdown situation and inflate the price of vegetables, the Ministry has fixed the selling price of vegetables. Prices for other types of vegetables will be announced as and when they are sourced and supplied to the shops. Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations Reduced work time [July 2020] The Build Bhutan Project (BBP) includes a wage top-up for employees in the Labor construction sector to attract workers. This involves a monthly wage top-up of 15% beyond the Markets wage paid by the employer, depending on the workers’ level of skills. However, if the engagement duration is less than a month, the wage top-up will be provided on a pro rata basis. Wage subsidies [January 2021] The project announced that individuals will be paid a minimum of Nu 25,000 a month as wages. The project aims to employ 7,000 unemployed, laid off and workers returning from overseas in the construction sector. [March 2021] This provision was cancelled as the government said it was "halted because of changes in the policy and plans of the Labor Ministry." (back to the top) Bolivia Cash-based transfers March 2020): The GoB has created three new temporary cash transfer programs: Bono Familia (BF), Bono Canasta Familiar (BFC) and Bono Universal (BU) that together provide economic support for households impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially two cash transfer programs were designed – BF and BCF – that relied on a temporary increase of the value of existing social protection interventions to meet the additional needs of the current beneficiaries (vertical expansion). Together, BF, BCF and BU are expected to reach 3.3 million households and their 11.1 million members (comprising both direct recipients and indirect beneficiaries, who are other household members), or 97.9 percent of the entire population. • The Bono Familia is a one-time only transfer of Bs500 (US$72) for each child enrolled in elementary, primary and secondary schools (public or private). (March 2020): The Bono Canasta Familiar (BCF) is a one-time payment Bs400 (US$58) transfer to Cash transfers low-income households in rural and urban areas to cover the cost of a monthly basic food basket. By (conditional and unconditional) design, it mostly reaches the elderly (86.2 percent of the population 65 years or older), but also pregnant women, mothers of children below 2 years old, and people with disabilities who are Social beneficiaries of existing social assistance programs. Assistance (April 2020): The Bono Universal's (BU) purpose is to minimize the exclusion of informal workers and self-employed. Bono Universal is estimated to directly and indirectly cover 46.5 percent of the population and the transfer amount is Bs $ 500. (September 2020): The government created a new temporary cash transfer program called Bono Contra el Hambre (BCH) for all individuals eligible for the BU as well as pregnant women, mothers of children aged 2 years old or less and people with disabilities who are beneficiaries of existing social assistance programs. Benefits were paid between January and March 2021. Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others (April 2020): The government plans to deliver food to 1.5 million families ($US 58 per family) . In Bolivia, the Jacinto Pinto Voucher, which has existed since 2016 and is awarded at the end of the School feeding year to students in the school, primary and secondary cycle, was advanced to compensate for the lack of school feeding. Public works Families and companies that cannot meet financial obligations are exempt from paying their mortgages and credits. This relief applied for 2 months. Utility waivers (April 2020): The government plans to pay the electric energy bills for three months for the consumers with lower consumption and pay 50 percent of the potable water and gas for all households. As part of revised paid leave requirements, Bolivia is permitting reduction of working hours; paid leave for older adults, pregnant women and people with health conditions; paid leave for workers Paid sick leave with dependent children and who must meet care needs due to the emergency; and paid leave for all workers, public and private, that are suspected cases of having contracted COVID-19. Collective annual insurance for total and permanent disability or death for a period of one (1) year, for professionals and health workers, infected by the care or provision of services related to patients infected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Health insurance Social Insurance The government created insurance for death and permanent disability for police officers, which includes death from COVID-19. Pensions Unemployment benefits [April 2020] On April 1, and as part of Supreme Decree No. 4206, the government extended the time limits for the payment of long-term social security contributions that are due during the “lockdown” Social security contributions quarantine period. In addition, the deadline for the payment of short-term social security contributions period for February, March, and April 2020, was extended until June 30, 2020. Activation measures [April 2020] Suspension of the filing requirements of salary, wages and work-related accident payroll Labor market regulations from March 2020, and their presentation is deferred for months of March and April until May 30th, 2020, without penalties. [April 2020] Through Supreme Decree 4218, the government introduced telework in the labor code as a special modality of service provision in the public and private sectors. Labor Markets [January 2021] Through Supreme Decree 4451, the government authorizes teleworking during COVID-19 second wave. The policy is expected to last from January 16, 2021, until February 28, Reduced work time 2021. [August 2021] The government repealed Supreme Decree 4218 and introduced Supreme Decree 4570 which provides updated regulations on the application of special working conditions in labor relations, including teleworking. Wage subsidies (back to the top) Bosnia and Herzegovina Cash-based transfers Individual local governments provided significant sums to assist the elderly and families with low or no income ($250,000 thus far from Sarajevo municipality Stari Grad). Both entities, RS and FBH, introduced top-ups and one-off payments for Permanent Social Assistance beneficiaries, recipients of disability allowance and those in need of permanent home care ranging between one to six months. The top-ups for the permanent social assistance beneficiaries were in place for 6 months. The amount was on average 65-80 US$ per month. The one-off payment was around 110 US$. In addition, coverage of PSA is expected to be expanded to new beneficiaries--approximately 6,000. It is reported on 15 April 2020 in the official Gazette of Republika Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina) 37/2020 and 41/2020 that all employees of public health institutions who have worked for a Cash transfers minimum of three weeks from March 15 to April 15 will be paid tax and contribution free one-off (conditional and unconditional) amount of 1000 KM (i.e., US$ 560) from the Solidarity Fund for the Reconstruction of the Republika Srpska. The aid will be paid in addition to the salary for March 2020. Social Assistance Municipality of Novo Sarajevo (in Bosnia and Herzegovina) gave support to vulnerable categories of pensioners who were selected by the Association of Pensioners of Novo Sarajevo (eligible were pensioners with a disability, those in need of care assistance, recipients of a minimum pension who support other members of the family, and similar categories). The funds were distributed through the FBiH Pension and Disability Insurance Fund on two occasions. The first group of 4,000 pensioners was supported with KM 50 in May, while the second group of 2,400 pensioners received the same amount of assistance in June. The total envisage cost is KM 350,000. The program has been running since 2007, but this year the municipality of Novo Sarajevo allocated more funding for this purpose. Social pensions In-kind transfers Based on Assessments of COVID-19 impacts in social protection sector conducted in 5 Cantons in FBiH and assessment for RS Entity, results indicated that various Local Government Units through Food, vouchers, others Centers for Social Welfare administered distribution of basic care packages ((consisting of food items, personal and household hygiene products) to social protection beneficiaries, particularly from vulnerable groups, i.e., elderly and vulnerable who need permanent care in specialized institutions, families with children, low-income households, families with people/children with disabilities, etc. In October 2020, Gobal giving in Bosnia and Herzegovina had funds (54,165 EUR) to provide daily lunch for 256 children at school during the school year 2020-21, although it had expected to reach 321 students. For € 9 per month, one child receives lunch at school for a whole month. In some schools, the lessons were given in combined groups. To reduce the risk of contamination, older School feeding children received online lessons, which ultimately resulted in fewer lunches being delivered. These lunches will be delivered in the new school year (2021-22). As of August 2021, it is reported that for 2021-22, they have sufficient funds for 394 children and expect to reach 394 children to deliver daily school meals. The delivery process is expected to start in September 2021. Public works On 16 April 2020, the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina has started exemption on calculation and payment of indirect taxes on medical both in the import of equipment and certain assets, as well as in domestic trade. According to the Official Gazette OG 24/2020, it has extended the exempted items list to include medical and personal protective products (masks, gloves, Utility waivers disinfectants, protective suits, mechanical medical ventilators), which initially only included medicines and ambulances. As of March 2021, the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina took a decision to supplement a decision on waiving from indirect tax paid for equipment and means direct of procurement of countermeasures for COVID-19 (i.e., immunization against COVID-19). Paid sick leave Through the Official Gazette of the Republic of Srpska RS OG 44/20 (Decree-Law on Amendments to the Health Insurance Law), the government established that the RS Health Insurance Fund would Health insurance provide health care funds for citizens with no status of an insured person in the compulsory health insurance. Pensions A total of EUR 5.5 million was allocated for unemployment benefits for 2020, but this could increase Unemployment benefits to another EUR 10 million to support job retention and/or increase unemployment benefits. Social [April 2020] The Solidarity Fund is used to social security contributions of employers of business Insurance firms and entrepreneurs who were banned to keep on carrying out their activities during the pandemic. [May 2020] Business entities were entitled to the subsidy of social security contributions, in the Social security contributions amount prescribed by the Law on Mitigation of Negative Economic Consequences. To be eligible, businesses must show turnovers of 20% or more in the month for which the payroll is calculated, compared to the realized turnover in the same month in 2019. The entity would be entitled to a right to subsidy under the condition that it has settled contributions and personal income tax payable, conclusively with February 2020. The government has allocated EUR 33 million for 2020 for activation programs which may be Activation measures reallocated for immediate assistance to unemployed individuals. Labor Labor market regulations Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies [May 2020] The minimum salary contributions will be paid from the state budget. (back to the top) Botswana Cash-based transfers Cash transfers The Tertiary Sponsorships and Scholarships Programme (living allowances for students) continued (conditional and unconditional) uninterrupted, and in some cases did provide genuine social assistance during lockdown. Two pension programs, including the Old Age Pension and the World War Veterans’ Pension continued to be paid despite some delays in payment. Social pensions The Old Age Pension, which is universal for all citizens over 65 years, continued to be paid at post offices and community pay-points, but to only 50 people per pay-point each day instead of the usual 300 on average, to ensure COVID-19 compliance in 2020. The Vulnerable Groups Feeding Programme (VGFP) - monthly food transfers, through clinics, to all under-5 children or under-6 if not yet in school, to malnourished pregnant women and nursing mothers, and to tuberculosis patients – is in place. The Orphan Care Programme (a monthly food basket, school uniform, clothing, transport and psychosocial support to all orphans and some other vulnerable children, up to the age of 18 years) continued to be delivered to beneficiaries, even during Social lockdown, albeit with some disruption and delay. Food transfers within the Community Home-Based Assistance Care Programme (CHBC) continued operating after the advent of COVID-19 and throughout the lockdown period. The government approved P114,839,250 for the Food Hampers program for the month of April, In-kind transfers 2020, assisting households with food packages which included agricultural products. As of May 2020, 405,017 households had received assistance. Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) distributed food parcels to 1,000 families in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, to combat COVID-19 in July 2020. COVID-19 Food Relief Programme: The government disbursed P431 million for Food Hampers as of March 2021, assisting 429,555 households with food packages which included agricultural products.The government approved P114,839,250 for Food Hampers for the month of April, 2020, assisting 393 households with food packages which included agricultural products. COVID-19 Food Relief Programme: The government disbursed P431 million for Food Hampers as of Food, vouchers, others March 2021, assisting 429,555 households with food packages which included agricultural products. Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) distributed food parcels to 1,000 families in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, to combat COVID-19 in July 2020. School feeding in Botswana stopped when schools were closed during April and May 2020. The government tried to protect children’s nutritional status by delivering food parcels to their homes, in School feeding line with WFP guidelines for ‘school feeding at home’. The Primary School Feeding Programme (PSFP) has been operational since re-opening schools in June 2020. The national public works program, Ipelegeng, suspended most operations in April and May 2020 and resumed activities but with fewer participants in June, when the lockdown was partially lifted. Public works Participants did continue receiving payments they would have received, but with no work requirement. Ipelegeng provides a month of work at 6 hours per day, paying 567 pula/month reaches over 70,000 beneficiaries per month. The government announced that manual statutory filing was not possible during the lockdown period. To avoid incurring late payment and / or late filing penalties, taxpayers were encouraged to use the online compliance platforms provided by the tax authority. Where it was not possible to comply with tax obligations because of failure in the electronic platforms or the impossibility to submit returns because of the lockdown, taxpayers should request tax authority to waive any interest or penalties that may be levied. Utility waivers The government introduced the following tax relief during the lockdown: - Deferral of 75% of any two self-assessment tax quarterly payments due between March and September 2020, with payment of the deferrals to begin from March 2021 - Expedited refunds of value added tax (VAT), with refunds to be made within 21 days from the date of filing the VAT return (instead of the 60 day period for a refund) New work arrangements: The Government is preparing the economy for post COVID-19, developing Paid sick leave an economic stimulus package that will buffer the impact we foresee on our economy, including access to paid leave and to health care. New work arrangements: The Government is preparing the economy for post COVID-19, developing Health insurance an economic stimulus package that will buffer the impact we foresee on our economy, including Social access to paid leave and to health care. Insurance Pensions Currently, there is no unemployment insurance. The work on establishing an unemployment Unemployment benefits insurance fund is ongoing. Botswana currently has very limited social insurance: essentially limited to a non-contributory, Social security contributions defined benefit pension scheme for public officers (civil servants) financed directly from the State budget. Labor Activation measures Markets Labor market regulations Reduced work time (March 2020) Businesses that are registered for tax were eligible for COVID-19 wage subsidies, regardless of whether they owe taxes. The government subsidized 50% of basic salary of employees of affected businesses by delivering subsidies that ranged between P1000 – P2500 per month for 3 months (April, May and June 2020). This measure reached 165,681 beneficiaries in April 2020, involving a total budget allocation of P1 billion. Unless specifically exempted, subsidies were taxable. Wage subsidies Implementation of a Covid-19 Wage Support Scheme to provide financial support to employees in the travel and tourism sector, export-oriented enterprises, ICT/BPO sector, SMEs and other sectors of the economy, who become technically unemployed on a temporary basis due to the impact of the Coronavirus. (back to the top) Brazil Cash-based transfers Considered one of the fastest and most comprehensive responses in the world to the Covid-19 crisis, the Auxilio Emergencial (AE1) started in April 2020 with five installments of R$600.00 to beneficiaries of the conditional cash transfer program Bolsa Família (PBF), individuals over 18 years of age in the single registry (Cadastro Unico) and self-employed or informal workers who were not in the single registry but impacted by Covid (could apply to the program via a cell phone application). Beneficiaries in the BFP were automatically enrolled while individuals in the single registry as well as informal or self-employed were evaluated based on different eligibility criteria (declared income etc). This gave rise to a new social registry called ExtraCad. The limit of two benefits per family was established. In single-parent family arrangements headed by women, the amount of aid was R$1,200.00, and it could reach R$1,800.00 if this arrangement had a second eligible member. A new extension was carried out in September 2020 which authorized the payment of residual installments (AE2) until the month of December 2020. AE2 introduced a monthly reassessment of the eligibility condition and reduced the reference value of the benefit by 50%. The number of direct Social beneficiaries dropped to 56.8 million individuals. Cash transfers Assistance (conditional and unconditional) After three months of interruption (between January and March 2021), given the persistence of Covid-19 and the deterioration of socioeconomic conditions in Brazil, AE was resumed in April 2021 (AE3). The value of the installments was further reduced, and more restrictive eligibility criteria were implemented which resulted in a coverage of 39.4 million direct beneficiaries. AE 2021 established the limit of only one beneficiary per family, which, in practice, implied changing the program's reference unit, which until then was the individual, to the family. In order to face the COVID-19 pandemic, 4 measures were adopted that affect the BPC: i) the possibility of discounting social benefits of up to 1 minimum wage from the per capita family income calculation to access the BPC; ii) the relaxation of the family income limit per capita from one quarter to half a MW, depending on the assessment of additional vulnerability criteria; iii) the possibility of early withdrawal, in the amount of BRL 600, for applicants who have not yet had their requests analyzed by the INSS; and iv) the maintenance of the benefit payment for those not enrolled in the Single Registry, reversing measures to suspend benefits for this group. The anticipation of payments of BPC were made on March 19th, 2020, and will remain active until December 31st, at least. It is paid for up to 3 months. Impact of R$ 5 billion (US$ 1 billion). (March 2020) The government allocated BRL 3 billion for the Bolsa Familia program to add 1.2 million families (2.8 million individuals) and vertically expanding Bolsa Familia program in March 2020. (October 2020) The WB is supporting the GoB to keep the new beneficiaries. The proposed project, for US$1 billion, would finance CCTs for a minimum of 1.2 million families living in poverty added to the BF in response to the crisis. This group comprises a minimum of 2.9 million people who were eligible for the program before the pandemic but had not yet been enrolled due to budget limitations of the program. The BF is executed by the MoC. Financing will last 23 months through 2022 to ensure that the program’s countercyclical expansion lasts during the economic recovery. The 13th salary for retirees, salary bonus allowances and benefits for people with disabilities as well Social pensions as sickness benefits was anticipated, involving a planned budget of R$ 46 billion, or US$ 9.2 billion. In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others A law allowing mayors to use FNDE (Federal fund for school feeding) resources to purchase and distribute food baskets to students was signed on April 7th 2020. In advance of the signing of the School feeding law, mayors and governors began distributing food baskets or topping up Bolsa Familia with the value of the school meal or more. Valid during school suspension period. Public works The term of payroll credit loans was extended to 84 months and the maximum interest was reduced. Furthermore, debt collection was suspended, and the terms were easier to renegotiate. Postponement of real estate financing payment of installments, for three months, benefiting 800 thousand families Debt collection suspension and easier conditions for debt renegotiation by the Attorney General's Utility waivers Office. The Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) suspended energy supply cuts due to non-payment for 90 days. The low-income population registered for lower tariffs (the Social Tarriff program) with Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) was not subjected to the periodic checks for three months, and therefore did not lose the benefit. Workers with Covid-19: the government will pay for the first 15 days of leave of that sick in relation Social Paid sick leave to the virus. Insurance Health insurance The government is allowing the possibility of withdrawal from the FGTS for formal workers (21,500 million Brazilian reals or US$4 billion); an advance of the salary payment for formal workers (12.8 billion Brazilian reals or US$2.5 billion); and an advance of the end of year payment (thirteenth month) for pensioners (23 billion Brazilian reals or US$4.5 billion). Anticipated payments for pensioners (13th salary of INSS pensioners). The payment of the 13th salary of INSS retirees, usually paid in the end of the year, was paid in 2 installments in 2020. Pensions “Portaria Normativa No 30” suspends any payment blockades of pensions for retired military for 120 days. "Portaria No. 373" lifts for 120 days a series of limitations to pension payment, such as proof of life. This measure helps avoid exposure of the elderly to the virus, while guaranteeing a source of income. "Portaria No. 244" of 17/06/2020 simplifies proof of life procedures to over 700 thousand beneficiaries of INSS. New technologies such as life proof using bio-metrics on mobile apps and self- service banking terminals are now allowed. "Portaria No. 680" of 18/06/2020 extended the interruptions to the routines for updating and maintaining benefits administered by the INSS for another 60 days. As a result, benefits will not be denied to those who are unable to authenticate and present documents in person, since direct service at branches was suspended in March this year. The introduction of the program “Beneficio Emergencial de Manutenção do Emprego e Renda” did not affect the unemployment insurance value of workers. Unemployment benefits The government implemented an anticipation of 25% of the unemployment insurance amount for those who earn up to two minimum wages and have wages reduced. This involved a planned budget of R$ 10 billion (US$ 2 billion). Postponement of Social Security Contributions, PIS/PASEP, Cofins and FGTS (FGTS payments for March – May 2020 were collected from July 2020 onwards). Reduction of 50% of “Sistema S” contributions for 3 months (R$ 2.2 billion, or US$ 0.4 billion). Social security contributions Deferral payment term for 4 months (impact of R$ 30 billion, or US$ 6 billion). Advanced withdraw of FGTS (unemployment savings account) up to 1 MW. [March 2020] Relaxing or suspending eligibility criteria or conditionalities by allowing companies to rehire employees before the 90 days period. Labor [Extension - April 2021] Relaunched through Provisional Measure 1046 for 120 days. Activation measures Markets [Extension - June 2021] Through the Act of the President of the Board of National Congress No. 42 of 2021, it was extended for 60 days. [March 2020] Through the Provisional Measure No. 927, 2020, the government allowed employers to inform employees about the anticipation of their vacation at least forty-eight hours in advance. Employers were also allowed to suspend vacations or unpaid leave of health professionals or those who perform essential functions. [Extension - April 2021] Relaunched through Provisional Measure 1046 for 120 days. [Extension - June 2021] Through the Act of the President of the Board of National Congress No. 42 of 2021, it was extended for 60 days. [March 2020] Through the Provisional Measure No. 927, 2020, the government allowed employers to choose to make the payment of the additional one-third vacation after granting employees’ holidays during the COVID-19 pandemic. In case employees preferred to convert a third of their vacation into a cash bonus, the government determined that this had to be done in agreement with employers. In the event of the employee's dismissal, the government stated that employers must pay the amount of paid vacations, together with the payment of severance pay. [Extension - April 2021] Relaunched through Provisional Measure 1046 for 120 days. [Extension - June 2021] Through the Act of the President of the Board of National Congress No. 42 of 2021, it was extended for 60 days. [March 2020] Through the Provisional Measure No. 927, 2020, the government allowed employers to grant, at its discretion, collective vacations and must notify the group of employees affected at least forty-eight hours in advance, the maximum annual period limit and the minimum number of calendar days provided for in the Consolidation of Labor Laws, approved by Decree-Law No. 5,452, of 1943. [Extension - April 2021] Relaunched through Provisional Measure 1046 for 120 days. [Extension - June 2021] Through the Act of the President of the Board of National Congress No 42. of 2021, it was extended for 60 days. [March 2020] Through the Provisional Measure No. 927, 2020, the government suspended: - the administrative requirement of medical examinations connected to employment, except for dismissal examinations. - periodic and occasional trainings of employees, to allow for safety and health at the workplace. - the maintenance of the internal accident prevention commissions, although electoral processes in progress were suspended. [Extension - April 2021] Relaunched through Provisional Measure 1046 for 120 days. [Extension - June 2021] Through the Act of the President of the Board of National Congress No. 42 of 2021, it was extended for 60 days. [March 2020] Through the Provisional Measure No. 927, 2020, the government allowed the suspension of employment contracts for a period of up to four months, including the possibility of employers granting monthly compensatory aid to employees, without a salary nature. The amount of this would be defined in agreement between employees and employers, through individual negotiation. [Extension - April 2021] Relaunched through Provisional Measure 1046 for 120 days. [Extension - June 2021] Through the Act of the President of the Board of National Congress No. 42 of 2021, it was extended for 60 days. Through the Constitutional Amendment No. 106, the government simplified the personnel hiring processes, on a temporary and emergency basis. Through the SEPRT/MS Joint Ordinance No. 20, the government introduced measures aiming at the prevention, control and mitigation of transmission risks of COVID-19 in work environments (general guidelines). Through the Uncomplicated Labor Program, the government guaranteed more safety and health for workers, enabling an effective reduction in the number of occupational accidents with more risk management in a customized way and less plastering and bureaucracy. Specific guidelines were developed for the areas of civil construction; pharmacies and drugstores; meat-packing companies; gas stations; rural sector; health services; supermarkets; teleservices; domestic work and use of PFF1 masks. The government launched a free labor self-diagnostic tool service for employers who want to check if they comply with labor legislation. It has been developed, especially for small entrepreneurs. It is a self-assessment carried out by the user that enables the creation of an improvement plan for the company. The government launched the “Programa Descomplica Trabalhista” (Labor Decomplications Program) to eliminate bureaucracies and provide a more favorable business environment to create jobs and opportunities. 48 obsolete acts of the Ministry of Economy were revoked, a modernized agribusiness labor standard was signed and a simplified eSocial module shared. Overall, two thousand documents from the former Ministry of Labor were reviewed and consolidated in less than ten documents. The “Programa Descomplica Trabalhista”also included the introduction of a Simplified Digital Bookkeeping System for Social Security, Labor and Tax Liabilities - Simplified eSocial is a major advance in the productive sector. Changes to the layout simplify filling and eliminate fields that used to take unnecessary time to fill. The lighter form meets the demands of the country's productive sector, without prejudice to the maintenance of important information for the continuity of public labor and social security policies. The CPF will become the employee's only identification number, dispensing with reference to other registration numbers, such as, for example, PIS and Pasep. Requests for information already included in government bases, such as the RG number and CNH, were also excluded. Through the EPRT/MS Joint Ordinance No. 19, the government established measures aimed at the prevention, control and mitigation of the transmission risks of COVID-19 in the activities developed in the slaughter and processing industry of meat and meat products intended for human consumption and dairy products. [March 2020] Relaxing or suspending eligibility criteria or conditionalities by allowing companies to rehire employees before the 90 days period. [Extension - April 2021] Relaunched through Provisional Measure 1046 for 120 days. [Extension - June 2021] Through the Act of the President of the Board of National Congress No. 42 of 2021, it was extended for 60 days. [March 2020] Through the Provisional Measure No. 927, 2020, the government allowed employers to inform employees about the anticipation of their vacation at least forty-eight hours in advance. Employers were also allowed to suspend vacations or unpaid leave of health professionals or those who perform essential functions. [Extension - April 2021] Relaunched through Provisional Measure 1046 for 120 days. [Extension - June 2021] Through the Act of the President of the Board of National Congress No. 42 of 2021, it was extended for 60 days. Labor market regulations [March 2020] Through the Provisional Measure No. 927, 2020, the government allowed employers to choose to make the payment of the additional one-third vacation after granting employees’ holidays during the COVID-19 pandemic. In case employees preferred to convert a third of their vacation into a cash bonus, the government determined that this had to be done in agreement with employers. In the event of the employee's dismissal, the government stated that employers must pay the amount of paid vacations, together with the payment of severance pay. [Extension - April 2021] Relaunched through Provisional Measure 1046 for 120 days. [Extension - June 2021] Through the Act of the President of the Board of National Congress No. 42 of 2021, it was extended for 60 days. [March 2020] Through the Provisional Measure No. 927, 2020, the government allowed employers to grant, at its discretion, collective vacations and must notify the group of employees affected at least forty-eight hours in advance, the maximum annual period limit and the minimum number of calendar days provided for in the Consolidation of Labor Laws, approved by Decree-Law No. 5,452, of 1943. [Extension - April 2021] Relaunched through Provisional Measure 1046 for 120 days. [Extension - June 2021] Through the Act of the President of the Board of National Congress No 42. of 2021, it was extended for 60 days. [March 2020] Through the Provisional Measure No. 927, 2020, the government suspended: - the administrative requirement of medical examinations connected to employment, except for dismissal examinations. - periodic and occasional training of employees, to allow for safety and health at the workplace. - the maintenance of the internal accident prevention commissions, although electoral processes in progress were suspended. [Extension - April 2021] Relaunched through Provisional Measure 1046 for 120 days. [Extension - June 2021] Through the Act of the President of the Board of National Congress No. 42 of 2021, it was extended for 60 days. [March 2020] Through the Provisional Measure No. 927, 2020, the government allowed the suspension of employment contracts for a period of up to four months, including the possibility of employers granting monthly compensatory aid to employees, without a salary nature. The amount of this would be defined in agreement between employees and employers, through individual negotiation. [Extension - April 2021] Relaunched through Provisional Measure 1046 for 120 days. [Extension - June 2021] Through the Act of the President of the Board of National Congress No. 42 of 2021, it was extended for 60 days. Through the Constitutional Amendment No. 106, the government simplified the personnel hiring processes, on a temporary and emergency basis. Through the SEPRT/MS Joint Ordinance No. 20, the government introduced measures aiming at the prevention, control and mitigation of transmission risks of COVID-19 in work environments (general guidelines). Through the Uncomplicated Labor Program the government guaranteed more safety and health for workers, enabling an effective reduction in the number of occupational accidents with more risk management in a customized way and less plastering and bureaucracy. Specific guidelines were developed for the areas of civil construction; pharmacies and drugstores; meat-packing companies; gas stations; rural sector; health services; supermarkets; teleservices; domestic work and use of PFF1 masks. The government launched a free labor self-diagnostic tool service for employers who want to check if they comply with labor legislation. It has been developed, especially for small entrepreneurs. It is a self-assessment carried out by the user that enables the creation of an improvement plan for the company. The government launched the “Programa Descomplica Trabalhista” (Labor Decomplications Program) to eliminate bureaucracies and provide a more favorable business environment to create jobs and opportunities. 48 obsolete acts of the Ministry of Economy were revoked, a modernized agribusiness labor standard was signed and a simplified eSocial module shared. Overall, two thousand documents from the former Ministry of Labor were reviewed and consolidated in less than ten documents. The “Programa Descomplica Trabalhista”also included the introduction of a Simplified Digital Bookkeeping System for Social Security, Labor and Tax Liabilities - Simplified eSocial is a major advance in the productive sector. Changes to the layout simplify filling and eliminate fields that used to take unnecessary time to fill. The lighter form meets the demands of the country's productive sector, without prejudice to the maintenance of important information for the continuity of public labor and social security policies. The CPF will become the employee's only identification number, dispensing with reference to other registration numbers, such as, for example, PIS and Pasep. Requests for information already included in government bases, such as the RG number and CNH, were also excluded. Through the EPRT/MS Joint Ordinance No. 19, the government established measures aimed at the prevention, control and mitigation of the transmission risks of COVID-19 in the activities developed in the slaughter and processing industry of meat and meat products intended for human consumption and dairy products. [March 2020] The government, through Banco de Horas, allowed the interruption of working hours and compensate at a later stage by working up to 45 hours per week (work outs could be compensated 18 months after the COVID-19 pandemic). [Extension - April 2021] Relaunched through Provisional Measure 1046 for 120 days. [Extension - June 2021] Through the Act of the President of the Board of National Congress No. 42 of 2021, it was extended for 60 days. Reduced work time [March 2020] Through the Provisional Measure No. 927, 2020, the government allowed employers to change the face-to-face work regime for teleworking, remote work or other type of distance work and determine the return to the face-to-face work regime, regardless of the existence of individual or collective agreements, waived prior registration of the change in the individual employment contract. [Extension - April 2021] Relaunched through Provisional Measure 1046 for 120 days. [Extension - June 2021] Through the Act of the President of the Board of National Congress No. 42 of 2021, it was extended for 60 days. [August 2020] Entities qualified in methodical technical-professional training together with establishments complying with the apprenticeship quota must ensure that apprentices have access to the necessary and adequate technological equipment and infrastructure for the execution of theoretical and practical activities of the apprenticeship programs in the distance mode. Wage subsidies (back to the top) British Virgin Islands (UK) Cash-based transfers Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) Social pensions In-kind transfers Assistance with food supplies delivered to over 800 families’ homes during the 24h curfew period, Social jointly organized by the Social Development Department, BVI Red Cross and the Family Support Assistance Network. It prioritized the needs of the most vulnerable, including the elderly, people with chronic Food, vouchers, others illnesses and with children first, then the unemployed or those with reduced incomes. Items included in each package were basic and essential products, such as flour, rice, beans, water and fruits and vegetables. School feeding Public works (March 2020) Water and Sewerage customers across the territory have been given a month’s Utility waivers suspension in payment of their water charges. Paid sick leave Health insurance Pensions [June 2020] As part of the government's $62.9 million stimulus package, $10 million were allocated to the Covid-19 Unemployment Relief Fund, which supported residents affected by the pandemic Social for a period of up to three months. Compensation was on a case-by-case basis, and individuals had Insurance to provide the relevant information on how they were affected by the pandemic. The SSB Unemployment benefits administered and monitored the initiative. Those who applied must have paid at least 13 out of 20 weeks of SSB contributions before March 30th, 2020; be financially impacted by Covid-19; and be actively seeking employment. The benefit was calculated at a rate of 50 percent of insurable earnings up to a maximum of $1,000 and a minimum of $500 a month. Social security contributions Labor Activation measures Markets Labor market regulations Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Brunei Darussalam Cash-based transfers On 13 April 2020, Brunei Darussalam announced a monthly special allowance of B$400 (Four Hundred Dollars), specifically for doctors, nurses, paramedics, ambulance drivers, volunteers, Cash transfers hospital cleaners, security guards and all staff under the Ministry of Health, especially those working (conditional and unconditional) at the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital, National Isolation Centre in Tutong and quarantine centers. This monthly allowance started in March 2020 and will be extended until the eradication of COVID-19 in Brunei Darussalam. Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others Social School feeding Assistance Public works On April 1, 2020, Brunei Darussalam government announced provision of deferment of the principal amount or financing for real estate, restructuring the outstanding credit card balance to loans for a period of not more than three years for individuals affected in the private sector only including the self-employed. Individuals may apply for Suspension and Restructuring at their banks or financial institutions between April 1 and December 30, 2020. Utility waivers On April 1, 2020, Brunei Darussalam government announced restructuring and deferring principal amounts on personal loans and hire purchase facilities such as car loans or financing for not more than 10 years. Individuals may apply for Suspension and Restructuring at their banks or financial institutions between April 1 and December 30, 2020. Paid sick leave Health insurance To avoid crowds, delivery of the Service Pension and the Descendant’s Pension were made using Social drive through. Insurance Pensions The Old Age Pension could also be delivered via bank transfer in addition to the previous method via Penghulu and Village Heads. Unemployment benefits [April 2020] The government introduced fiscal measures, which included the deferment of payments on Employees Trust Fund (TAP) and Supplementary Contributory Pension (SCP) contributions for Social security contributions local employees earning less than $1,500 per month working in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with less than 100 employees. [March 2020] Companies were encouraged to support the upskilling and reskilling of their staff with the help of the trainings provided by the Manpower Planning and Employment Council (MPEC). Activation measures [March 2020] The government announced the revamping of the Job Centre Brunei (JCB) website and planned to include job matching, real-time notifications for job matches, and talent profiles for Labor companies. Markets Labor market regulations Reduced work time [April 2020] The government introduced a wage subsidy of 25 percent for Bruneian employees Wage subsidies working in MSMEs with less than 100 employees. (back to the top) Bulgaria Cash-based transfers The Ministry of Labor and Social Policy is introducing a one-off cash transfer of BGN 375 (EUR 192) to parents of children under 12 who are on unpaid leave for at least 20 days due to inability to work from home during the state of emergency. The government decided to expand the coverage to parents of children up to 14 years as well as families in which one or both parents have lost their jobs but were not entitled to unemployment benefits. It was also granted to foster families and families of relatives, in which the child is placed under the Child Protection Act. The Government introduced a targeted monthly allowance of BGN 610 for families with children under 14 who study online from home and if the income per family member is equal to or less than 150 per cent of the minimum wage. 35,700 families with children under 14-years have received targeted cash assistance until end January 2021 for a total amount of BGN 30 million. The average assistance per family was BGN 900. The allocation of BGN 73 million is provided for targeted assistance to families with children in 2021. Social Support of personnel on the frontline of the fight with COVID-19, involving a total budget of BGN Cash transfers 192 million Assistance (conditional and unconditional) Parental support package of BGN (180 mn) The disability certificates that are due for renewal will be renewed automatically during the period of emergency and 2 months after that, thereby allowing access to the disability pension. Freelance artists will be entitled to one minimum wage, together with social security contributions, for the period of emergency plus one month thereafter - that is, for 3 months. The money will be donated through the Culture Fund and will be applied for online and by mail. Acceptance of applications and then disbursements should start by April 15th, 2020. Artists who had monthly incomes of less than BGN 1,000 (€500) last year could benefit from the support. The measure will cost BGN 2,7 million (€1,35 million) to the budget of the Ministry of Culture. Agricultural producers were provided support, involving an initial total budget of BGN 85 million. Starting in May 2021, COVID-related aid for agriculture was offered for the second consecutive year, approving up to 7000 euros (about $8500) for each applicant. The support hinged on specific conditions set by the Ministry of Agriculture, including a condition that applicants must have applied for subsidies in 2019 and 2020, unless they're beekeepers or beneficiaries of a valid contract under the Rural Development 2014-2020. Expenditures for household support including bonuses to pensions and minimum pension increase (BGN 1322 mn) Social pensions The disability certificates that are due for renewal will be renewed automatically during the period of emergency and 2 months after that, thereby allowing access to the disability pension. In-kind transfers More than 30,000 hygiene kits containing personal protective equipment, as well as 2,500 activity kits for socially disadvantaged children, have been provided as part of the “Do it for the ones you love” COVID-prevention campaign as of January 6th, 2021. The coverage and scope of in-kind support for the elderly, people with disabilities, and people living under the poverty line was expanded. This included the provision of individual food packages by the Bulgarian Red Cross to an additional 41,000 beneficiaries. The coverage and scope of in-kind support for the elderly, people with disabilities, and people living under the poverty line was expanded. This included the provision of hot meals through municipalities to 50,000 additional recipients. Expanding the coverage and scope of in-kind support for the elderly, people with disabilities, and Food, vouchers, others people living under the poverty line. This included: - provision of individual food packages by the Bulgarian Red Cross to an additional 41,000 beneficiaries - provision of hot meals through municipalities to 50,000 additional recipients. The Ministry of Labor and Social Policy reallocated BGN 45 million (US$ 24.8 million) under Operational Program Human Resources Development for expanding the coverage and scope of the home visiting services provided to elderly people and other vulnerable groups (people with disabilities), including the delivery of food and medicines. The services are provided by the municipalities. The Bulgarian Red Cross continued its other work supporting some of the most vulnerable groups in society at the beginning of 2021. Among the projects undertaken is the Hot Meal Program, through which 1,473 children from socially disadvantaged families received free meals in the winter months and the distribution of food packages to 470,000 socially disadvantaged citizens under the Operational Program for Food and/or Basic Material Assistance. The European Commission announced on May 12th, 2021 that it has approved the modification of operational program under the REACT-EU funding initiative to provide additional funding to Bulgaria to help tackle the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Bulgarian program for the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) will receive an extra 19.9 million euro in 2021 to provide daily warm meals to 50,000 people from vulnerable groups living in poverty. This is the first amendment of a FEAD operational program under REACT-EU, the Commission said in a statement. Over 420,000 children and students from more than 3,200 schools received their products under the food schemes "School fruit" and "School milk" in their homes. Fruit and dairy products were School feeding delivered to schools and after that were distributed to families through the home visiting services of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy. The measure was valid for the entire period of the emergency situation and deliveries were made on a weekly basis Over 169,000 citizens will receive better services and nearly 2,000 employees will receive better working conditions by improving the public environment and social infrastructure of 53 buildings approved for funding in 2021 under the Beautiful Bulgaria public works project of the Ministry of Public works Labor and Social Policy. The total value of the approved projects is BGN 11.9 million. The funds will be used to renovate and repair buildings in the field of education, administrative services, culture, healthcare, social services and sports activities. More than 625 people will be employed during this implementation, of which at least 235 will be registered as unemployed at the labor offices. The Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB) provided guarantee to commercial banks for the loans granted by them to individuals and legal entities. Individuals were granted Interest-free bank loans up to BGN 1,500 per month for a period of three months. On July 20th, 2021, the BDB said it would extend the application deadlines under its interest-free loan guarantee programme for individuals temporarily unemployed due to the pandemic. Individuals will be able to apply for interest-free loans until August 31st, 2021 or until the guarantee limits for financing by partner commercial banks are exhausted. Utility waivers The Ministry of Energy introduced a deferral for the payment of utility bills for electricity for up to 30 days. At the same time the possibility for each client to negotiate and reschedule the amounts due for electricity is preserved. The key fiscal policy responses cumulative for 2020 and planned for 2021 include: (i) tax relief for households with children with disabilities (BGN 143 mn) (ii) reduced VAT rate of 9 percent for restaurant services, books, baby food, wine, beer, tour operators and tourist trips, gyms and sports facilities and food delivery until end-2021 (BGN 343 mn) and (iii) additional financing of medical activities (BGN 748 mn) The government will allocate BGN 200 million (USD 110 million) to the Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB) for guaranteeing non-interest consumer loans up to BGN 1500 (USD 829) for all workers who are on unpaid leave due to the state of emergency. On 10 April 2020 the Bulgarian National Bank announced the long-awaited rules for deferral and settlement of credit obligations of individuals and legal entities towards banks and their subsidiaries in relation to the state of emergency declared on 13 March 2020 in Bulgaria. Deferral of payments under bank loans for a period of up to six months, but no later than 31 December 2020. Subject to deferring may be all amounts due, or the principal only. The scope of the Moratoria covers the widest possible range of borrowers, both individuals and legal entities. A discount of 5% was granted to persons who have paid the real estate tax or the vehicle tax for the whole 2020 up to 30 June 2020. The Act did not contain specific provisions regarding the payment of the garbage collection fees for 2020. The government will provide for an increase in tax incentives for families with children in 2021. The following amounts are increased for 2021 as follows: BGN 4,500 in case of one child (i.e. BGN 450 tax savings per year), BGN 9,000 in case of two children (i.e. BGN 900 tax savings per year), and BGN 13,500 in case of three and more children (i.e. BGN 1,350 tax savings per year). "Access to paid leave During the state of emergency: The employer is obliged to allow the use of paid annual leave or unpaid leave at the request of: An employee who is under 18 years of age; An employee with a permanent disability of 50 and more than 50 percent; An employee with the right to protection upon dismissal (employed or suffering from tuberculosis, Social diabetes, ischemic disease, cancer, mental and occupational disease). Paid sick leave Insurance • The employer has the right to grant paid annual leave to the worker and the employee without his or her consent when the work of the enterprise, part of it, or of individual workers or employees is suspended. The employer may, at its sole discretion, provide to workers or employees half of the annual paid leave, if there is no suspension of the work of the enterprise." "Access to paid leave During the state of emergency: The employer is obliged to allow the use of paid annual leave or unpaid leave at the request of: A pregnant employee, as well as an employee in an advanced stage of in vitro treatment. Mother or adoptive mother of a child under the age of 12 or a disabled child, regardless of its age; An employee who is a single father or adoptive father of a child under the age of 12 or a disabled child, regardless of its age; " Health insurance All medical certificates determining the degree of lost working capacity (the validity of these documents for people below standard retirement age is between 1 and 3 years; working capacity of people above standard retirement age doesn’t need to be reassessed) which expire during the period of the state of emergency and have to be renewed, were automatically renewed for the whole period of the state of emergency + 2 months after that. Approximately 75,000 disability pensioners benefited from that measure Pensions All pensions of working pensioners will be recalculated officially as of April 1st 2020 on the basis of the data in the administrative registers. Pensioners are not required to submit any documents and to contact the NSSI’s staff, in order to limit the number of visitors of the NSSI’s. Approximately 258,000 pensioners will benefit from that measure Increase in pensions with 50 leva a month for a period of three consecutive months. (318 million leva) Unemployment benefit claims shall be submitted by the claimants through the local employment offices at the same time when they get registered as jobseekers. National Employment Agency (a structure to the Minister of Labour and Social Policy) will inform NSSI through the means of electronic data exchange about the submitted claims. The government increased unemployment benefits and other social support, involving a total budget of BGN 297 million. Unemployment benefits [June 2020] 'Employment for you': subsidised employment for hiring unemployed. Unemployed persons can be employed on a full-time or part-time contract for a period of up to three months, during which they will receive funds in the amount of the minimum wage and social security contributions at the expense of the employer. [Extension - October 2021] The Employment Agency has upgraded its webpage information concerning the measure. Currently the total budget allocated to the measure is BGN 210 million (€107 million). At least 45,000 unemployed are expected to be supported through the measure. The duration of the measure has also been extended until 31 Dec 2022. Furthermore the contract period is prolonged to up to 6 months with the obligation for employers to keep 75% of the employed workers for a further period equivalent to half of the period of subsidized employment. [April 2020] A new opportunity for registered unemployed individuals to sign temporary labour contracts with agriculture producers without losing their unemployment benefits has been approved by the Bulgarian government. The new amendment gives a legal right to an unemployed person to receive unemployment benefits from the state and at the same time work at a rural stop and take a salary from there. [October 2020] The minimum unemployment benefit will increase from BGN 9 to BGN 12 from October 1 for a period of 4 months. The measure is expected to affect between 30,000 and 33,000 people. The necessary funds are BGN 12 million for this measure. Coverage of 60% of the social security income for January 2020 and of social contributions payable by the employers for workers and employees in affected sectors that would have been otherwise laid off; Social security contributions Enforcement proceedings under the Tax and Social Security Procedures Code will not be initiated except in special cases to which this prohibition does not apply (no prohibition is provided for the imposition of preliminary security measures in the course of tax control proceedings and for securing evidence in fiscal control). Activation measures Provisions allowing employers to hire workers who are on unpaid leave from other companies without the authorization of the first employer unless there is an explicit prohibition in the main labor contract of the worker. There are no restrictions on the time that employees can work under the second employment contract while on unpaid leave. The only requirement is for the second employer to ensure observance of daily and weekly rest periods Labor Labor market regulations Additional remunerations in the ministries of health, interior, and defense, the Social Assistance Markets Agency, the Employment Agency and the General Labour Inspectorate, involving a total budget of BGN 237 million Doctors and nurses working in the frontline received an additional payment of BGN 1000 a month (USD 566). All employers are obligated to introduce remote work. Where it is not possible due to the nature and Reduced work time specifics of the work performed, employers are obliged to implement all anti-epidemic measures. [March 2020] On March 23rd 2020, the National Assembly adopted an Emergency Measures and Actions Act. Unemployment Fund paid 60% of the income of the employees from sectors most heavily influenced by the COVID-19 crisis for up to three months. The Council of Ministers have adopted the criteria and procedures according to which employers were able to receive support. This measure involved a total budget of BGN 1,019 million. [Extension - July 2020] The 60/40 wage subsidy program allows Bulgarian authorities to finance 60% of the wage costs (including the employers' social security contributions) of businesses that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, would otherwise lay off workers. The relief generally is available for businesses in sectors that have been most affected by the health crisis including retail, tourism, passenger transport, culture, sports activities, amusement and recreation activities, and others. The 60/40 wage subsidy was scheduled to expire 1 July 2020, but has been extended by a Council of Ministers’ Decree No. 151 (3 July 2020). The payment of funds under the new decree will commence once the European Commission issues a resolution stating that the extension is compatible with EU Wage subsidies rules. [Extension -October 2020] Bulgaria has extended the 60/40 wage subsidy—a response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic—through 31 December 2020. [Extension- January 2021] The Council of Ministers adopted amendments to the “60/40 wage subsidy”—a response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic—concerning the conditions and procedures for paying funds to employers for the purpose of maintaining employment. [Extension- October 2021] The amendments were published in the official gazette (No. 85 dated 12 October 2021) and are effective retroactively as of 1 August 2021. The funding of employers under the 60/40 mechanism will continue for the period from 1 August through 31 December 2021 (provided that the European Commission resolves to extend the term of the temporary framework for state aid measures to support the economy in the current COVID-19 pandemic for the period following 31 December 2021). (back to the top) Burkina Faso Cash-based transfers Cash transfers to informal sector workers (fruits and vegetable sellers). Total cost of US$10 million (5 billion CFA) to help the fruits and vegetable informal retailers affected by the situation, particularly women. Around 2.85 billion CFA francs will be paid to 43,000 direct beneficiaries, or 301,000 indirect beneficiaries in the cities of Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso (on average 7 people per household). This comes as part of the emergency cash transfer operation for the benefit of poor and vulnerable people affected by COVID-19. This initiative, which is part of Component 5 “Intervention and possible emergency component” of the World Bank-funded “Burkin naong saya” Social Safety Net Project, was officially launched on Tuesday, May 26th, 2020, in Ouagadougou. Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) This project applies a rigorous and fair method to identify the poorest, pays them regular cash transfers during three years and accompanies them through social work to improve their access to health, good nutrition and education. The project has recently included enhancements to reach the refugees and host population of the Sahel, through public works, intensified accompanying measures Social to prevent GBV, child marriage and forced labor and radio based primary schooling in areas where Assistance schools had to close under terrorist threats. For 3 years as of August 2021, the ministry in charge of women, in its policy of removing women carrying children from the streets, has been providing support to those who have joined the program. This support consists of food products and development funds that will allow these women to engage in entrepreneurship in Burkina Faso. Social pensions In-kind transfers In-kind transfers to market vendors. This aimed at the most vulnerable people of the markets that have been closed due to the outbreak. Food, vouchers, others 2 million people will benefit from government support to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. This support will be through a distribution of food and a financial contribution called cash transfer. School feeding Public works Price controls for staple foods. Type of food included in this measure are cereals ( rice, millets, sorghum, maize, beans) and others food items (sugar, oil) but also gasoline and cooking gas To promote the use of electronic payment tools the Western Africa Central Bank (BCEAO) is providing more flexible measures to open a mobile money and making transfers between people backed by the electronic money free Utility waivers Postponement of the vehicle tax payment deadline to the end of June 2020 Several utilities support including: subsidies for water bills and water points, subsidies for electricity bills (100% for certain types of connections, 50% for others), removal of penalties on water and electricity bills, reduction of costs of solar panel kits by 50% for poor households, and finally, subsidies on water and electricity costs for market vendors. Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits From April to June 2020, the exemption from the contribution of micro-enterprises in the informal Social security contributions sector; Activation measures From April to June 2020, the suspension of on-site control operations except for proven cases of Labor market regulations Labor fraud. Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Burundi Cash-based transfers A horizontal extension had been planned to target 80,000 more households. The potential beneficiaries had been registered, but the funds was not available and the extension has been cancelled. Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) The beneficiaries of the national safety net project received 2 Tribert earlier than scheduled in 2020 to respect restrictions measures and social distance and to help them face with some probable shortages. Social Assistance Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding has been suspended for a short period, and no alternative measures have been set School feeding up. Public works The government reduced the price at public water fountains in all of Burundi (rural and urban) by Utility waivers 50%. Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor Reduced work time Markets Subsidies were planned to help pay salaries in some sectors and avoid massive layoffs. Salaries for Wage subsidies suspended services, such as those provided at the Melchior Ndadaye International Airport, were subsidized with government support. (back to the top) Cabo Verde Cash-based transfers (December 2020) In response to COVID, the GoC announced extra support to the Social Income for Inclusion Program (RSI) by increasing coverage of the ERSI in response to COVID-19, supporting an approximate additional (new) 20,000 households for a period of six months. As of October 2021, a total of 21,048 emergency cash transfer beneficiary households received cash transfers (April 2020) Support for workers in micro and small enterprises and self-employed in the informal sector, including sellers of informal commerce and municipal markets. These workers were Cash transfers guaranteed a value of 10,000 escudos (US$100) for one month. The government expected to reach (conditional and unconditional) 30,000 workers. Benefit was deposited through bank transfers by INPS for REMPE workers. The Ministry of Family and Social Inclusion / Treasury deposited the transfers for non-REMPE workers, to whom vulnerability prioritization criteria applied. Enrollment in the Single Social Register was considered as a first and mandatory condition for obtaining these benefits. (May 2020) UNICEF supported 1,000 families in vulnerable situations with the Emerging Inclusion Income (Cash transfer). Social The Government of Cape Verde is going to extend the Social Pension to all elderly people in a Social pensions Assistance vulnerable situation and who do not have access to the Contributory Social Security scheme. In-kind transfers (March 2020) Immediate Food Assistance to 22,500 families, totaling around 90,000 people, whose income is below the minimum wage or without any source of income. It represents an investment of Food, vouchers, others 21 thousand Contos. This assistance covered around 30,000 vulnerable children. School feeding Public works (March 2020) Individuals and entrepreneurs whose incomes had been negatively affected by the pandemic and who had active loans with commercial banks could apply for a moratorium on their monthly payments for a period of up to 3 months. The application and administration process were handled by individual banks. Utility waivers (April 2020) Home care service to be provided for the elderly and the dependent who live in isolation; for this purpose, social workers, caregivers and volunteers should be recruited; the program aims to guarantee social protection for the elderly, the recruited caregivers should assist the elderly in carrying out their daily tasks (specifically for individuals without family network, with low income and in a situation of light and moderate dependence) Extraordinary subsidy to prophylactic isolation of 14 days, paid at 70% of the reference Paid sick leave remuneration/salary (warranty period of 60 days) Health insurance Pensions Unemployment conditions to have access to the benefit were simplified to facilitate access: Exceptional measures for unemployment subsidy - reduction of the warranty period; formalities of Social an inscription in the CEFP removed; and application of age constraints removed. Insurance Unemployment benefits Reduction of the guarantee period in the period considered for the purpose of awarding unemployment benefit from 180 to 60 days in the period from 1 April to 30 June, at the date of filing the application. In the above period, the age of the insured is not taken into account for the purpose of awarding unemployment benefit. [April 2020] The government decided to exempt companies from paying contributions to Pension Social security contributions Fund for the three months of April, May, and June 2020. Activation measures Labor market regulations Reduced work time Labor [March 2020] The Prime Minister announced that workers whose contracts are suspended due to Markets COVID-19 will be entitled to a subsidy of 70% of the gross salary (35% paid by the National Institute of Social Security (INPS), and 35% by the employer). This policy was in effect until December 31, Wage subsidies 2020. It was later re-introduced in January 2021, with the adjustment of lowering employers' contribution from 35% to 25%. This policy was later extended 5 times, and should end in December 31, 2021. (back to the top) Cambodia Cash-based transfers On 29 June 2021, the government of Cambodia announced to continue to provide cash assistance to nearly 700,000 poor and vulnerable households from July to September 2021. Since June 2020, the program was extended 5 times and the government has disbursed over US$320 million in financial aid, benefiting 2.7 million people. The cash transfers is targeted at households identified using the IDPoor database. According to the program documents, rural IDPoor households will get 80,000 riels (i.e., around $20) for each family, with each family member of “very poor” families getting $6, who are classified IDPoor1. For IDPoor households on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, a family will get around $30, with each family member of IDPoor1 families given an additional $10. In Phnom Penh, families will receive $30, with IDPoor1 family members getting an additional $13 each. Similarly, children under 5, disabled people, citizens with HIV or citizens 60-years-of-age or older will receive between US$4 and US$10, also depending on the areas in which they reside. Cash transfers On 29 June 2021, the Government of Cambodia announced that the workers in the Garment, Textile (conditional and unconditional) and Footwear (GTF) industries that have been suspended from their employment will continue to Social receive financial aid of up to US$40 until the end of September 2021. This financial aid for Assistance suspended workers has been extended 5 times already since its first extension announced as part of the 4th stimulus package on July 31, 2020. The available financial aid is distributed as follows: US$15 for 7-10 days of employment suspension. US$30 for 11-20 days of employment suspension; and US$40 for 21 days to one month of employment suspension. Workers in the GTF industries will receive an additional US$30 per month contributed by their employers besides the aforementioned financial aid. Thus, workers in the GTF industries can receive up to US$70 per month. Social pensions On 1 July 2020, it was reported that the World Food Program (WFP), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MoEYS), has been distributing food to poor households in In-kind transfers Cambodia who have been acutely impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. Some 92,787 children and 2,109 cooks from 1,113 primary schools in 10 provinces participating in the school meals program will receive 15 kg of rice each from June 29 to July 10, along with one liter of vegetable oil. The school feeding transfer is for eligible students from poor families holding IDPoor 1, IDPoor 2 or other equity cards. Food, vouchers, others School feeding On 26 May 2020, The Government of Cambodia announced to implement cash-for-work program to provide short-term employment opportunities with income to meet the daily needs of nearly 1 million people who have lost their jobs and returned to their homeland (both inside and outside the country) as well as people living in the communities. The scheme will also improve community infrastructure: supporting the development and increased productivity for the agricultural and rural economy. It has been expanded to 18 targeted provinces and will operate until 2022. For 2020, the government has decided to increase the budget for the project from nearly USD 38 million to approximately USD 100 million. Public works On 20 October 2020, the Embassy of Sweden announced a COVID-19 response package of SEK 4,300,000 (or 500,000 USD) to financially support rural communities through tree planting activities. The initiative aims to engage over 1,600 rural households in Pursat and Siem Reap provinces to plant local trees, establish nurseries, and participate in other conservation activities across the country and this project is expected to run until June 2021. Across Cambodia, tens of thousands of people have lost their jobs and over 100,000 migrant Cambodians have returned from neighboring countries to their hometowns in rural areas. For some, the search for money and food is becoming desperate. As a coping livelihood strategy during the crisis, an increasing number of people enter the forests to cut trees, hunt animals, and fish, causing additional pressure on already fragile ecosystems Utility waivers Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits (April 2020) Suspension of monthly contributions to National Social Security Fund for enterprises in Social security contributions the garment and tourism sectors. [April 2020] On April 2, the Government announced the allocation of USD 64 million for wage Labor subsidies and skill training program for suspended workers/employees in the garments and tourism Activation measures Markets industries. The Minister of Labor and Vocational Training Ith Sam Heng said more than 6, 000 workers who were suspended or lost their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic had now attended a four-month special training course. Labor market regulations Reduced work time [April 2020] On April 2, the Government announced the allocation of USD 64 million for wage subsidies and skill training program for suspended workers/employees in the garments and tourism industries. The government announced a measure to assist minimum wage workers employed in the tourism sector amid COVID-19 fears. This involved paying 20 percent of the workers’ minimum wages of those suspended from their jobs at hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and travel agencies. Wage subsidies [Extended - October 2020] On October 28, the Government announced the extension of the wage subsidy program until the end of December 2020. Garment workers will receive USD 70 per month with the Government paying USD 40 and employers paying USD 30. Tourism workers will also receive USD 40; however, the employer's contribution is voluntary. [Extended - December 2020] On December 24, the Government announced the extension of the wage subsidy program until the end of March 2021, with the same benefits. (back to the top) Cameroon Cash-based transfers The government implemented an increase in family allowance from CFAF 2,800 to CFAF 4,500. (May 2020) The Government of Cameroon announced that it will continue to support the Allocations Familiales (AF) program from May to July 2020 for the staff of companies who cannot pay social contributions or who were put on technical leave due to the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, this administrative change will impact those working in the catering, hotel, transport industries. The GoC also announced and implemented an increase in the Cash transfers Family Allowance (AF) transfer amount from CFAF 2,800 to CFAF 4,500. (conditional and unconditional) The government designed and planned for the provision of a 3-month period cash transfer (Transfer Monetaires Urgence-Covid 19), targeted to the most vulnerable population living in poverty. (July 2020) Under its socio-economic response plan to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19, the GoC will increase spending on its social safety nets program "Filets Sociaux". An additional financing for the project provided by the World Bank, GoC, and AFD aims to increase the program coverage by Social 60,500 households. Many of these families were impacted by the COVID-19 economic crisis. Assistance Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School teachers are working with the WFP to provide vulnerable children with critical dry ration such as rice, pulses, salt and vegetable oil under its school feeding program. Teachers ensure that School feeding everyone washes their hands at the entry point at the dry ration distribution point. This is the first time schools are providing dry ration. Usually during the pre-covid-19 days, schools provided cooked meals to students. In Cameroon, WFP is supporting over 52,300 primary school children through its school feeding program. Public works On March 20th, 2020, MTN Cameroon announced the payment suspension of fees on money transfers between MTN Mobile Money accounts. This measure, which concerned money transfers of Utility waivers up to 20,000 FCFA, was limited to 3 transactions per day, per account, and was valid for a period of 30 days. The aim of this policy was to reduce the use of cash as much as possible, favoring distance payments. Paid sick leave Health insurance The government introduced a 20% increase in pensions for those that did not benefit from the Pensions revaluation following the 2016 reform. The first payment began by the end of May 2020. Unemployment benefits Social Rearranging the payment of the social security contributions for the second quarter over three Insurance instalments and cancellation of late fees. [April 2020] Rearranging the payment of the debt of social security contributions over April, May Social security contributions and June 2020, on justified request. [April 2020] Cancellation of penalties for late payment of social contributions due to the CNPS, on justified request Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Canada Cash-based transfers Launched on Monday April 6, 2020, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) provides $2,000 every four weeks to Canadians who’ve lost their income because of the economic repercussions of the pandemic or because they are sick with COVID-19, quarantined, looking after someone who is sick or caring for their children who are home from school. CERB gives financial support to employed and self-employed Canadians who are directly affected by COVID-19. Beneficiaries receive $2,000 for a 4-week period (the same as $500 a week). The Benefit is available to workers: Residing in Canada, who are at least 15 years old; Who have stopped working because of reasons related to COVID-19 or are eligible for Employment Insurance regular or sickness benefits or have exhausted their Employment Insurance regular benefits or Employment Insurance fishing benefits between December 29, 2019 and October 3, 2020; Who had employment and/or self-employment income of at least $5,000 in 2019 or in the 12 months prior to the date of their application; and, Who have not quit their job voluntarily. Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB): The CRB provides $500 per week for up to 26 weeks, to workers Social who have stopped working or had their employment/self-employment income reduced by at least Cash transfers 50% due to COVID-19 and who are not eligible for EI. The application opened in October 2020. Each Assistance (conditional and unconditional) Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) eligibility period is a specific 2-week period. When an individual applies, they will receive a $1,000 ($900 after taxes withheld) payment for the period that they applied for. The CRB does not renew automatically. An individual must apply for each period separately. One can apply for a maximum of 19 periods out of the total 26 periods available. The 19 periods do not have to be taken consecutively. The benefit ended on October 31st, 2021. The Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit provides $500 per week for up to two weeks, for workers who are sick or must self-isolate for reasons related to COVID-19 or have underlying conditions that would make them more susceptible to COVID-19 (application opens in October 2020). The Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit provides $500 per week for up to 26 weeks per household, for eligible people unable to work because they must care for a child under 12 years old or other family members requiring supervised care, who is unable to attend their school or regular care facility, due to COVID-19 (application opens in October 2020). Only one eligible individual in the same household (living as a family at the same address) can apply for the benefit per week. (July 2020) Seniors to receive up to $500 in a one-time payment to offset added costs due to COVID-19. The payment for seniors provides support through a one-time payment: $300 for seniors eligible for the Old Age Security pension, and an additional $200 for seniors eligible for the Guaranteed Income Supplement. This measure will give a total of $500 to seniors who receive both the Old Age Security pension and the Guaranteed Income Supplement and will help them cover increased costs caused by COVID-19. CESB provides emergency financial relief to students and recent graduates who are unable to work, or unable to find work, due to reasons related to COVID-19. It is also available for those who are working but not making more than $1,000 (before taxes) over the four-week period for which they are applying. Eligible students can receive $1,250 per month, plus an additional $750 per month if they have dependents or a disability for a maximum of $2,000 per month. Students are only eligible to receive one top-up of $750 per month. CESB is available for four months from May 2020 to August 2020, but students will be able to retroactively apply for this benefit until September 30, 2020. One-time increase to CCB payment in May 2020. Eligible individuals received up to $300 more per child with their CCB payment in May 2020. (March 2020) A distinctions-based Indigenous Community Support Fund (305 million CAD) was launched to address immediate needs in First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation communities. These funds could be used for measures including, but not limited to support for elders and vulnerable community members; measures to address food insecurity; educational and other support for children; mental health assistance and emergency response services; and preparedness measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Eligible wages period extension for the Wage Earner Protection Program (new as of September 11, 2020): In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the eligible wages period for the Wage Earner Protection Program (WEPP) was temporarily extended by up to 6 months. The WEPP is a Government of Canada’s program that provides financial support to workers who are owed eligible wages when their employer files for bankruptcy or becomes subject to receivership. Eligible wages include wages, vacation pay, disbursements, severance and termination. The Fish Harvester Benefit to provide income support to eligible self-employed fish harvesters and sharespersons crew who cannot access the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy. The Government of Canada is proposing to introduce legislation for the new Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit, which would provide income support to workers whose employment is interrupted by specific government-imposed public health lockdown scenarios and who are unable to work due to such restrictions. The new benefit would be: $300 a week, strictly available to workers whose work interruption is a direct result of a government-imposed public health lockdown, available until May 7, 2022, with retroactive application to October 24, 2021. Should the situation warrant it, it is accessible for the entire duration of a government-imposed public health lockdown (up until May 7, 2022), available to workers who are ineligible for Employment Insurance (EI) and those who are eligible for EI, as long as they are not paid benefits through EI for the same period. Individuals whose loss of income or employment is due to their refusal to adhere to a vaccine mandate would not be able to access the benefit. Extension of the Guaranteed Income Supplement and Allowance payments if seniors' 2019 income information had not been assessed. Social pensions A one-time, tax-free, non-reportable payment of up to $600 was provided to help Canadians with disabilities. In-kind transfers A distinctions-based Indigenous Community Support Fund (305 million CAD) was launched to address immediate needs in First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation communities. These funds could be used for measures including, but not limited to: support for elders and Food, vouchers, others vulnerable community members; measures to address food insecurity; educational and other support for children; mental health assistance and emergency response services; and preparedness measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. (2020) In Canada, the Breakfast Club of Canada created an emergency fund to support community organizations who are providing services and meals to children and families, applying processes and resources in accordance with best health practices and where it is most needed. School feeding Public works (March 2020) Introduction of a pause on the repayments of Canada Student Loans in the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act, the Canada Student Loans Act, and the Apprenticeship Loans Act in order to introduce a 6-month moratorium on the repayment of Canada Student Loans for all Utility waivers borrowers currently in repayment. The government also waived the interest for full-time and part- time students on the federal portion of Canada Student Loans and Canada Apprentice Loans until March 31, 2023. Funding to support a one-semester extension for students whose research scholarships or fellowships ended between March and August 2020 and who intend to continue their studies. One-time additional GST/HST credit payment in April 2020. Individuals who were entitled to the GST/HST credit for the period from July 2019 to June 2020 automatically received the one-time additional GST/HST credit payment in April 2020. This amount was calculated based on the information from 2018 tax return. In Canada rental housing falls under provincial jurisdiction. Many provinces have announced measures to suspend evictions in their respective regions. Homeowners facing financial stress may be eligible for a mortgage payment deferral up to 6 months to help ease the financial burden (includes insured mortgages). The deferral is an agreement between the individuals and the lender. The program was ongoing as of November 2021. Changes to Canada Student Grants and Loans have been introduced so students facing financial challenges from COVID-19 can access and afford post-secondary education. Pending government approvals, the new measures will come into effect on August 1, 2020 and will be available to students for 1 year. -Doubling of Canada Student Grant amounts: In response to increased need for the coming 2020 to 2021 school year, the maximum amount of Canada Student Grants will be doubled. The Canada Student Grant for full-time Students will increase up to a maximum of $6,000 and the grant for part-time studies to $3,600. The Canada Student Grants for Students with Permanent Disabilities and Students with Dependents will also be doubled. -Exemption from student and spousal contribution: For the 2020 to 2021 school year, students will not be required to make their fixed student contribution; no spousal contribution would be required either. This will ensure that more students with need can qualify for more financial support. -Increasing the cap on Canada Student Loans: For the 2020 to 2021 school year, the weekly maximum loan limit will increase from $210 to $350. The usual one-week waiting period will be waived for people who are in quarantine or have been directed to self-isolate and are claiming for Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits (estimated cost of $5M). Eligible workers with no or limited paid-leave benefits through their employers can apply for up to 15 Social Paid sick leave weeks of employment insurance if they cannot work for medical reasons such as cancer, a broken Insurance leg, or in this case, being quarantined in a public-health threat. The current EI payment is 55% of earnings up to a maximum of $573 a week. Self-employed have access to new temporary sickness benefit for sickness absence due to COVID- 19 or quarantine. Temporary removal of medical certificate requirements (effective October 14, 2020): in response to the COVID-19 emergency, as a temporary measure, employees are not required to provide a medical certificate to take medical leave. For the complete information, consult: Medical leave (unpaid). On September 25, 2021, medical certificate requirements will be reinstated. Health insurance OSFI freezes defined benefit transfers and annuity purchases, extends regulatory deadlines – The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) has announced that it would implement certain regulatory adjustments in light of the extraordinary circumstances posed by the COVID-19 crisis. OSFI has announced a temporary freeze on portability transfers and annuity purchases relating to defined benefit provisions of pension plans. Additionally, the deadlines for certain actions and filing requirements under federal pension legislation have been extended. Pensions In their economic response plan, the Canadian Government reduced required minimum withdrawals from Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs) by 25% for 2020, in recognition of volatile market conditions and their impact on many seniors’ retirement savings. This will provide flexibility to seniors that are concerned that they may be required to liquidate their RRIF assets to meet minimum withdrawal requirements. [September 2020] On August 20, 2020 the government announced that employment insurance will now be available to more workers in Canada, including those who would not have qualified for EI in Unemployment benefits the past. These changes to the employment insurance program will be in place for one year, starting on September 27, 2020. Social security contributions For the Canada Summer Jobs program in 2020, the Department introduced temporary flexibilities to respond to the needs of employers and youth in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic which will continue for 2021 in order to continue to support employers and youth. The following temporary flexibilities for CSJ 2021 include part-time employment. All funded employers may offer part-time placements (for example, fewer than 30 hours per week). In addition, all funded employers may offer Labor job placements between April 26, 2021 and February 26, 2022 and they may amend project and job Activation measures Markets activities if the proposed project is impacted by COVID-19 restrictions after an agreement is signed. In such cases, the employer should contact Service Canada to discuss potential amendments. All changes must be approved by Service Canada. [February 2021] This program ended on February 3rd, 2021. (April 2020] The government removed the restriction that allowed international students to work only a maximum of 20 hours per week. This applied to those working in an essential services, such as healthcare, critical infrastructure, or the supply of food or other critical goods. [March 2021] Employees working in a federally regulated workplace may be entitled to two types of unpaid leaves related to COVID-19: Leave related to COVID-19 for up to 4 weeks, and leave related Labor market regulations to COVID-19 for up to 38 weeks. The Code does not provide for paid leave related to COVID-19. However, while employees are on leave, they may have access to certain benefits such as the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit, and the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit. [June 2021] On June 19, 2021, it was changed to: Leave related to COVID-19 for up to 4 weeks, and leave related to COVID-19 for up to 42 weeks. Reduced work time [April 2020] Eligible employers are granted 75% wage subsidy up to CAD 847 per week or CAD 58,700 per employee for up to 12 weeks, retroactive to 15 March to prevent job losses and allow for rehiring workers. The subsidy is available for a subset of employers, excluding public bodies, experiencing a drop of at least 15% of their revenues (for period 1), 30% of their revenues (periods 2- 4). CEWS is administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) on a period-by-period basis, with each period spanning 4 weeks (with period 1 starting March 15, 2020). The wage subsidy program was put in place for an initial 12-week period from March 15 to June 6, 2020, providing a 75 per cent wage subsidy to eligible employers. [May 2020] On May 15, 2020, the government announced a 12-week extension, to August 29, 2020. [July 2020] On July 17, 2020, the government unveiled a redesign allowing more employers to access wage subsidy support while ensuring that support is better targeted to their needs, and proposed a Wage subsidies further extension to December 19, 2020. This redesign also stated that the subsidy rate would vary depending on the revenue loss. Another extension was announced until June 2021 and other enhancements were implemented to the program to better respond to the evolving economic and health situation. These proposed changes will make the program more flexible and more generous, and ensure that the program provides continued support to employers. As of October 21, 2021 the CEWS had helped 5.3 million Canadians with over $95 billion value of subsidies paid out. [March 2020] A wage subsidy was granted to increase liquidity for eligible businesses by reducing the amount of payroll deductions given to Revenue Canada. [March 2020] Work-Sharing (WS) is a program that helps employers and employees avoid layoffs when there is a temporary decrease in business activity beyond the control of the employer. The program provides Employment Insurance (EI) benefits to eligible employees who agree to reduce their normal working hours and share the available work while their employer recovers. Effective March 15, 2020 and extended to September 26, 2021, and not limited to one specific sector or industry, the government of Canada is introducing temporary special measures which extend the maximum possible duration of an agreement from 38 weeks to 76 weeks, waive the mandatory cooling off period for employers who have already used the Work-Sharing program, reduce the application requirements, expand eligibility to employers affected by accepting business who have been in business for only 1 year rather than 2, eliminate the burden of having to provide sales/production figures at the same time, and expand eligibility for staff who are essential to recovery, Government Business Enterprises (GBEs) and non-for-profit organization employers. The Government of Canada has extended these measures to September 24, 2022. For the Canada Summer Jobs program in 2020, the Department introduced temporary flexibilities to respond to the needs of employers and youth in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic which will continue for 2021 in order to continue to support employers and youth. The following temporary flexibilities for CSJ 2021 include wage subsidies. Funded public and private sector employers will be eligible to receive a wage subsidy reimbursement of up to 75% of the provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage. [February 2021] This program ended on February 3rd, 2021. [June 2021] The Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP) was the second pandemic-related wage subsidy introduced. It is designed such that, as support from the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) program declines, eligible employers can benefit from the CRHP as they reopen. It started on June 6th, 2021 and was planned to run until November 20, 2021. Most types of employers who are eligible for the CEWS will also be eligible for the CRHP, however, for-profit corporations may only be eligible if they are Canadian-controlled private corporations or cooperative corporations that are eligible for the small business deduction. Partnerships may be eligible if at least half of the interest in the partnership is held by employers who are eligible for the CRHP. The CRHP uses the employer's revenue drop percentage to determine if they are eligible for the subsidy. [October 2021] On October 21st, 2021, the government proposed to extend the program until May 2022. (back to the top) Caribbean (Netherlands) Cash-based transfers Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) Social pensions In-kind transfers (April 2020) The government launched a Food Package Support for households who do not have enough money for food. Around 680 households suffering from food shortages as a result of poverty were supported in Bonaire. This concerned approximately 480 families with children and 200 households without children. The benefit included the following: (1) 400 hygiene packages with Food, vouchers, others information material for low-literate persons, (2) monthly food package for all households in need, with basic supplies such as rice, pasta, oil, canned vegetables and sometimes fresh vegetables, (3) weekly breakfast package for families with children, who previously received this through school, and (4) hot meals at least once a week for the most urgent households, provided through many private Social initiatives and actions by restaurants. Assistance (April 2020) The government launched a Food Package Support for households who do not have enough money for food. Around 680 households suffering from food shortages as a result of School feeding poverty were supported in Bonaire. This concerned approximately 480 families with children and 200 households without children. The benefit included the weekly breakfast package for families with children, who previously received this through school. Public works The government reduced the costs of electricity and water bills of households and companies by nearly USD 60.00 per month as of May 1st until the end of 2020. This measure involved a total budget of EUR$ 7.8 million, which were raised by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (for electricity) and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (for drinking water). The measure was implemented from May to December 2020. Utility waivers (April 2020) Households in need could qualify for support when paying fixed costs such as rent, WEB or internet bills. (March 2020) The Belastingdients / CN took measures to mitigate the consequences of the Corona virus for entrepreneurs and private individuals by applying a special deferral of tax payments, as well as giving special extensions for all assessment and tax returns for a period of three months. This included General Spending Tax (ABB), Wage Tax (LH), Income Tax (IB), Gaming Tax, Proceeds Tax and Property Tax. Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations Reduced work time March 2020] To prevent employers from having to dismiss employees, the government launched a temporary emergency regulation for employers and independent entrepreneurs faced with a loss of turnover (at least 20%) on Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius. Employers received a contribution towards labor costs, which also covered independent entrepreneurs or people who were employees, but no longer have an employer because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, the arrangement was Labor put in place for a period of three months, until June 12th 2020. It was later extended until July 12th Markets 2021. To be eligible for the 80% compensation of daily wages, entrepreneurs must have faced a loss Wage subsidies of turnover of at least 20% and keep staff working. Employers making use of this emergency measure are obliged to keep their staff in service and to continue to pay them in full, for which they are therefore compensated to a considerable extent. [Extension-May 2021] The deadline for the measure was extended until October 2021 and for the fifth time, entrepreneurs in the Caribbean Netherlands can receive a fixed-cost compensation from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate (EZK). The amount of support can range from $500 to $400.000 and is calculated based on turnover figures. An application can be made starting on the 3rd of May 2021 (back to the top) Cayman Islands (UK) Cash-based transfers Seafarers, Veterans & persons on Permanent Financial Assistance were provided a one-time payment of KYD $425 on Friday, 27 March 2020 in recognition of the extra and anticipated expenses that are likely to be incurred by these individuals and their families in buying additional supplies due to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation. (June 2020) For Caymanian individuals impacted negatively by the tourism industry downturn, the government has provided cash transfers of $1,000 each for three months. (July 2020) The National Gallery, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture and the private sector, are offering one-time artist grants of $1,000 per artist. Initially, 20 grants were available on a first come, first served basis. To qualify, artists should be reliant on their artwork as their primary source of income and should be experiencing significant loss of income due to the pandemic. (June 2020) The government relaunched the Ready2work program due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Social The program was designed to provide industry-specific training and re-tooling of Caymanian Cash transfers workers to better prepare them for the workforce. This included: paid internships (by employer Assistance (conditional and unconditional) and/or by the government when required); support for childcare if applicable and counselling and coaching. Benefits include: 1) For the job seeker: - Stipend provided along with support services such as childcare, counselling and career coaching. - Experienced and knowledgeable facilitators to deliver an establish Employability 101 training program. - Provides a structured pathway to employment whilst addressing barriers to employment. - Opportunity for full-time employment that aligns with the needs of both participants. - Dedicated Officer and HR Support to ensure they are provided with the tools and support to ensure a successful connection with employment. 2) For the employer: - Subsidy offered for 6 months. - Potential candidates are provided with training and development of employability and soft skills to better prepare them for accessing employment. - Opportunity to fill job vacancies with Caymanians. - Make a contribution to the development of Caymanians ensuring a vibrant economy. - HR support and a dedicated officer to support with any performance issues or barriers to employment that would impact the ability to be successful. (June 2020) The government implemented a one-time honorarium payment of $1,000 for those public servants delivering essential services during the COVID-response. This stipend was paid by participating agencies and within the civil service. Social pensions In-kind transfers (March 2020) Work permit holders who urgently required food supplies and who had insufficient income or savings to sustain themselves were eligible for a KY$150 (US$180) food voucher from April 1st, 2020. The voucher provided support over a two-week period to those who qualified until the airport reopened or they could resume their jobs. Food, vouchers, others As of May 21st, 2020, nearly 24,000 reusable cloth masks had been distributed across the Cayman Islands by the Community Policing Branch of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. This included some 21,500 on Grand Cayman, 2,300 on Cayman Brac and 87 on Little Cayman. The Cayman Islands government will organize the voucher and daily lunch program with distribution through school cafeteria providers and NGO partners. The Department of Education has support from Kiwanis and Feed Our Future (FOF) to run the voucher and daily lunch program. At the Government Primary school level, Feed our Future will continue to work through school canteens to School feeding prepare hot meals for delivery through the help of their dedicated bus services provider from the week of March 23rd 2020. At the Government Secondary school level, Feed our Future will be working with school counsellors to distribute supermarket food vouchers in staged intervals across the period of school closure to families in order to ensure access to food. Public works Support for Rent and Utilities was provided to Needs Assessment Unit program. This was extended from three to six months. Beneficiaries must have had a household income lower than KYD $3,000 per month to be eligible. According to the press, 1,653 families have benefited from this policy. The government launched the COVID 19 Farmers' Assistance Program to increase farmers' capacity Utility waivers to yield greater quantities of high-quality produce and livestock. Each successful applicant received a voucher card to purchase seeds, fertilizers, and other essential agricultural inputs from the Department of Agriculture. The program, which began in December 2020, was developed to stimulate increased agricultural activity by providing USD $1 million in funding for farmers to use towards the purchase of products and services from the Department of Agriculture. Paid sick leave From April until June 2020, the Ministry of Health in conjunction with the Health Insurance Commission offered an initial assistance program to those persons who needed help paying their Health insurance health insurance premiums. During that period, 1,250 people received assistance at a cost of approximately $400,000. The government allowed an emergency withdrawal of pensions, subject to certain provisions. Through the National Pensions (Amendment) Law, 2020 on April 23rd, 2020, eligible persons could withdraw a single lump sum of: Pensions - 100% of the balance up to KYD $10,000; and - In cases where the balance exceeds KYD $10,000, up to KYD $10,000 plus up to 25% of the remaining balance. Social There was no requirement to repay the withdrawal amount. Insurance Unemployment benefits [April 2020] On April 20, a six-month temporary suspension of pension contributions was announced for employers. The pension holiday commenced on April 1st, 2020, and it is automatic for all employers and employees, including self-employed persons. [Extended - September 2020] The pension holiday, which should have expired on September 30, has Social security contributions been extended to December 31. [Extended - December 2020] The cabinet has approved a six-month extension of the pension holiday until June 30, 2021. [Extended - June 2021] On June 17, the Hon. Deputy Premier announced the extension of the national pension holiday until December 31, 2021. [June 2020] On June 12, the Ready2work program relaunched due to the COVID 19 pandemic. As part of the program, job seekers receive labor market employment services and: - A structured pathway to employment whilst addressing barriers to employment. - Opportunity for full-time employment that aligns with the needs of both participants. - Dedicated Officer and HR Support to ensure they are provided with the tools and support to ensure a successful connection with employment. [June 2020] As part of the Ready2work program, workers receive industry-specific training and re- Labor Activation measures tooling to better prepare them for the workforce. The program provides job seekers with training Markets and development of employability and soft skills to better prepare them for accessing employment. [June 2020] The Passport2Success (P2S) program, which is a 16-week soft skills training program that bridges the gap between high school and the world of work for young people aged 17 to 24 years, will be moved online. As of June 2020, more than 500 young people have participated in the 10-year-old program. Cohort#31 starts on June 22, 2020 via Zoom. The program aims to increase employment skills for Caymanians, while addressing barriers to employment such as attitude and behavior. It develops workplace readiness skills and addresses psycho-social-emotional issues. [March 2020] On March 27, the government introduced a guideline related to labor rights. Employers terminating or temporarily laying off workers as a result of the coronavirus pandemic must upon termination pay severance pay of one week’s wage, at the employee’s latest basic wage, for each completed twelve-month period of employment. The employment period is to reflect any time during which the employee worked for any previous owners of the same business. Employees are also entitled to any earned vacation leave, sales commission owed, as well as gratuities earned. In the cases of temporary termination, employers do not need to pay severance to their employees. Labor market regulations [Extended - April 2020] Under the Labor (Extension of Severance Pay Period) Regulations 2020, the current 30-day layoff period where severance pay is not required by the employer, has been extended to 60 days. [April 2020] On April 21, the Immigration (Transition) (Work Permit Exemptions) Regulations 2020 were passed by the Cabinet to permit non-Caymanians recruited by the Health Services Authority or by any private hospital to the posts of medical personnel to be temporarily exempt from certain provisions of the Immigration (Transition) Law 2018. Reduced work time [June 2020] As part of the Ready2work program, designed to provide industry specific training and re-tooling of Caymanian workers to better prepare them for the workforce and relaunched on June Wage subsidies 12, 2020, due to COVID 19 pandemic, job seekers receive a 6-month placement with a business and a stipend provided along with support services such as childcare, counselling and career coaching. Employers, on the other hand, are provided with a wage subsidy for one new employee for 6 months. (back to the top) Central African Republic Cash-based transfers The World Bank is supporting additional financing to the ongoing Projet d’Appui Aux Communautés Affectées Par Le Déplacement (PACAD), which currently supports communities affected by displacement. This additional financing will support cash transfers to those impacted by the COVID- 19 pandemic. The project is designed in close collaboration with partners to maximize synergies with Cash transfers efforts by UN Agencies such as WFP, United National Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and (conditional and unconditional) United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Premiums of 1 billion to health personnel involved in the fight against the pandemic. A delay in Social payment until November 2nd, 2020 had caused a strike amongst healthcare workers. Assistance Social pensions In-kind transfers The Programme d’appui en réponse à la pandémie de Covid-19 (PABRC-RCA) provides direct Food, vouchers, others support to the most vulnerable households. About 1,000 households, with 50% women at the head, will receive food kits. School feeding Public works Direct support to the most vulnerable households. About 500 farms, half of which are headed by Utility waivers women, benefited from sustainable agricultural inputs. Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor Markets Reduced work time The government introduced intermittent work for civil servants in the public and private sectors. Wage subsidies (back to the top) Chad Cash-based transfers Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) Social pensions In-kind transfers Vulnerable households in the capital N'Djamena were selected to receive food aid through NGOs and local community structures, starting in May 2020. Each food parcel was composed of oil, rice, beans and sugar. The program is coordinated by the National Food Security Office (ONASA) and plans to roll out food distribution to other parts of the country as well. Social Assistance Food, vouchers, others The National Solidarity and Support Fund was established to close geographic and coverage gaps in the provision of existing social protection programs and to provide emergency aid to vulnerable individuals across the country. The Fund collects donations from the government, private sector, and NGOs and is envisaged to fund a variety of social protection and relief measures. The Fund will aid vulnerable populations across the country and it will reach out to provinces not covered by existing projects. Take home ration to 120,000 vulnerable students covering 3 months. This will begin in the week of School feeding March 23, 2021. Public works Electricity and water bill of vulnerable households will be paid by the State throughout the territory Utility waivers for six months for water and three months for electricity. Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Chile Cash-based transfers (May 2020) The Ministry of Social Development has introduced the Ingreso Familiar de Emergencia – a new, transitory transfer program intended for households that depend on informal work for their livelihood. Nearly 2 million households are expected to receive the transfer which will be granted for a maximum of three months. The first payout corresponds to 100 percent of the full transfer amount, the second payout 85 percent and the third 65 percent. The transfer amount depends on household type (whether the household is exclusively informal, or whether the household is vulnerable and partially informal) and size of the household. • The policy was extended from the second payment onwards. Households which do not fulfil the requirement of earning informal incomes but have at least one member older than 65 years who is also beneficiary of other benefits (Pensión Básica Solidaria de Vejez (PBSV) or Aporte Previsional Solidario (APS) or with a total pension less than PBSV) or one member beneficiary of Pensión Básica Solidaria de Invalidez received the cash transfer from the second payment onwards. • There were up to 6 payments Social • According to the government's website, as of February 25th, 2021, the government spent Cash transfers Assistance $3,140,403,000M, which involved an average of 2,556,915 households and 6,670,811 (conditional and individuals between May 2020 and February 2021. unconditional) • According to the government's website, as of April 2021, the government spent $4,982 billion, involving 12,121,438 individuals. (November 2020) Covid Christmas Bonus: a monetary support for households whose sources of income were affected by the pandemic generated by the Covid-19 virus. This benefit was automatically delivered to families who received the sixth payment of the Family Emergency Income (IFE). The amount of the bonus varied according to the phase in which the commune of residence was from November 24th to November 30th, 2020. Each member of households in communes in phase 1 received $ 55,000, while this was reduced to $25,000 for those living in communes on phases 2, 3 or 4. The payment of this benefit started on December 21st, 2020. According to the presidency's website, the measure aimed to reach 3.3 M households, involving 8.2 M individuals. (August 2020) Covid Transport Bonus: this benefit consists of a one-off bonus of $ 350,000 that can be requested by micro-entrepreneurs and drivers of passenger transport (both for drivers and vehicle owners). More precisely, this measure involved taxi drivers, urban and rural groups, executive taxis, tourism, urban and rural buses and minibuses, and school transport vehicles. This payment will be made within a maximum period of 20 business days after the start of the process. According to the General Treasury's website, the measure planned to reach 74,159 drivers and 107,146 vehicle owners from September 12 to November 12, 2020. (April 2021) The program was reintroduced with a one-time CLP 500,000 cash benefit that is given to vehicle owners and holders, or drivers. (April 2020) Bono de Emergencia COVID-19: this grant was awarded to those families that belong to the Chile Seguridades y Oportunidades program and the Family Subsidy, and to those households in extreme poverty (60% more poorer, according to the Registro Social de Hogares (RSH)). This one-off bonus implied a cash transfer of CLP$ 50,000 per household which is paid through RUT account of BancoEstado RUT Account, deposited into that account. Beneficiaries are automatically subscribed to this program, but in case they do not receive it, they can claim the transfer within one year from April 2, 2020. According to the government's website, the measure implied a total actual budget of CLP$ 132,993 M and 1,528,459 households. (March 2020) The government introduced a monthly subsidy aimed at formal workers aged between 18 and 65 years old. The Guaranteed Minimum Income (IMG) allows guaranteeing a minimum wage for those who receive less than CLP$ 380,000 (gross wage) or equivalent to a net salary of CLP$ 300,000. To be beneficiary of this policy, workers must not be within the richest 10%. The subsidy will be CLP$41,092 for those who earn a salary of CLP$326,000 (maximum subsidy). The subsidy is paid in the bank account indicated by the beneficiary or in person at the BancoEstado and ServiEstado branches. According to IPC-IG, this measure involved a total planned budget of USD 200,000,000. (April 2020) The government launched a bonus equivalent to the Unique Family Subsidy (SUF) bonus, which aimed at benefitting 2 million people without formal work. The benefit involved a monthly transfer of $50,000 per household. The one-off bonus is paid through the Instituto de Previsión Social. (August 2020) Middle-class protection plan: this program is aimed at supporting the middle-class families that have suffered a reduction in their incomes as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic. This is a one-off benefit which consists of a maximum bonus of $ 500,000 to all workers who have gross formal income between $ 400,000 and $ 1,500,000 per month, and who have experienced a decrease of at least 30%. When income is greater than $1,500,000, the benefit amount will be as follows: $400,000 for incomes between $1,500,000 and $1,600,000, $300,000 for incomes between $1,600,000 and $1,700,000, $200,000 for incomes between $1,700,000 and $1,800,000, and $100,000 for incomes between $1,900,000 and $2,000,000. On May 27, 2021, the middle-class bonus was extended until August and more vulnerable households became eligible (with a cost of 3.3 percent of GDP). Social pensions In-kind transfers The government announced the program “Alimentos Para Chile”, a new program that delivered food baskets to vulnerable families in May 2020. Approximately 2.5 million baskets of nonperishable food and hygiene products were delivered directly to the homes of the beneficiaries. The government Food, vouchers, others planned to reach 70 % of the most vulnerable through this program. A second round was announced, aiming the distribution of 3 million boxes of food (1 million and a half to the regions of the country and 1 million and a half to the Metropolitan Region), totalling nearly 5.6 million boxes (3 million families) (March 2020) Distribution of food packages out of special buses, at schools or from alternative distribution sites. Some schools remained open only for the food distribution. The government has School feeding designed a food delivery system to continue to benefit 1,600,000 children and adolescents. Individual baskets were delivered, containing breakfasts and lunches for ten (10) business days Public works Postponement of payment of the first installment of contributions. The payment of the first contribution installment for April 2020 was extended for three months, with no fees nor interest, together with the second (June), third (September) and fourth (November) contribution installments. Real estate owners who have a tax assessment that did not exceed $ 133 million as of March 2020 were considered beneficiaries of this measure. Forgiveness of interest and fines for taxes and late declarations and facilities to enter into payment agreements in the Treasury. The government provided these measures to dependent and independent workers whose annual income did not exceed $90 annual tax units ( CLP$ 4,400,000 per month) for April, May and June of 2020. Utility waivers Reduction to 0% of the Stamp Tax for 6 months, starting on April 1st, 2020. For all workers with monthly income over $ 400,000, who have experienced a decrease in their income of 30% or more, a soft loan granted by the government will be offered, on a voluntary basis. For each month of reduction in income and up to a maximum of three months, the loan may be requested within a period of five months following August 8, 2020. Exceptionally, those who do not have access to the state contribution directly (bonus for middle class families), they may request a solidarity loan for an additional month (that is, for up to four months in total). The loan will cover up to 70% of the decrease in people's formal income, obtaining up to $ 650,000 per month. The loan must be requested from the Internal Revenue Service (SII) 100% online. It does not have an interest rate (it is only readjusted by inflation) and will have a term of four years to be paid, with a one-year grace period. The first installment will be paid in April 2022 and will correspond to 10% of the total requested. The three remaining installments, corresponding to April 2023, 2024 and 2025 will be 30% each. To facilitate the payment of fees, a 3% payroll discount is established as of September 2021 for dependent workers; an additional withholding of 3% on the fee slip; and an increase in the payment of Provisional Monthly Payments, of 3%, for individual businessmen and women (own account). These amounts will be used exclusively to pay the solidarity loan payment. The loan will be repaid by people only if they earn income to pay each installment. The maximum amount of each installment will be up to 5% of the annual income. Meanwhile, if at the end of the four years the person did not obtain enough money to pay the loan, the balance that remains pending will be forgiven. (August 2020) The measure Middle-class protection plan also included a postponement of mortgage loans, incorporating state guarantees on deferred installments through an agreement with the banks. (August 2020) The Middle-class protection plan also involved having access to financial aid of up to $ 250,000 per month, for three months, to pay part of the rental value of a home. Beneficiaries of this initiative were families who rent a home, who proved the loss of employment or decrease of more than 30% in the income amounts and who have a lease contract for a maximum amount of $ 600,000 per month. (August 2020) An exceptional application process was opened for higher education students who need to finance their studies through State Guaranteed Credit (CAE), and who meet the following requirements: • They do not have other student benefits (either gratuity, scholarship and/or credit). • Financial situation has been affected after the last application process for student benefits in March 2020. Leave with pay (guaranteed through the Solidarity Unemployment Fund) for all workers, public and private, who due to emergency reasons must remain at home without the possibility of remote work (USD $ 2 billion). Within the Protected Parenting Law, a regulation that supports mothers, fathers and caregivers Social Insurance Paid sick leave during the COVID-19 pandemic, two benefits were given related to care and upbringing of both newborn babies and children born after 2013: 1) COVID-19 parental preventive medical leave: This is an extension of the paid leave for those who have received the common parental postnatal leave. 2) Unemployment benefit: On the other hand, mothers, fathers and caregivers of children born since January 1st, 2013, are allowed to benefit from the Unemployment Insurance payment. To be beneficiary of this measure, people must have contributed for three continuous months prior to suspension or for six continuous or discontinuous months. Initially, this measure was in place until September 14th, 2020. It was extended for a period of 90 days. Health insurance Early withdrawal - It offers the possibility to citizens who have pension savings in the AFPs (Pension Fund Administration institutions), to withdraw up to 10% of their savings, up to a maximum amount Pensions of approximately 4,300,000. This measure has been active since July 30, 2020, and there have been 3 withdrawal cycles as of October 2021, with a 4th one that is currently in the Senate. [July 2020] Within the Protected Parenting Law, mothers, fathers and caregivers of children born since January 1st, 2013, were allowed to benefit from Unemployment Insurance payments. To be a beneficiary of this measure, people must have contributed for three continuous months prior to the suspension or for six consecutive or non-consecutive months. [September 2020] Initially, this measure was in place until September 14th, 2020. It was extended for a period of 90 days.[October 2020] This measure ended on October 6, 2021. [July 2020] People are permitted to perform a withdrawal of 10% of AFC (Administradora de Fondos de Cesantía). It is a benefit for people who have contributed to the AFC, but do not meet the requirements to access Unemployment Insurance. The benefit application began on July 30th, 2020 and allowed people to withdraw the total balance without showing documents of the termination of Unemployment benefits the employment relationship. [April 2020] As per the Employment Protection Law, if an employment contract has been suspended by act of authority or by mutual agreement, the worker will receive income through Unemployment Insurance, funded by his/her Individual Account or, in case of insufficient funds, by the Solidarity Unemployment Fund. The company must continue to pay workers' pensions and health contributions, excluding contributions for work-related accidents. The validity of the employment protection law is until October 6, 2021, in the case of contract suspension. [September 2020] Through (Law 21,269), private household workers became eligible for unemployment insurance. [June 2020] Through Law 21,232, the government introduced a change in the social security contributions, which from June 2020 were fully paid by the employer. This meant that employees were exempted from contributing to the Social Security system. Social security contributions Through Law 21,232, the government introduced a changed in the social security contributions, which from June 2020 were 100% paid by the employer. This means that employees are exempted from contributing to the Social Security system. Servicio Nacional de Capacitación y Empleo (SENCE) has 46 free virtual courses related to ICT, entrepreneurship generation, and soft skills. A platform was offered to organizations to connect their Activation measures courses, which have an average attendance of 75%. Through an agreement with the Family Foundation, access to computers and Wi-Fi in 84 Digital Family Centers nationwide was provided to those who needed it. [July 2020] The government introduced different protocols and recommendations that economic sectors must follow to reduce the risk of contagion of COVID-19 in the workplace. This includes Protocolo Nacional Modo Covid de Vida, Step-by-Step protocol, protocols for restaurants, cafes, fishing, wine cellars, cinemas, construction businesses, delivery service, grocery stores, tourism businesses, gyms and casinos. Labor market regulations [June 2020] Through Law 21,240, the government announced sanctions for employers who order their employees to go to their place of work while they are in quarantine or mandatory sanitary isolation decreed by the health authority. [January 2021] Through Resolution 66, the government introduced sanitary measures for the agriculture sector, involving modes of transport and use of face masks, among others. [April 2020] The Employment Protection Law allows for the temporary suspension of employment contracts either by an act of authority or by mutual agreement. Under the provision for the Labor Markets temporary suspension of the employment contract by an act of authority, if the government decides to close the economic activity, individual work contracts will be suspended temporarily. Workers who must remain at home without the possibility of carrying out their work, may suspend the employment contract while maintaining the contractual link with the company, but will receive income through Unemployment Insurance, funded by their Individual Account or, in case of insufficient funds, by the Solidarity Unemployment Fund. The company must continue to pay workers' pensions and health contributions, excluding contributions for work-related accidents. Under the temporary suspension of the contract by mutual agreement, employers whose activity is totally or partially affected by the crisis generated by the Covid-19 pandemic, outside the validity of Reduced work time the act or declaration of the authority, can individually or collectively agree with their workers affiliated to Unemployment Insurance a pact of temporary suspension of the employment contract. This agreement will have the same effects and will be requested in the same way as the suspension of the contract by act of the authority. The agreements may have a maximum extension of 6 months as indicated in the Employment Protection Law. The validity of the employment protection law is until October 6, 2021, in the case of contract suspension. [April 2020] The Employment Protection Law includes a provision for the reduction of working hours by mutual agreement. Employers may agree with the worker individually or collectively to reduce the working day by up to 50%. In this case, the employer must continue to pay the remuneration and social security contributions proportional to the day agreed with the worker. Therefore, the worker will receive, in addition to their remuneration and contributions, a supplement charged to their Individual Unemployment Insurance Account and, once exhausted, against the Solidarity Unemployment Fund that will be up to 25% of their remuneration, if the reduction in working hours is 50% (with a ceiling of $ 225,000 per month). In addition, they will keep benefits such as bonuses, allowances and other exceptional or sporadic items. The validity of the employment protection law is until December 31, 2021, in the case of temporary reduction of working hours. [March 2020] Through Law 21,220, the government modified the Labor Code to introduce the option of telework, including the right to disconnect and to have elements of personal protection and adequate management of occupational risks. [September 2020] Return benefit: aimed at companies with at least 20% decrease in their sales that had suspended workers and have returned to work. Workers must have a gross monthly remuneration equal to or less than 3 minimum monthly income ($ 979,500). The subsidy involved delivering $160,000 pesos per month for each worker, with a maximum limit of 6 months. In the case of women, young people between 18 and 24 years old, people with disabilities and beneficiaries of a disability pension, the amount of the benefit is $ 200,000 per month. This measure is set to end on December 31, 2021. Wage subsidies [September 2020] Hiring benefit: subsidy was delivered as a percentage of the worker's gross monthly remuneration, for up to 8 or 10 months, depending on the size of the firm and the type of subsidy benefit. The subsidy was equal to 65% of the gross monthly remuneration for women over 18 years of age, people with disabilities, men from 18 years to 23 years with income less than $450,000, and $290,000 for the same group of beneficiaries with income between $ 450,000 and $ 979,500. The subsidy was equal to 50% of the gross monthly remuneration for men aged 24 years old or more with a gross monthly remuneration less than $ 500,000, and $250,000 for the same group of beneficiaries with an income between $500,000 and $979,000. This measure is set to end on December 31, 2021. (back to the top) China Cash-based transfers A government policy directive (6 March 2020) instructed local governments to extend coverage of "dibao" (Minimum Livelihood Guarantee Scheme) and temporary assistance programs, simplify the application and approval process, and increase the benefit level to cover the families who are affected by the epidemic (both directly through infection and indirectly through economic impacts). Examples are available at local level (information collected by WBG): i) In Hubei province, RMB 500 for urban Dibao recipients and RMB 300 for rural Dibao recipients were transferred as temporary living allowance subsidies. Temporary assistance (emergency help in nature) supported more than 13000 people with cash transfer of RMB 30 million and provided temporary resettlement for more than 6000 people in 69 sites. ii) In Chongqing, a transfer of twice the monthly Dibao amount was introduced as temporary assistance to some recipients if they were infected. iii) In Shenzhen, the amount of cash transfer as temporary assistance could range between 2-18 times of the local Dibao threshold based on the individual recipient's situation. The total top up was RMB 156 billion ($22 billion) by June 2020 and total new beneficiaries totaled 62 million by March 2020. Social A one-off cash transfer for retention migrant population in Wuhan was provided in the amount of Cash transfers Assistance RMB 3000. (conditional and unconditional) Unemployment social assistance was provided for up to 6 months for the unemployed not eligible for unemployment social insurance benefits (covered 2.38 million workers by March 2020). The government provided emergency income support to the stranded population. The emergency assistance cost RMB 37.6 million ($5.3 million) by March 2020 and benefited 15,000 who received cash transfers and 6,000 who received temporary resettlement by March 2020. The central government announced multiple measures in January 2021 to continue to support populations impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, including: "...subsistence allowance recipients, extremely poor people, and low-income family members suffering from COVID-19, temporary assistance will be provided in a timely manner as required, and the assistance can be increased on a case-by-case basis. For urban and rural residents who are unable to go out for work, business or employment due to the impact of the epidemic, resulting in a decline in income and difficulties in basic living conditions, the government will simplify confirmation procedures for subsistence allowance. In areas severely affected by the epidemic, additional aid payments, temporary living allowances and living supplies, and withdrawal from the subsistence allowance can be postponed." The government announced that uninsured and unemployed migrant workers, such as unemployed migrant workers, who meet the conditions, will be granted a one-time temporary relief fund from the place of employment or usual residence. Children left unattended due to parents or guardians in quarantine or anti-epidemic work were offered cash transfers, care and health services. The government increased the inter-provincial allocation reserve of the basic old-age pension fund Social pensions from 3.5% to 4% to better support low-income regions. In-kind transfers The government provided emergency income support to the stranded population. The emergency Food, vouchers, others assistance cost RMB 37.6 million ($5.3 million) by March 2020 and benefited 15,000 who received cash transfers and 6,000 who received temporary resettlement by March 2020. The government increased the inter-provincial allocation reserve of the basic old-age pension fund School feeding from 3.5% to 4% to better support low-income regions. Public works Circular 19 extends the February 2020 statutory tax filing deadline to February 24, 2020. This can be further extended by local tax authorities where the outbreak is identified as serious (such as in Hubei province). Affected taxpayers and withholding agents can apply for further extension. Circular 19 also encourages local tax authorities and taxpayers to deal with tax matters online or via mobile application. Full tax deductibility of the following types of donations made by individuals: (1) donations in cash or in kind, made by individuals through non-profit social organizations or governmental authorities at the county level or above or their subordinate departments; and (2) donations in kind, made directly by individuals to designated hospitals undertaking the tasks of the prevention and treatment of Utility waivers COVID-19. Exemption of Value-Added Tax for a wide range of consumer services (“lifestyle services”), including medical services, catering, accommodation services, and sundry personal services (e.g., hairdressing, laundry). VAT exemption for small-scaled taxpayers in Hubei and VAT collection rate reduction (from 3% to 1%) for small-scaled taxpayers in other areas. The exemption/reduction was valid between March 1st and May 31st, 2020. The government continued to implement price controls to ensure food security as of January 2021. Ministries are mandated to maintain the price stability of important commodities, strengthen price monitoring and market supervision, and ensure the production of daily necessities such as rice, noodles, oil, vegetables, meat, eggs, and milk during the Spring Festival Normal, unimpeded transportation, adequate supply, stable prices, and reliable quality, and guarantee the needs of urban and rural residents for materials during the festival. Reimbursement of online consultations for chronic and common diseases from the national medical insurance fund. CNY 3.71billion (USD 525 million) of price subsidies offered to people in need. Paid sick leave The 2020 Government Work Report urges a series of measures to meet people’s basic living needs. Those include raising government subsidies for basic medical insurance for rural and non-working urban residents. Government subsidies per capita will be increased by 30 yuan to no less than 550 yuan per person per year. Delivery fees of internet-based medical services were included in the scope of the Medical Insurance Health insurance payments. The payment of employees' medical insurance can be reduced by half in the provinces, for a maximum period of 5 months. Social Medical, nursing and related staff not previously covered by work-related injury insurance were also Insurance eligible to receive work-related injury benefits and treatment. Basic pension increases for retirees. Starting January 1, 2020, the basic pension level is adjusted by 5 Pensions percent of the 2019 monthly basic pension for retirees. Nearly 300 million people in the country receive pensions. Unemployment benefits The finance ministry cut social insurance payments by RMB 1 trillion to incentivize companies to retain employees. Between February and June 2020, all enterprises enrolled in China's Social Security Schemes are Social security contributions exempt from making employer contributions to pension, unemployment, and work-related injury insurance schemes. For instance, this is the case of the Hubei province. For other provinces and cities (except Hubei), micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises are exempt from making employer contributions to pension, unemployment, and work-related injury insurance schemes. Large enterprises may reduce employer contributions to pension, unemployment, and work-related injury insurance schemes by 50%. (RMB 600 billion ($84.6 billion) by June 2020) The conditions to receive UI contribution refunds were relaxed to allow extended coverage of the benefits. Governments encouraged using UI refunds for wage subsidies or worker retention, for SMEs, so that these funds will also benefit workers, which reflects the objective of protecting jobs rather than firms. By the end of March, it was reported that 1.46 million enterprises received RMB 22.2 billion (USD 3.2 billion) refunds from the unemployment insurance funds, covering 49.51 million workers. The government has opened access to online platforms or APPs for firms and workers to seek various UI subsidies. The amount varies by locality, but for example in Nanjing, it has been 100 yuan per worker per day. • Cost: RMB 5.6 billion ($790 million) by May 2020 • Beneficiaries: 5.9 million migrant workers by March 2020 In China’s major cities (Beijing / Shanghai / Guangdong), companies that are found to be in temporary difficulties owing to the coronavirus outbreak and do not lay off employees or minimize the layoffs can get a refund of unemployment insurance premiums. Promotion of online recruitment and training, vocational training subsidy. New vocational skill training program launched to stabilize employment for migrant workers - enterprises subsidized to train migrant workers especially from impoverished counties. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security pilots an electronic vocational skills training coupons system. Activation measures In addition, a wide range of policy measures have been announced for SMEs at the regional level in Labor China. These include subsidies for training and purchasing teleworking services. Markets [March 2020] The government launched a new vocational skills training program to stabilize employment for migrant workers returning to their hometowns. This included professional online training courses in accordance with employment intentions, regional characteristics and industrial needs. Labor market regulations [July 2020] The State Council of China issued a policy supporting flexible employment arrangements Reduced work time including part-time employment opportunities. In addition, a wide range of policy measures have been announced for SMEs at the regional level in China. These include subsidies for training and purchasing teleworking services. Wage subsidies (back to the top) Colombia Cash-based transfers New cash transfer program, “solidarity income”, included monthly payments of COP 160,000 ($108) for informal workers and their families. This involved 3 million households identified via SISBEN and tax collection databases. Since its creation in April 2020, the program has progressively increased coverage until reaching the initial goal of 3 million households (April 2020 - March 2021). The government announced the extension of the program until June 2021. In June 2021, it was announced that the benefit would be granted until August 2021 and then the program has been extended until December 2023. The government will reassess then if it continues or drops. (Familias en Acción): Through Decree 417/20 on March 17th, 2020, Familias en Acción has made bi- monthly additional cash payments to 2.6M households (10,548,119 individuals) since May 2020 until February 2021. The program will continue to make additional cash transfers until June 2021. The transfer is of COP 145,000 ($98 in 2011 PPP). The program also horizontally expanded to include households previously excluded due to conditionality non-compliance. Social (Jóvenes en Acción): Through Decree 417/20 on March 17th, 2020, Jóvenes en Acción has made bi- Cash transfers monthly additional cash payment from May 2020 until February 2021 (COP 356,000, or $240). The Assistance (conditional and unconditional) program also horizontally expanded to 296,222 beneficiaries (208,430 people were benefiting from the program prior to Covid). The program will continue to make additional cash transfers until June 2021. The program “Bogotá Solidaria en Casa”, now "Ingreso Mínimo Garantizado", has provided poor and vulnerable households of the district with a transfer that was estimated to cover 70% of their expenditure. Conditions and requirements include comply with quarantine and not having been reported of domestic violence. The benefit was COP 423,000 ($286) for the poor and COP 178,000 for the vulnerable ($120), delivered through bank operators and operators with mechanisms for dispersing payments through cell phones. This program involved the distribution of vouchers through cards to the population which could be used to make withdrawals or purchases. As of September 2020, this measure has benefited 402,620 households identified via the 2018 Census, SISBEN, and District’s own data (plus data from cell phone operators). Through Decree 486 of March 27th, 2020, the government launched economic support for those workers and producers within the agriculture sector. This benefit only applies for the elderly who needed to self-isolate and were not beneficiaries of other social programs. According to the press, the aim of this measure was to benefit nearly 500,000 elderlies in vulnerable conditions, through monetary support for COP$ 80,000 for two months. The budget allocated to this policy was COP $ 80,000 M. Through Decree 557 of April 15th 2020, the government introduced an unconditional cash transfer of COP$ 585,000 per month for tourist guides registered in the National Tourism Registry, not receiving other social programs (Familias en Acción, Colombia Mayor, Jóvenes en Acción, Ingreso Solidario or Devolución del IVA). This measure, which was in place for three months only, pretended to reach 1,500 tourist guides. The benefit was delivered through bank accounts (for those who were in the banking system) or in person at Banco Agrario. Through Decree 770 of June 3rd, 2020, the govenrment launched the Assistane program for workers in contractual suspension, which consisted of unconditional cash transfers of COP $160,000 to suspended workers. To be eligible, beneficiaries must 1) have earnings up to four times the minimum wage, 2) have been suspended or in unpaid leave, and 3) not be beneficiary of other social programs (Colombia Mayor, Jóvenes en Acción, Familias en Acción, Ingreso Solidario and Devolución de IVA). The benefit was delivered for 3 months through bank accounts. As of December 2020, there were 188,000 beneficiaries which involved an expenditure of COP $45,047 M. Through Decree 538 and Resolution 1774 of 2020, the government has issued COP $ 364,742 million in temporary, one-off cash transfers to health personnel that provided services during the pandemic. This measure involved 239,841 workers in the health sector, such as doctors, nurses, bacteriologists, nursing assistants, among others. The benefit amount ranged between 1 and 4.5 minimum wages. The government launched economic support for those who tested positive for COVID 19 and required self-isolation from August 2020. The cash transfer was equivalent to 7 days of the minimum wage, which approximately was COP$204,000. As of October 2020, the program reached 61,288 beneficiaries, which consisted of COP$ 94,781 M. Another special measure was to anticipate the implementation of the VAT Refund (Devolución del IVA) to the poorest households. The program was scheduled to start on January 2021, with a pilot of 100,000 families; however, due to the pandemic, the program started to operate on April 2020, and has made bi-monthly cash payments (COP 75.000 each from April 2020 to February 2021) to the 700,000 most vulnerable families from FA and 300,000 households from Colombia Mayor. The policy document that created the program (CONPES 3986) establishes that the VAT Refund will be implemented until December 2022 (CONPES 3986). The head of the Department of Social Prosperity recently announced that, during the second semester of 2021, the government will horizontally expand the coverage of the program to 2M households (the extra 1M will be the poorest households targeted in Sisben not covered by any social assistance program, and the most vulnerable households among the beneficiaries of “solidary income”) Throughout the non-contributory pension benefits program Colombia Mayor (this is the old-age subsidy program for the poor and extreme poor over 60+ years old population), the government has Social pensions made monthly additional cash payments (COP 80.000 each) to the program’s 1.7 million beneficiaries since May 2020 until February 2021. Additional cash payments of Colombia Mayor will be extended until June 2021. In-kind transfers Food baskets were delivered to vulnerable groups Voucher of $100,000 for food basket delivered by the Red Cross and including in-kind donations from supermarket chains (people and firms can donate through a new platform: bogotasolidariaencasa.gov.co). Food, vouchers, others Within the School Feeding Program, the government implemented a Food Voucher which consisted of a monthly card of $ 50,000. This voucher could be exchanged for certain foods and at the points established by the Territorial Entity. Within Bogotá Solidaria en Casa program, the government delivered in-kind rations directly to each household, especially for those that could not access to cash-transfers or vouchers due to their living conditions or geographic location. 1) Industrialized Ration: it is defined as the food supplement ready for consumption, composed of processed and unprocessed foods such as fruits. Must be delivered individually and in the primary packaging that guarantees compliance with the grammage established in the standard minutes defined by the Ministry of Education and the other conditions and required characteristics, as well as current packaging and labeling regulations. These food supplements are delivered weekly, biweekly School feeding or monthly, depending on the expiration times of the products to be delivered and the logistics available, and must include 5, 10 or 20 days of supply respectively. 2) Prepared-at-home rations: it is defined as a basic food basket equivalent to one mealtime per day for a month. This includes food items such as cereals and fortified flour, milk and dairy products, protein food, fats and sugars, so that the preparation and consumption at home can be carried out. These food packages are delivered per month with distribution for 4 weeks for 5 days. Public works Water services were provided free of charge for low-income families (strata 1 and 2). Also, financial Utility waivers relief measures were provided to individuals and firms that were not able to pay their financial obligations for two months. The measure included the possibility to freeze all credit payments, including mortgages, car loans, credit cards, etc. During April and May 2020 billing period, in the Municipality of Bogotá vulnerable people in strata 1 to 4 received discount on energy, natural gas, water and toilet, depending on the socioeconomic stratum to which they belong: 20% discount for people in strata 1 and 2 and 10% discount for those in strata 3 and 4. To achieve this reduction, COP $94 billion was invested from the budget of the District Government and the companies that provide public services. In addition, large financial institutions, such as Bancolombia, Grupo Aval and Davivienda froze for three months all credit payments including mortgages and consumption credits for individuals, and microcredits for SMEs. Through Decree 540 of April 13th, 2020, the government aimed to guarantee access to telecommunications. This measure allowed the affordability of internet service for four months. COVID-19 as an occupational disease: it includes COVID-19 as a direct occupational disease, with respect to workers in the health sector. The Occupational Risk Management entities (ARL) must Paid sick leave recognize all the assistance and economic benefits derived from the incapacity of labor due to this disease. Health insurance for people who lost their job: It guarantees health insurance for those people who, Health insurance in the Health Emergency derived from COVID-19, lost their job and consequently the ability to pay the General Social Security System in Health. Pensions Colombia may allow partial withdrawals from pensions during crisis. Social Insurance The Ministry of Labor issued the Decree 488, allowing formal workers affected by the COVID-19 to request an advance from their Unemployment Mandatory Saving (Cesantías) to cover any labor Unemployment benefits income gap caused by the COVID-19. Through the Cajas de Compensaciones, the government provided three monthly unemployment payments equivalent to 2 monthly minimum wages in total (COP $1,961,314 in two installments). Through Decree 588 of April 15th, 2020, the government implemented a reduction of pension contributions to 3%, which should be paid 75% by the employee and 25% by the employer. Social security contributions Independent workers' pay 100% of this 3%. This measure was non-mandatory and placed for May and June 2020. Activation measures Through Decree 771 of June 3rd, 2020, the government indicated that employers must recognize the Labor value established for transportation assistance as an aid to digital connectivity for those employees Markets Labor market regulations working from home and whose wage is up to two minimum wages. Through Decree 488 of March 27th, 2020, the government allowed employers to release workers with at least one day in advance, the date from which they must grant anticipated, collective or accumulated paid vacations. Similarly, workers had the right to request within the same period that paid vacation. By this way, the government suspended the 15-day notice period. Through Decree 770 of June 3rd, 2020, the government implemented changes in the working conditions of workers. - Through consultation between employers and workers, successive work shifts can be organized so they do not exceed 8 hours a day and with a maximum of 36 hours a week. Reduced work time - With prior agreement between employers and workers, working hours can be distributed over 4- week days with a daily working day of a maximum of 12 hours. Through the Circular 0041 of 2020, the Ministry of Labor defined the framework of the new modality of 'working at home'. Through Decree 805 of June 4th, 2020, the government introduced economic support for firms in the notary activity. The benefit amount was 40% of the minimum wage per worker. This measure, which began on June 2020, lasted four months only. The government launched the Support Program for formal employment (PAEF), which was aimed at granting a wage subsidy up to four times, in order to support and protect formal employment during the COVID-19 pandemic. This subsidy was equivalent to 40% of the minimum wage per worker. In order to be beneficiary, firms must show at least a 20% reduction of their revenues due to the COVID 19 pandemic, as well as being registered in the commercial register. This program, which was initially in place during May and August 2020, was extended until March 2021. For specific economic activities (tourism, hotel, restaurants and artistic and entertainment sectors), firms received a subsidy equivalent to 50% of the minimum wage per worker. Also, if firms employed women, the subsidy was equivalent to 50% of the minimum wage per working woman, irrespective of the Wage subsidies economic sector. Through Law 2155, the government launched an incentive for the creation of new jobs which is aimed at financing labor costs of firms. The incentive depends on the type of worker: - If firms hire young people aged between 18 and 28 years, they receive 25% of the legal monthly minimum wage per new worker. - If firms hire people aged 28 years or more with wages up to three legal monthly minimum wages, they receive 10% of the legal monthly minimum wage per new worker. - If firms hire women aged 28 years or more with wages up to three legal monthly minimum wages, they receive 15% of the legal monthly minimum wage per new worker. This measure is aimed to last until August 2023. The employer may only receive, within the term of this incentive, a maximum of twelve payments. Through Law 2155, the government granted employers economic support aimed at paying wages of May and June 2021. The amount of the wage subsidy was up to 20% of the legal monthly minimum wage. To be beneficiary, firms must show a decline in revenue of at least 20% in March 2021. (back to the top) Comoros Cash-based transfers (February 2021) The Government plans to provide emergency support to the vulnerable in need, through social cash transfers. The number of beneficiaries is estimated to be equal to 23.5 percent Cash transfers of the total population, involving 160,000 people. The Unconditional cash transfers (UCT) in (conditional and unconditional) response to COVID-19 are intended for 20,000 households in urban and suburban areas. The project has completed the launch of targeting 21,600 COVID-19 response beneficiaries across the urban/peri-urban areas of the three islands. Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others Social School feeding Assistance Public works Prohibition on the National Company of Exploitation and Distribution of Water (SONEDE) and the National Company of Electricity of Comoros (SONELEC) to cut water and electricity to households. Establishment of a system of price controls for necessities supervised by the Ministry of the Economy to monitor price increases and prevent unjustified inflation Utility waivers (March 2020) The Central Bank will authorize the rescheduling of debts and the freezing of agios, for loans affected by this epidemic (March 2020) Import taxes on food, medicines, and items related to hygiene were reduced by 30 percent during 2020 but returned to previous levels from the beginning of 2021. Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Labor Activation measures Markets Labor market regulations Reduced work time The government allocated CF100 million per month to public companies in the aviation sector Wage subsidies (Com’Air Assistance, Anacm and ADC) to support the payment of salaries whose activity has been interrupted by the closure of the airports (back to the top) Congo, Dem. Rep. Cash-based transfers The Solidarité par Transferts Economiques contre la Pauvreté à Kinshasa (STEP-KIN) program identified vulnerable individuals impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and paid them cash transfers. In three months, STEP-KIN identified, registered, and paid more than 100,000 individuals in 50 poor neighborhoods, becoming the largest cash-based operation in Kinshasa. The program is now expanding to 250,000 recipients for a total of $37.5 million to be transferred in monthly Cash transfers payments of $25. (conditional and unconditional) A third additional financing has been approved for the DRC Eastern Recovery Project. Component 2, called "Livelihoods and Employment Generation" (US$215 million equivalent) provides social safety net options. Part of this component entails unconditional cash transfers (UCT) in rural areas, complemented by accompanying measures (AM) to promote human development and economic inclusion. Social pensions In-kind transfers Social The Republic of Congo has donated 84 tons of food for the displaced people of Nyiragongo in the Assistance Food, vouchers, others DRC School feeding A third additional financing has been approved for the DRC Eastern Recovery Project. Component 2, called "Livelihoods and Employment Generation" (US$215 million equivalent) provides social safety net options. One aspect involves labor intensive public works (LIPW) carried out in urban centers. Public works Building on its previous experience in the region, FSRDC designed an emergency Cash-For-Work (CFW) program to sustain the resilience of communities, support the local economy, maintain priority infrastructure, and strengthen social cohesion. The government granted 2 months of free of charge supply of water and electricity to households, hospitals as well as micro & small and medium-sized enterprises which are affected by the closure measure as part of the response against COVID-19. Utility waivers Suspension of the collection of VAT on the import and sale of basic necessities and mass consumption products from March 20th 2020, for a period of 3 months. Ban on eviction of tenants who have not honored their commitment only for the period from March to June 2020. Prime Minister Ilunga Ilunkamba instructed the Ministry of Economy to control and stabilize prices in the markets, and the Minister of Foreign Trade to organize a large market which will be supplied directly by wholesalers for the benefit of the population. Elimination of fees on electronic money transactions and variable fees on transactions below CDF2,500,000, until the end of December 2020. (June 2020) Under the DRC Eastern Recovery Project a new intervention called "Livelihoods and Employment Generation" (US$215 million equivalent) to provide social safety net options was announced. The project has supported agropastoral activities to increase resilience in rural areas by boosting production and productivity with almost 43,000 rural households assisted with in-kind transfers (seeds, tools, etc.) and technical assistance. Paid sick leave Health insurance Coverage at the expense of the Government for all cases tested positive throughout the country Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures [March 2020] The government suspended any massive layoffs based on the measures of Labor market regulations containment. Labor [March 2020] The possibility of implementing staff rotation in the event of a proven decline in Markets activity and minimum service was introduced. Reduced work time [March 2020] The minimum service within companies and public administration, provided by essential staff, was established. No office was allowed to accommodate more than 5 agents. Wage subsidies (Back to the top) Congo, Rep. Cash-based transfers (May 2020) Emergency cash transfer to vulnerable people in the outlying arrondissements of Brazzaville; this allowed them to buy food in an identified shopkeepers network. (April 2020) 100,000 families affected by COVID-19 to receive around 50,000 CFA each (around 5 billion CFA) Cash transfers (June 2020) The minimum CCT benefit level per household was set at CFAF 5,000 (US$8.2) per (conditional and unconditional) month. Child benefit was set at CFAF 5,000 per child per month for a maximum of three children, while elderly benefit was set at CFAF 10,000 (US$16.4) per elderly per month. Due to the multigenerational nature of households, the maximum transfer per household was CFAF 40,000 (US$66), representing a household with three children and two elders. This transfer is aligned with the current Lisungi Program that transfers on average CFAF 23,500 a month per household due to different household composition and multigeneration households. The transfer was paid over a period of 12 months. Social Social pensions Assistance In-kind transfers (March 2020) The “Telema” project was reoriented in favor of 5,000 people in the humanitarian care of Covid-19, which included the distribution of food kits and Covid-19 awareness equipment. The food kit received by the Minister consisted of 2,000 bags of rice, 1,200 boxes of salted fish, among other things. The food kits are distributed in the departments of Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire and Pool while the awareness kits concern the twelve departments of the country. According to the Agence Francaise de Development, the third agreement was concluded to provide assistance of 200 million FCFA to the food support. Food, vouchers, others (May 2020) 16,000 people chiefly elderly, children and student looked down to receive food and hygiene packages (April 2021) Nearly 80,000 coronavirus victims will receive a donation from France through the World Food Program (WFP). This donation aims to provide concrete answers to the problems of these people living along the Oubangui River, victims of the floods that occurred last November. This assistance from France should make it possible to strengthen the subsistence conditions of populations in a situation of food insecurity and to meet the nutritional needs of populations which are essential for the proper development of individuals, especially children. (March 2020) For the entire 12 administrative regions of the country, communication packages on covid-19 and hygiene materials have been distributed (the cost is over 200 million CFA) (June 2021) Households in the eleven districts of the municipality of Nkayi, in the department of Bouenza, will benefit from modern latrines. This will be within the framework of the “resilient cities” program, and financed by the European Union to the tune of approximately CFAF 21 billion through the 11th European Development Fund. Before the outbreak, 80,000 children were benefiting from the school feeding program in Congo. The take-home rations initiative is now reaching 61,000 of them, while some others are receiving School feeding cash transfers. As school activities were replaced by radio and TV programs under the ‘education at home' slogan, WFP launched its ‘school feeding at home' initiative through the provision of take- home rations consisting of rice, peas, vegetable oil, salt and sardines. (September 2021) The activities of the “Bissalu bia kidzunu” project have just been launched. It aims to finance a set of income-generating activities and providing financial autonomy to ex-combatants and their families. The "Bissalu bia kidzunu" project is intended for ex-combatants, young people, Public works wives of ex-combatants as well as households in targeted villages, and it aims to strengthen peace, security, cohesion, community resilience, through income-generating activities, in order to reduce idleness, fertile ground for renewed violence. It will run for two years, the time for families to have a comfortable seat, for their long-term care. Utility waivers (April 2020) Free water and electricity for all households during the confinement period Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations The government called for the strengthening of hygiene measures in public administrations and Labor private companies. Markets Reduced work time The government announced the establishment of the minimum service in public administration and in companies producing essential goods. Wage subsidies (back to the top) Cook Islands Cash-based transfers On 18 March 2020, the Cook Island Government announced the COVID-19 Economic Response Package which also included one-off welfare support. This one-off support is to assist the most vulnerable as they are not only at health risk from the COVID19 but also likely to be exposed to its economic impact. A one-off welfare payment of $400 will be made to all current individuals registered in the welfare system for the old age pension, care givers allowance and the infirm and destitute allowance on top of their regular payments. People who are on foreign pension funds already and any new applicants are excluded. N.B. 0.87 million NZD is spent on one-off welfare support. Payments were planned to be administered in April 2020 by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. No application is required to access the one-off payment. A NZ$400 payment was made to those who access existing support, comprising pensions for residents above the age of 60 (1,809 beneficiaries, 51.8% of whom are women), and to infirm and destitute people and caregivers (362 beneficiaries, 60.2% of whom are women). On 18 March 2020, the Cook Island Government announced the COVID-19 Economic Response Package which also included School Closure Support. School closure support will assist parents in Social their duty of care and will be available to all the children currently residing in the Cook Islands, Cash transfers between the age of 0-16 years, with no exception, until the school reopens. For each child, currently Assistance (conditional and unconditional) on the child benefit, an additional $100 on top of the current $50 will be allocated for every fortnight during closure of school outside of the school holidays. An application process is not required. For each child, currently not on the child benefit, an allocation of $100 will be allocated for every fortnight during closure of school outside of the school holidays. An application process is required. N.B. the measure is expected to cost 1 million NZD. In April 2020, 4,742 children received the payment, of which 4.4% (209) were made to families of non-Cook Islanders and 47.8% (2,265) were made to families of girls. In the pre-covid-19 days, 3,388 children (in 2017) received the childcare benefit. On July 1, 2020, the Cook Island Government announced the second phase of the COVID-19 Economic Response Package (ERP) which also included the Emergency Hardship Fund. This measure commenced on 24 June 2020 and will conclude on 30 June 2021. The purpose of the fund is to provide essential relief for families and individuals during emergency situations that cannot be supported through other available benefits, subsidies or grants. The Emergency Hardship Fund has two levels of support. A one-off payment to help recipients get back on track, or a fortnightly payment for a period of one month. Applicants are required to answer questions about their circumstances and provide supporting documents to be assessed. This fund requires applicants to visit the Ministry of Internal Affairs office to complete the application and also to answer necessary questions to assess eligibility. The one-off payment is for immediate relief needed to support recipients in quickly getting on their feet. While the fortnightly payment is for ongoing assistance where recipients may need sustained support and guidance in order to get back on track. The fortnightly payment will be paid for an eligible period of one month. A monthly extension is available for up to 3 months for cases where applicants are unable to work due to medical reasons, and due to a situation made worse by COVID-19. The payment amount is determined by the number of family members in a household, and whether or not other family members are receiving an income or benefits. Individual applicants will receive a fortnightly payment of $150 for up to 2 months, or a one-off payment of $600 depending on the circumstances being faced. As updated on January 2021, due to the prolonged border closure continuing to impact those facing hardship, in Phase III of the ERP, the eligibility period for the Fund has been extended to provide 3 months of support, with a 3-month extension available on the condition that recipients participate in volunteer work or community service for at least 5 hours per week (or 20 hours per month). An extension of up to 6 months is available for those unable to work for medical reasons. Individual applicants who meet the eligibility criteria will receive a fortnightly payment of $150 for up to 3 months, or a one-off payment equivalent to 1-3 months of support, depending on the circumstances being faced. For families, $25 per fortnight is added for each eligible family member. Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others The School Closure Support will assist parents in their duty of care given the mandatory closure of schools and will be available to all the children currently residing in the Cook Islands, between the age of 0-16 years, with no exception. For each child, currently already on the child benefit, an additional $100 on top of the current $50 School feeding will be allocated for every fortnight during closure of school outside of the school holidays. An application process is not required. For each child, currently not on the child benefit, an allocation of $100 will be allocated for every fortnight during closure of school outside of the school holidays. An application process is required Public works On 18 March 2020, the Cook Island Government announced the COVID-19 Economic Response Package which also included an electricity subsidy. Electricity subsidy of 100 per cent for households Utility waivers on Rarotonga and Aitutaki for 3 months starting from the 19th of March 2020 meter reading. Monthly electricity bills will be 100 per cent discounted to all domestic customers on Rarotonga and Aitutaki by Te Aponga Uira (TAU) and Te Mana Uira o Araura respectively for a 3-month period, which will be reviewed every month. Customer bills will be adjusted by the two electricity companies. No application is required to access the subsidy. N.B. 1 million NZD was expected to be spent on the electricity subsidy. On May 30, 2020, the government announced details of the support to be provided by Te Aponga Uira under Phase 2 of the Economic Response Plan which will be effective from the middle of June 2020 meter reading. Every household will be credited for their electricity costs up to $100 each month for 3 months. On January 13, 2021, the Te Aponga Uira in Rarotonga provided electricity subsidy (as part of ESP phase 3). Support involves every household connection being credited for their electricity costs up to $80 each month, for a further 3-month period. The Phase 3 electricity discounts from Te Aponga Uira will come into effective from January 2021 meter reading, until March 2021 meter reading (expected to be completed on 21 March 2021). The Phase 3 electricity discounts from Te Aponga Uira will be effective for April 2021 meter reading and has been formalized by the TAU Board of Directors. The discounting will be reviewed again during April 2021. On June 2, 2021, the Government of Cook Islands has re-introduced the electricity subsidy. This time, Te Aponga Uira board in Rarotonga has approved a new June discount rate of up to $30 off every domestic household power bill. The new discount rates will be applied to power meter readings from 8 June 2021 and will continue until June 30, at which time it is expected that the power bill discount scheme will come to an end. To support businesses covering staff absences due to self-isolation requirements and who are not under the wage subsidy scheme and in the prevention of a pandemic outbreak, it is important to encourage everyone to respect and comply to all self-isolation instructions without worrying about loss of income. The self-isolation support will not impact an employee’s accumulated leave entitlement. It is a separate category of emergency leave entitlement offered under the COVID19 stimulus package for a maximum period of 14 days at a time, at the minimum wage. It is possible that the same employee may have to self-isolate more than once throughout this pandemic, as such, the support can be requested by the employer as often as needed. Paid sick leave Social This support will only cover self-isolation as defined under the public health guidelines, where the Insurance employee is: - not sick, cannot perform work remotely and has been advised by the Ministry of Health to self-isolate; - not sick but has to care for dependents who are required to self-isolate or who are sick with COVID-19. In cases where the affected employee is not sick and can perform work remotely whilst in mandatory isolation, they will continue to be paid as per their usual rate of pay in agreement with their employer. Health insurance Pensions [July 2020] In July, the government announced the provision of unemployment benefits to provide temporary financial support to individuals who are unemployed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This benefit can be claimed for up to 4 months, until 31 December 2020. Eligible recipients will be paid $266 per week for a period of 4 weeks. This measure commenced on 1 April 2020, with payments administered by INTAFF. Recipients that are unsuccessful in securing new Unemployment benefits employment within the 4 weeks that they receive the unemployment benefit can apply with INTAFF for review and extension of an additional 4 weeks of the benefit. Extended payments beyond the first 4 weeks will be reduced to $150 per week. [Extended - January 2021] In January, the government announced the extension of unemployment benefit provision for 7 months, until June 2021. Social security contributions [July 2020] In July, the Cook Island's Government introduced the Training Subsidy program to assist businesses in upskilling their employees and improve their productivity for recovery phase. The training subsidy is based on the minimum wage for 35hrs/weekly over an additional period of 3 months, available only to those businesses qualified for the wage subsidy. Employees have to be enrolled in an official training by the 1st of July 2020 and to commence by 30 July 2020. If training has occurred prior to these dates, the payment will only be available from 1 July 2020, not prior. All training courses must be endorsed or provided by an approved training entity and must run for a period of at least two months, at a minimum of 10 hours per week. The training subsidy program duration is 7 months, from June 1 to December 30, 2020. Activation measures [July 2020] To further support the upskilling of workers and businesses that had opted to participate in the training subsidy under Phase II of the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan, a “fees Labor free” initiative was included to cover the costs of a select number of courses delivered by the Cook Markets Islands Training and Tertiary Institute (CITTI) and the University of the South Pacific, Cook Islands Campus (USP). These CITTI and USP fees free courses were available from June to December 2020. [Extended - January 2021] The extended fees free initiative will apply from January to July 2021 for existing students continuing with certificate and diploma courses undertaken in Semester 2 of 2020. The cost of the Fees Free Extension is $0.3 million. Labor market regulations Reduced work time [April 2020] The government delivered financial support for businesses affected by the impact of Covid-19 to keep their employees on the payroll and avoid unemployment. This consisted of wage subsidies based on the minimum wage for 35hrs/weekly over a period of 3 months: $266 per week Wage subsidies for a full-time employee working 20 hours per week or more; and $133 per week for a part-time employee working between 5 and 19 hours per week. The wage subsidy will be provided for a period of up to 3 months. [Extended - July 2020] On July 1, the Cook Islands Government's COVID-19 Economic Response Plan Phase II was announced, starting July 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021, with an increased rate of $320 per week for full-time staff. In Phase II, businesses have the option to continue to receive the wage subsidy, or alternatively, to receive the training with wage subsidy. The estimated cost for Phase II Wage and Training Support Initiative is $27 million over the next 6 months. [Extended - December 2020] In December, the Cook Islands Government announced the extension of the wage subsidy program starting January 1, 2021 to February 28, 2021, with an estimated cost of $9 million. [Extended - January 2021] In January, the Cook Islands Government's COVID-19 Economic Response Plan Phase III was announced, starting January 1, 2021 to April 30, 2021, with an estimated cost of $15.2 million. [Extended - April 2021] In April, the Cook Islands Government announced the extension of the wage subsidy program starting May 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021, with an estimated cost of $8 million. [Extended - October 2021] In October, the Cook Islands Government announced the reinstatement of the wage subsidy program effective October 1, 2021, with an estimated cost of $4 million for the month of October. [Extended - November 2021] In November, the Cook Islands Government announced the reinstatement of the wage subsidy program effective November 1, 2021, with an estimated cost of $4 million for the month of November. (back to the top) Costa Rica Cash-based transfers Social services for social transfer beneficiaries – nurseries open for those workers that need to work even during the containment measures/partial lockdown. By Decree 42,305 - MTSS - MDHIS, the government launched the Protect Bonus which is an extraordinary, monthly and temporal cash transfer aimed at people who have been affected by the COVID 19 pandemic, in terms of their labor situation. This measure is implemented for 3 months only. Beneficiaries are workers who have been dismissed or ceased, suspended, independent formal workers and formal self-employed or informal workers who have lost their jobs or whose revenues have declined due to the pandemic. The benefit ranged between CRC$62,500 and CRC$125,000. This measure reached 375,000 families economically affected by COVID-19. Emergency benefit (one-off 125k colones – USD 223K) for 33,000 poor families in the social registry Cash transfers (SINIRUBE) who do not receive any social transfers. This program is aimed at poor households with (conditional and unconditional) female household head, elderly people, disabled, and children. As of October 2020, there were 35,143 Social beneficiaries (individuals), which concerned a budget of CRC$7,617 M. Assistance The implementation of the conditional cash transfer program Avancemos will keep being active with transfers depending on grade levels ($40-$62). Similarly, the Crecemos program, which delivers an average of $35 scholarship per student, will not be interrupted. The Board of Directors of the Social Protection Board (JPS) launched a subsidy of CRC$200,000 to each active seller of the national lottery and popular lottery affected by the suppression of the draws, as a result of the prevention measures against COVID-19. The Board of Directors' agreement establishes the payment of this subsidy on a monthly basis for up to 3 months based on what is projected by the health authorities. Social pensions Expansion of 10K non-contributory social pension. In-kind transfers Alimentos En Casa is a special program that delivers food packages and sanitary items to families in extreme poverty. This program is aimed at children, pregnant and lactating women beneficiaries of Food, vouchers, others other programs, such as Atención y Protección Infantil (API) y Comidas Servidas within CEN-CINAI. The government planned to target 38,667 individuals in extreme poverty. The government delivers food rations for two and a half weeks, which includes the following items: rice, beans, tuna, liter of sunflower, corn or soybean oil, corn flour, and pasta, among others. In addition, the government worked in alliances with the private sector to distribute hygiene and cleaning items. The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock launched the “Donate Seeds, it is time to be solidary” to meet the needs of vulnerable families and communities in rural territories that have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative consists of the donation of seeds to distribute throughout the national territory to small producers, in order to improve their productive activity and expand their family diet. The program has 3 specific objectives: - Diversify the crops produced by vulnerable communities and populations, in order to improve their diet by expanding food options, building greater resilience to climate change or other adversities. - Support the supply of seeds to vulnerable groups that need to strengthen their livelihoods and the provision of basic foods. - Provide support in the integral management of seeds, from the recovery and selection of seeds, characteristics of the cultivation, production of seedlings, cleaning, production systems, storage, etc., as a way to improve productive efficiency with the use of seeds of good quality. The National Council of People with Disabilities (CONAPDIS), in coordination with the National Commission for Risk Prevention and Emergency Care (CNE), delivered food, nutritional supplements, cleaning supplies and diapers to families with disabled people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Each package had items depending on the specific needs of each person with a disability. As of April 30th 2020, 721 food rations were delivered out of a total estimated of 1,541 supplies. School feeding Public works 3-month deferral for some taxes (including self-employed workers). The Fiscal Relief Package against COVID-19, implemented by Law 9,830, is a measure aimed at mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on citizens. The tax moratorium is for a period of three months (March, April and May 2020), with the condition of paying them later, before December 31st, 2020. This package includes the postponement of the following taxes: VAT, Selective consumption tax, and tariffs on the importation of goods. There is also a VAT exemption on commercial leases. Utility waivers Through a guideline, the government urged water operators not to suspend water services due to users' non-payment for at least 60 days, as a measure to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. It also requested restoring the services in those cases where it was canceled due to late payment. The Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) urged the Public Services Regulatory Authority (ARESEP) to suspend for three months any increase in electricity, transportation and fuel supply with the aim to avoid affecting users during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the Special Law of leases payment, the government implemented a moratorium, partial and total, in the payment of housing rents, for a period of 3 months. In cases where lessees have suffered from a 100% reduction in their incomes due to contract suspension or unemployment, they could apply for a total or partial moratorium. When lessees have suffered from a 50% reduction in their incomes or less, they were allowed to pay at least 50% of their rent. In the case that lessees were affected by a reduction in their incomes of about 20%-50%, the reduction in the payment was proportional to the income reduction. Paid sick leave Health insurance The Costa Rican Social Security Fund informed the advancement of the deposit of pensions for both the Non-Contributory Regime and the Disability, Old Age and Death Insurance (IVM) with the purpose of guaranteeing payment and allowing financial entities to dispose of the resources in advance so that they can organize their service platforms and avoid crowds in their offices. The Pensions deposit was implemented in advance on March 27th 2020. Social Authorization for complementary pension operators to provide partial funds to employees affected Insurance by COVID-19. Unemployment benefits The government announced a deferral of the payment of social security contributions until the end of 2020. Social security contributions [April 2020] By Law 9839, formal workers whose working hours were reduced were given the right to withdraw their social security savings accumulated in their favor from the Fondo de Capitalización Laboral (FCL). [September 2020] This has resulted in disbursements amounting to CRC 56 billion so far. [June 2020] The government, through the Ministries of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) and of Labor and Social Security (MTSS), created a number of virtual channels for agricultural workers to apply to carry out agricultural work. From the MTSS portfolio, the labor intermediation channels were enabled, as well as a new option on the institution's website. Labor Activation measures Markets [June 2020] The Protect Skills Plan is a scholarship program for online training promoted by the government, which plans to benefit 50,000 individuals affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This program is aimed at individuals who are unemployed and beneficiaries of Protect Bonus. The program offers the possibility of accessing hundreds of free-courses in Spanish and English, allowing beneficiaries to train for new jobs. [March 2020] The government offered training about business development to SMEs in order to boost economic activity. [April 2020] The Foreign Trade Promoter of Costa Rica (PROCOMER) developed a new training program for the export sector to be prepared to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new topics in the exporter training plan included: 1) “COVID-19 and its impact on transport insurance and responsibility in the insurance contract between buyer and seller”; 2) “Introductory talk” that allows companies to make a self-diagnosis and define an action plan to attend and recover from the impacts of the crisis; 3) "Boosting my sales in the digital world, an opportunity in the face of the crisis"; 4) "How to maintain an international client in times of crisis?". These sessions were taught free of cost between April and May 2020 through Microsoft Teams and Moodle platforms. [April 4th, 2020] Through Decree 42286-MTSS-H-MIDEPLAN, due to the extraordinary situation of emergency, the government decided to suspend the application of the increase in the base salary of the Central Government public servants. Labor market regulations [October 2021] Costa Rica's Congress approved a bill to suspend the annual salary increase to public employees for two years. According to the government, it could save more than USD 111 million which would be used to address the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The law will go into effect once it has been signed by President Carlos Alvarado. [March 2020] Through the Law 9832, it is permitted to modify employment contracts, with prior authorization from the MTSS, depending on the decrease in the company's gross income: - If the decrease is at least 20%, the working day can be reduced by up to 50% of the hours. - If the decrease in income is at least 60%, the working day can be reduced by up to 75% of the hours. Wages are reduced in the same proportion and the worker does not need to agree to the reduction. The measure cannot be applied to pregnant or lactating women and can last for 3 months, extendable for equal periods if the reduction in income continues. [Extension - January 2021] The President signed Law No. 9937 which allows employers to request a Reduced work time three-month extension in the reduction of working hours of its workers if it can demonstrate that it has been adversely impacted by the pandemic. [March 2020] The Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MTSS) issued a recommendation to companies to temporarily readjust workers who occupy non-teleworking positions and have risk factors (e.g. elderly, diabetic, hypertensive, immunocompromised etc.) to allow them to join the teleworking modality. It offered companies the option of granting such employees paid vacation in advance (in agreement with the worker). Wage subsidies (back to the top) Côte d'Ivoire Cash-based transfers (April 2020) A total of 125,000 households have received 75,000 CFA francs (136 USD) per quarter (25,000 per month for 3 months) as part of the implementation of a special solidarity fund 13.3 billion CFA francs (approximately 25 million USD) set up by the Ivorian government. This special fund, intended for vulnerable people, began Phase 1 on April 23, 2020 in the Greater Abidjan region, with the goal of expanding into the interior of the country in May 2020. The beneficiaries identified from the available databases of vulnerable households coupled with inclusive and participatory community targeting aim to ensure greater equity and transparency. The government has opted for the electronic distribution of aid by cash transfers alongside the physical distribution of food and non-food (food and hygiene kits). The identification of beneficiaries was made on the basis of existing data in certain structures. Cash transfers (April 2020) The Government of Côte d’Ivoire (GoCI) issued a cash transfer of 500,000 FCFA per (conditional and unconditional) family of destitute people who died due to the pandemic. [May 2020] Workers whose contracts were suspended or terminated were given government Social support. This benefit was given to the 20,326 employees registered at the end of April 2020. The Assistance total allocation was CFAF 4.4 billion, with a benefit amount ranging between 60,000 CFAF and 360,000 CFAF, according to educational and management level. This benefit was delivered for two months. (June 2021) As part of the Productive Social Safety Net project, the Ivorian government distributed, in the first quarter of 2021, CFAF 42.7 billion to households in the form of family allowance and subsidies. Social pensions In-kind transfers (April 2020) The GoCI opted for the electronic distribution of aid by cash transfers alongside the physical distribution of food and non-food (food and hygiene kits). The identification of beneficiaries was made on the basis of existing data in certain structures. After the first phase, operation will be Food, vouchers, others extended to the entire national territory from May 2020. (May 2020) Food baskets were distributed to female beneficiaries, including health workers in rural areas, that had been selected by the government and local authorities. The baskets contained basic foods such as vegetables and rice, and were delivered to the beneficiaries' houses via a nationwide distribution campaign. The GoCI issued food provisions and basic supplies to quarantined populations. School feeding Public works To promote the use of electronic payment tools the Western Africa Central Bank (BCEAO) is providing more flexible measures to open a mobile money account and making it free for people to transfer money between mobile accounts. The GoCI announced postponed payment deadlines for electricity and water bills from the month of April 2020 to the month of July 2020 and, from the month of May 2020 to the month of August 2020. The GoCI announced it would cover the costs of electricity and water bills for disadvantaged groups (i.e., households subscribed to the social electricity tariff, and households whose water consumption is under a certain amount). The GoCI plans to cover the cost for April and May 2020. This impacts Utility waivers more than one million households, or about 6 million beneficiaries. The GoCI announced price controls on hydroalcoholic gels. These measures apply to all distribution networks, including supermarkets, stores, pharmacies, gas stations, and convenience stores, and will be in effect as of March 25th, 2020. (April 2020) The GoCI announced measures to strengthen price controls on consumer products and enforce penalties for violators. (June 2021) The Minister of the Budget and the State Portfolio, Moussa Sanogo, handed over, on Saturday June 5, 2021, the keys to social housing to 77 subscribers of the Cité Lilium, in Ebimpé (commune of Anyama). Paid sick leave The GoCI announced three months of Universal Health Coverage (Couverture Maladie Universelle, CMU) premiums to all beneficiaries of financial support in the form of cash transfers. Health insurance Social The GoCI announced that it would conduct free diagnosis and management of all suspected and Insurance confirmed cases of COVID-19. Pensions Unemployment benefits Social security contributions [April 2020] The "Fond d'appui aux acteurs du secteur informel" (FASI) is a program that provides financing via loans to informal sector actors impacted by the COVID-19 health crisis. The FASI covers all the municipalities of Côte d'Ivoire impacted by COVID-19. Informal sector actors (production units and employees) impacted by the coronavirus seeking to relaunch their work Activation measures activities can benefit from the FASI. Eligible beneficiaries include employees of informal production units who have suffered a loss of income, and Ivorian entrepreneurs in the informal sector proving an economic activity impacted by the pandemic with supporting documentation. The program is divided into four phases : Phase 1: (3 months): Identification of beneficiaries and implementation of grants; Phase 2: (6 months): Training and follow-up-support for beneficiaries. Labor Markets [April 2020] The "Fond d'appui aux acteurs du secteur informel" (FASI) is a program that provides financing via loans to informal sector actors impacted by the COVID-19 health crisis. The FASI covers all the municipalities of Côte d'Ivoire impacted by COVID-19. Informal sector actors (production units and employees) impacted by the coronavirus seeking to relaunch their work Labor market regulations activities can benefit from the FASI. Eligible beneficiaries include employees of informal production units who have suffered a loss of income, and Ivorian entrepreneurs in the informal sector proving an economic activity impacted by the pandemic with supporting documentation. The program is divided into four phases. Phase 3 of FASI involves the recovery of loans granted and formalization of beneficiaries. Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Croatia Cash-based transfers On 11 December 2020, the local government of Zagreb in Croatia, aware of the dire situation decided to give a one-off financial support to young artists on the pressure from the artistic community with a gross amount of HRK 5,000 (€666.7). A one-off support to young artists is financed from the budget of the City of Zagreb. Cash transfers On April 1, 2020, Croatia’s Ministry of Culture announced emergency aid payments for freelance (conditional and unconditional) artists whose contributions are paid from the budget of the Republic of Croatia and who can prove that, due to special circumstances conditioned by the coronavirus, they have been prevented or significantly impeded from performing artistic activities. The emergency payments ranging from HRK 1,625 (€217) to HRK 3,250 (€433) net per month were allotted to independent artists. The emergency payments were planned for three months - from 15 March to 15 June 2020 - and would be subject to review each month, depending on the inflow of funds from the state budget. Social pensions In-kind transfers Social Food, vouchers, others Assistance On 8 November 2021, the School feeding Scheme in Croatia, which is aimed at promoting a balanced diet and is now in its eighth year, has been expanded to another 67 schools and 21,000 children as well as to another 106,000 children consuming milk and dairy products. The expansion is the result of a campaign the ministry conducted from October 2020 to October 2021, together with the Paying Agency for Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development, among schools, suppliers and other School feeding state authorities. The program promotes EU health policies and includes ensuring fruit and vegetables in primary and secondary schools as well as milk and dairy products in primary schools as additional meals. In the 2022-21 school year, 803 schools participated in the program with 49 suppliers and 289,686 pupils, for whom 639.5 tons of fruit and vegetables and 312,411 liters of milk and dairy products were utilized. Public works On 17 March 2020, The Croatian government announced the deferment of public obligation payments (income and profit tax and social security contributions) for three months, which can be Utility waivers extended by additional three months if necessary, and the temporary suspension of payments of selected parafiscal charges. On 17 March 2020, The Croatian government announced that individuals will be entitled to an early personal income tax refund. Under the present legislation, a personal income tax refund based on an annual tax assessment is made upon expiry of the deadline for objection to the provisional notice of assessment issued in June, which was usually during August of the current year. The tax refund procedure has been changed so that the refund will be made at the time of delivery of the provisional assessment notice to the individual, who remains entitled to the objection rights. Based on this new measure, the individuals will receive their personal income tax refund for 2019 during June 2020. As of April 10, 2020, for the lease of state-owned properties/premises, the Croatian government has adopted a decision for deferral of payment of the annual rent for 3 months. As long as the deferral is in place, the Republic of Croatia will not claim statutory default interest nor be allowed to declare a cancelation or termination of the underlying lease agreement on the grounds of non-payment of rent. However, this is not applicable on a private property. Paid sick leave Health insurance The government of Croatia paid pension contributions for both public defined benefit (DB) scheme and funded defined contribution (DC) individual accounts for the next 3 months (with possibility of Pensions extension for another three months), in parallel with net wage subsidy of HRK 4000 per employee in a sector/establishment that qualifies for the support. Unemployment benefits Social The government covered the health and pension benefit costs for all coronavirus-stricken Insurance entrepreneurs, or HRK 1,460 per employee, i.e for entrepreneurs who have seen a year-over-year decline in revenue of 20-50%. The benefit had been requested by 66,000 entrepreneurs for more than 400,000 employees. Social security contributions The government of Croatia will pay pension contributions for both public defined benefit (DB) scheme and funded defined contribution (DC) individual accounts for the next 3 months (with possibility of extension for another three months), in parallel with net wage subsidy of HRK 4000 per employee in a sector/establishment that qualifies for the support. Activation measures March 2020] As home offices are not intended for working, employers may not be expected to fulfil all safety requirements pertaining to the specific job position and that statutory health and safety Labor requirements should be fulfilled to the full possible and permissible extent, especially making sure Markets Labor market regulations that employees’ health and safety are not put at risk. [March 2020] The measure for permanent seasonal workers was extended by six months to ensure at least the minimum wage and the health and pension insurance coverage. [January 2021] On 21 January 2021, the Croatian Employment Service issued the Guidance for seasonal workers for 2021. The duration of the measure is six months with the possibility of extension due to the pandemic. It usually covers the cost of extended pension insurance for the first 3 months, and for the next 3 months the 50% of extended insurance. [March 2020] The government enacted a decision on 18 March by which all employers were obliged to ensure work from home arrangements for their employees wherever possible. In addition, employers would be allowed to unilaterally determine that employees should perform their duties at Reduced work time a place different than stipulated in their respective employment agreement. The government also stated that in the case of low-risk jobs (such as office and administrative work) remote work may be in force as long as extraordinary circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are in place. [March 2020] The government created a program to support the preservation of jobs in sectors affected by the pandemic. Eligible employers included those operating in sectors such as transport and storage, accommodation services, food and drink preparation and service, event organization etc. Employers who could not operate due to the Decisions of the Civil Protection Headquarters or those who faced a decline in income of more than 20% due to the circumstances were also eligible. The support could not be granted if a certain percentage of employees had been dismissed from 20 March 2020 until the date of application; the threshold varied according to the size of the company. The amount of the grant - HRK 3,250 or HRK 1,625 per worker - was applicable for March 2020, while for April and May 2020 it was increased to HRK 4,000 (€534) for full-time jobs or HRK 2,625 (€267) for part-time jobs. [May 2020] The program was continued for the month of June 2020 for employers who still could not operate or faced a decline in revenue of 50% or more. The Croatian Employment Service also announced that an employer would have to repay support if it pays a dividend or profit share by the end of 2021. Wage subsidies [July 2020] It was extended for the months of July and August 2020 and employers needed to show a decline of 60% in revenue compared to the same month the previous year. [August 2020] The program was extended to also include micro-entrepreneurs who would be granted HRK 2,000 (€266.67) per month per full-time worker. [September 2020] The program was extended until the end of 2021. [March 2021] The list of eligible activities was reduced to exclude financial and insurance activities as well as gambling and betting activities. [April 2021] The support was extended for the months of March and April 2021. [July 2021] The program was extended and an additional condition was added which stipulated that employers whose 70% or more workers had been vaccinated against COVID-19 would be eligible to receive the support in full amount. [September] The program was extended for the months of August and September 2021. [July 2020] In late June 2020, a grant was introduced for the preservation of jobs in sheltered workshops, integrative workshops and employment units for people with disabilities, to be applied from the period between July to December 2020. Employers who were eligible for this grant included sheltered workshops, integrative workshops and work units for the employment of people with disabilities, regardless of the sector in which they were operating. Employers had to prove a decrease in turnover of at least 50% in the month preceding the month for which the grant is sought, compared to the same month of the previous year (based on VAT returns submitted to the Tax Authority). An employer could receive a grant in the amount up to HRK 4,000 per month per eligible employee. [January 2021] The measure was extended until 30 June 2021. (back to the top) Cuba Cash-based transfers Sick workers endorsed by medical certificate received a subsidy equivalent to: a) 50% of the average wage if they were hospitalized. b) 60% of the average wage if they were not hospitalized Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) The government extended the term of validity of the temporary monetary benefits of Social Assistance for a period of 6 months from its expiration, to families already receiving the cash Social transfers, without being subject to updates and ratification from the Ministry of Labor and Social Assistance Security. Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding Public works Utility waivers Paid sick leave Health insurance Pensions Social Unemployment benefits Insurance [March 2020] The payment of obligations for the Special Contribution to Social Security of self- employed workers whose activities are suspended were deferred. Social security contributions The government established that those workers who received economic support were exempted from paying income tax as well as special contributions to the Social Security System Activation measures [April 2020] There was no reduction in wages for those workers who needed to self-isolate for Labor fourteen days due to COVID-19. Markets Labor market regulations [April 2020] The government introduced a set of labor measures on how work interruptions should be handled: - If workers are relocated to another position within or outside the entity, they must earn the wages of the new position, without losing their employment relationship with the original entity. - If workers are relocated to an activity without holding a position, they must receive basic wages. - In all cases, it should be ensured that the relocation is carried out in labor activities in correspondence with the current epidemiological situation and food production and care for vulnerable people should be prioritized. [April 2020] The government reduced procedures in the Public Administration to avoid crowding in public places. This included: 1) Suspending the procedures for granting new authorization of self-employment status. 2) Extending work permits to foreigners for 6 months from March 2020 to work in Cuba and suspending procedures for new requests. [April 2020] The government established a set of labor measures, including encouraging remote Reduced work time work or telework in all activities for which workers must be paid 100% of their wage. [April 2020] Elderly workers and people at risk of getting COVID-19 received 100% of their salary during the first month they remained at home, and from the second month 60% of their salary. [April 2020] Working parents of children with classes suspended in primary or special education must receive their full wage for the first month (100% of the basic wage) and if the suspension continues, he/she should receive 60% of the basic wage. Wage subsidies [April 2020] In case a worker cannot be relocated, they should continue to receive 100% of the basic wage during the first month, and 60% of the basic wage from the second month onwards. If the worker does not wish to relocate with no justification given, they should be able to maintain their labor relationship with the original business entity, although no wage will be paid during this period (back to the top) Curaçao (Netherlands) Cash-based transfers Social assistance recipients could receive a fortnightly credit in addition to the social assistance benefit received on a personal rechargeable card. The amount of the deposit depended on the family composition: singles ANG $75, couples without children/single parent with children ANG $150, couples with children ANG $225. This measure was in place on April 22nd, 2020. Cash transfers People who lost their jobs before March 15th, 2020 and are still unemployed will be eligible for a (conditional and unconditional) personal rechargeable card, if they were registered as a job seeker from January 1st 2019. The amount of the deposit depends on the family composition: singles ANG $300 per month, couples (with or without children) and single parent ANG $450 per month. Self-employed entrepreneurs without employing staff can receive additional benefits up to ANG $1,335, if they were unable to work from March 30th, 2020. Social pensions Social In-kind transfers Assistance (May 2020) Emergency food and hygiene package of ANG 50, to be provided weekly for the duration of 1 month to 550 families (intended) based on established criteria. Implementing organization: Food Bank. Total planned budget ANG 110,000 for one month. Food, vouchers, others (May 2020) Emergency hygiene package of ANG 16, with hygienic items in connection with Coronavirus, to be provided monthly to 7,200 welfare recipients for one month. Implementing organization: Kas di Bario. Total planned budget ANG 115,200.00 for 1 month. School feeding Public works (March 2020) Temporary regulations introduced with maximum prices for hygienic products (hand sanitizers, latex gloves, disinfectant sprays, antibacterial wipes and alcohol) and fruits and vegetables Utility waivers with a high vitamin C content. (March 2020) Basic discount in income tax will be adjusted/increased retroactively for the year 2020 to January 1, 2020 (March 2020) Fines for late or non-payments will not be imposed. (March 2020) Current payment of taxes (deferred payment) can be suspended on request. Paid sick leave Health insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits (March 2020) Temporary regulations introduced with maximum prices for hygienic products (hand Social sanitizers, latex gloves, disinfectant sprays, antibacterial wipes and alcohol) and fruits and vegetables Insurance with a high vitamin C content. Social security contributions (March 2020) Basic discount in income tax will be adjusted/increased retroactively for the year 2020 to January 1, 2020 (March 2020) Fines for late or non-payments will not be imposed. (March 2020) Current payment of taxes (deferred payment) can be suspended on request. [March 2020] The Solidarity Package announced by the government included the launch by the Activation measures Ministry of Economic Affairs Development of "KLA PA TURISMO" 2.0 which was aimed at providing hospitality training digitally to stakeholders within the tourism sector. Labor market regulations Reduced work time To provide temporary support to companies affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Labor Social Affairs and Employment has introduced the Temporary Emergency Measure Bridging Work Markets for the Preservation of Work (NOW). This reached employers as well as statutory directors of firms from certain branches, such as hotels, restaurants, cafes, transport, non-food retail, construction and storage. To be eligible, firms must have suffered from revenue loss of at least 25% due to the Wage subsidies COVID-19 pandemic. The compensation varied between 20% and 80% of their maximum wages, depending on the revenue loss. Another condition is that the employer keeps all employees in service and continues to pay them, taking into account any reduction based on mutual consent. [June 2021] The compensation for employers has changed from July 2021 and is now equal to between 18% and 57% of the monthly wage bill, based on expected decrease in turnover (at least 25%). (back to the top) Cyprus Cash-based transfers The government introduced an extraordinary measure to support the unemployed in March 2020. The measure was first introduced for the period from 16 March 2020 to 12 April 2020 and, since then, it has been continually renewed on a monthly basis. Initially (that is between 16 March and 1 July 2020) the amount of the benefit was €360 per month. As of 1 July 2020, this amount was increased to €500 per month. The duration of the allowance is for one month and covers only people who have been recipients of the regular unemployment benefit (registered with the public service employment registry) and who have exhausted their right to a regular unemployment benefit. Cash transfers This allowance is not provided if the unemployed person receives a regular unemployment or (conditional and unconditional) sickness benefit or a maternity/paternity allowance or receives a statutory pension. The government provided a lump-sum allowance for students studying abroad during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic between March and April 2020 to the tune of 750 EUR. Beneficiaries were all students with a permanent residence in Cyprus who were studying abroad during the first wave of the pandemic and could not return to the country during the Easter period due to the Social suspension of flights. As of April 8th, 2020, 3,000 students had received the benefit. Assistance Social pensions In-kind transfers Around 13,000 students received a special allowance in July 2020 to make up for the school Food, vouchers, others breakfasts they missed during March and April 2020. School feeding Public works A tenant support scheme was approved to financially protect tenants by incentivising landlords to reduce rents. Specifically, in cases of a rent reduction, a tax credit is granted to the landowner equal to 50% of the rent reduction provided that the rent reduction is between 30% and 50% for a specific period of months. This plan was introduced in May 2020 and was reinstated in January 2021 (it was Utility waivers extended until March 2021). The only difference between the two periods is that initially the landowner should have made a rent reduction for a period of up to three months within 2020 to gain the tax break, while, for 2021, the period of rent reduction extends to up to six months. The measures target, in principle, all tenants (15.6% of the total population) The government has taken multiple measures in 2021 to support vulnerable households in light of a difficult global economy including the reduction of the VAT rate on electricity consumption in vulnerable households, from 19% to 5%, for a period of 6 months, reduction by the EAC by about 10% in consumer tariffs, a measure that will apply in the two months November - December 2021 and January - February 2022, a € 5 million Plan to provide sponsorships for the replacement of energy- intensive appliances and, in particular, air conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines, with new high-efficiency products, and in the near future vulnerable consumers will be subsidized to replace old type bulbs with LED bulbs. Three-month suspension of a scheduled increase in the interest for housing loans for four years. Suspensions of the VAT payment obligation from April to June 2020 and acceleration of refunds were provided until 10 November 2020. The deferral of payment of VAT due only applies to periods ending on 29 February 2020 (1/12/2019 - 29/2/2020), 31 March 2020 (1/1/2020 - 31/3/2020) and 30 April 2020 (1/2/2020 - 30/4/2020), provided that: the relevant VAT returns will be timely submitted (10/4, 10/5 and 10/6 respectively); and taxable persons do not fall into the specific categories specified in the amending law. Following a proposal from the government, the Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority (CERA) decided on a universal reduction of 10% of the final electricity price, excluding VAT and the renewable energy sources (RES) and energy saving fee (FDI). This measure was initially implemented in the first phase of the pandemic, in March 2020, for a period of four months. On 30 March 2020, the Cypriot Minister for Finance issued a decree providing for an extension of the deadline for submission of tax returns and payment of tax extended. Further, by the same decree, the Minister of Finance has extended the deadline for the payment of tax due under the aforementioned tax returns for 2018 until the same date. The purpose of this measure was to protect families and people paying rents and facing financial difficulties from the risk of an eviction. This legislation came into force in March 2020 and was amended in May 2020 so as to further extend the protection of renters from any procedure for the recovery of property-ownership until 30 September 2020. This measure targeted any person or household living in a rented house or apartment who faced financial difficulty in paying the rent, and who was therefore at risk of receiving a notice of eviction. 0.18% of the total population or about 1,500 people. An interest rate subsidy scheme for new mortgages was passed with the purpose of providing financial support to households with new home mortgages which have been taken out for buying or building a prime residence (not loans for renovating or buying a secondary residence). This is achieved through subsidizing their interest rate payments up to a certain level and for a period that cannot exceed four years. The scheme was approved by the cabinet on 27 May 2020, while its extension was approved by a subsequent cabinet decision on 25 November 2020. The scheme covers new housing loans for which loan agreements have been signed from 1 March 2020 onwards and will be approved by the financial institutions by 30 June 2021. On 30 March 2020, the Cypriot Minister for Finance issued a decree providing relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The decree provides for the extension of the deadline for submission of tax returns and payment of taxes as well as the deadline for the filing of tax returns. The government has taken multiple measures in 2021 to support vulnerable households in light of a difficult global economy including the reduction of the VAT rate on electricity consumption in vulnerable households from 19% to 5% for a period of 6 months, reduction by the EAC by about 10% in consumer tariffs, a measure that will apply in the two months November - December 2021 and January - February 2022, a € 5 million Plan to provide sponsorships for the replacement of energy- intensive appliances and, in particular, air conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines, with new high-efficiency products, and in the near future vulnerable consumers will be subsidized to replace old type bulbs with LED bulbs. Within the content of the Emergency Measures Taken to Cope with the COVID 19 Pandemic Act 2020 aiming at supporting employees responsible for the care of children up to 15 years of age and/or children with disabilities of all ages, the "Child Care Special Leave" allowance is granted in Social accordance with certain terms and conditions. The Child Care Special Leave Allowance will be Paid sick leave awarded to working parents who are responsible for the care of children up to 15 years of age and/or Insurance children with disabilities of any age and due to the nature of their work cannot work either by teleworking or working from home or with flexible working hours provided there is no in-house assistance. Granting of a sickness benefit of EUR 800 per month to workers (including self-employed) who are dealing with special health issues, for cases of compulsory absence from work and certain senior citizens. Health insurance Pensions [March 2020] Workers who have lost their employment or full employment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic are entitled to receive the Special Unemployment Benefit to workers. The Unemployment benefits Special Scheme for Partial Suspension of Business and provision of a Special Unemployment Benefit provides support from 16/3/2020 to 12/4/2020. [Extension-September 2020] Deadline was prolonged until 31st October 2020 [March 2020] In order to strengthen the health sector in the effort to combat the virus and not to affect the incomes of employees and enterprises, a suspension of additional contribution by employers and employees to the General Healthcare System will be introduced. This is scheduled as of 31/3/2020 for two months. The estimated budget is €98 million. Social security contributions Extension of the time period for the submission of appeals at the Social Insurance Services for self- employed persons; Three-month suspension of a scheduled increase in the contribution to the General Healthcare System and interest subsidy for new business and housing loans for four years, which benefit both businesses and households. Special schemes for the training of employees, aiming to enable SMEs to train their employees; Activation measures [September 2020] The Incentives Provision Scheme aims to provide young people aged 15 to 29 years who are out of work with education or training (for immediate recruitment). The estimated budget amounts to €4,000,000 and the scheme is scheduled to be implemented after the end of October 2020. Labor [April 2020] All the businesses that are still operative in compliance with the Quarantine Markets Labor market regulations (Determination of Measures to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19) related decrees, are required to organize and implement a disinfection procedure which shall be implemented after the end of every working day in all the premises that are visited by the public, to prevent the spread of the virus. [January 2021] Private enterprises/services that remain in operation are required to promote teleworking, with a regulation for simultaneous physical presence of 15 % of their staff, with a Reduced work time maximum number of employees who may be physically present at 20 persons per professional premise, to prevent the spread of the virus. The measures will apply from Sunday, January 10, 2021 until 31 January at midnight [Extension- May 2021] The measure of physical presence of up to 30% of employees remains, with a maximum number of 50 employees that can be physically present in each professional structure, and with a minimum number of 5 employees, until 16 May 2021. From 17 May 2021, physical presence of up to 50% is allowed. [March 2020] The government launched the Special Self Employed Benefit to cope with the COVID- 19 pandemic. This was particularly aimed at those self-employed who suffer from a reduced turnover of more than 25% in March 2020. Eligible individuals were granted with an allowance equal to 60% of the weekly amount of the insurable remuneration for which the payee was obliged to pay contributions to the Social Insurance Services, which ranged between € 300 and € 900. To receive this benefit, self-employed must not dismiss any of its employees. This measure was in place between March 16th and April 12th, 2020. [Extension-September 2020] Deadline was prolonged until 31st October 2020. [March 2020] With a view of supporting enterprises, businesses (legal or natural persons who are employers) that have partially suspended their operation and have a turnover decline greater than 25% in March 2020 and are projecting a corresponding drop in turnover for April 2020, as compared to the corresponding months of the previous year and the decline in turnover solely due to the state of the business as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, are entitled to receive the Special Wage subsidies Unemployment Benefit to workers. The Special Scheme for Partial Suspension of Business and provision of a Special Unemployment Benefit provides support from 16/3/2020 to 12/4/2020. In the cases of businesses that were not active during the corresponding period of the previous year, the basis for comparison will be the months immediately preceding March 2020. The estimated budget is 110 million Euros. [Extension-September 2020] Deadline was prolonged until 31st October 2020 [March 2020] The government announced a support Plan for Small Businesses employing up to 5 people, under the condition that these businesses have suffered a loss bigger than 25% of their turnover but that will keep employing their employees. The estimated budget is €10million and the Plan foresees a subsidy of 70% of the workers’ salary. Support plan for small businesses that have suffered losses to subsidize 70 percent of workers' salary and the self-employed (including those who are not on the VAT register), including a lump sum to cover debts in rents and other operating expenses; those who are on the VAT register do not need to apply for this subsidy. (back to the top) Czechia Cash-based transfers In March 2020, Czech Republic announced a compensation bonus for self-employed workers which shall be paid by tax authority upon receipt of the application. It is paid as a lump sum up to CZK 25,000, ie CZK 500 for each day of the bonus period in which the self-employed person has met all the conditions for awarding the bonus. The first bonus period lasts from March 12 to April 30, 2020. Self-employed persons submit applications for CZK 500 for every day during this period, during which they could not perform their activities in whole or in part above the usual health risks or emergency measures. On May 7, 2020, the government announced to extend the period for which self-employed can claim a bonus. The second bonus period applies from May 1 to June 8, 2020. The conditions for obtaining the compensation bonus will be the same. However, the self-employed will have to reapply for the bonus for this period and submit a new affidavit. Also, if someone has not yet applied for the first bonus period, then from 7 May 2020 onwards it is possible to submit both applications together. This program was re-introduced in October and since then it has been extended six times. On 24 February 2021, the government increased the bonus from CZK 500 to CZK 1,000 per day for entrepreneurs while the employees would get only CZK 500 and it was Social applied retroactively from February 1st, 2021. The pool of potential applicants was larger, now Cash transfers Assistance bankrupt people, volunteers in care services and foster parents working on an agreement could also (conditional and unconditional) apply. This was further extended until May 2021. March 4, 2021, the Czech government approved daily quarantine compensation bonus of CZK 370 per person to be paid to those who have been ordered to quarantine or isolation between March 1 and April 30, 2021. If the Parliament approves, payments should be extended until June 30. On 8 March 2021, Czech Republic announced that doctors, other medical staff, non-medical professionals, and social service workers will receive an extraordinary bonus for their service during Covid-19. Doctors and other medical staff will be paid a bonus of up CZK 75,000 via the subsidy program of the Ministry of Health, depending on the number of hours actually worked in the period from 1 October 2020 to 28 February 2021 at the provider’s workplace, up to the amount of their agreed workload. Non-medical employees in these facilities will receive a bonus of CZK 30,000 if they work full time. The government has set aside CZK 12.2 billion from the State budget for these bonuses, and the employees should receive them with their April 2021 wages. Employees in social services will also receive the bonuses of CZK 25,000. The amount of their extraordinary remuneration will depend on the workload and the number of hours actually worked and the complexity of the work. Employees of the 1st category founders in direct care and medical staff will be entitled to up to CZK 50,000 if they are working in direct care, and to CZK 30,000 if they are other employees; in the 2nd category for other services, the numbers will be CZK 25,000 for employees in direct care and CZK 15,000 for other employees. In addition to the financial possibilities of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the government released another CZK 5 billion for these bonuses. On 20 August 2020, Czech Republic announced the COVID Spa program, to support Czech spas, which had been badly damaged by the anti-COVID-19 measures and the sharp decline in the tourism sector (with a loss of 180,000–200,000 clients per year in Czech spas). Thus, the government of the Czech Republic delivered CZK 1 billion (€37,481,260 approx.) in the form of discount vouchers worth CZK 4,000 (€150) per person (250,000 vouchers are available in total). The call was opened on 24 August 2020 with the deadline of 30 September 2020. On April 6, 2021, the second call of this program (i.e., re-introduction) COVID Spa 2021 was opened. The decisive period is from 1 January 2021 until 31 December 2021. The call is opened for applications until 28 May 2021. The total amount for this call is CZK 743.8 million (€28,607,692). From the first round, CZK 150.58 million was spent (as reported on 31 May 2021). As of 2 October 2020, 147,000 vouchers have been downloaded out of 250,000 for 2020 and as of 10 September 2021, 128,000 vouchers were downloaded from the total number of 185,000 vouchers for 2021. On November 11, 2020, Czech Republic’s Region Development of Czech Republic under the COVID Tourism program supported tour guides (i.e., individuals) with an amount of CZK 50,000 or 40,000 depending on the conditions given below. The calls have been opened from 11 November 2020 until 11 January 2021 (the application deadline was extended until 29 January 2021).Tour guides will receive CZK 50,000 (€1,852 approx.), if he/she provides educational services to a school facility for the duration of at least ten teaching hours by 30 June 2021 at the latest or completes further education or a retraining course accredited by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic for additional employment on the labor market by 31 December 2021. Or else, CZK 40,000 (€1,482 approx.), if the guide does not meet the conditions above. Total allocated funds for this is CZK 25 million (€925,926 approx.). As of 31 May 2021, according to the Ministry it was spent CZK 18,580,000 (€714,615 approx.) on 404 tourist guides (out of 619 applications). On 18 August 2020, the Czech government introduced a program for self-employed artists and technicians in the field of culture to cover ex-post vain expenditures on cultural events which have been cancelled or postponed in the period from 10 March 2020 to 31 August 2020. They introduced a one-time support for artistic and technical professions in the field of culture in the amount of CZK 60,000 (€2,204 approx.). The total allocation (including funds for business) of the first call was CZK 900,000,000 (€33,063,923 approx.). This program was re-introduced on 22 October 2020 to cover vain expenditures on cultural events which were cancelled or postponed in the period from 1 October to 20 November 2020. The total allocation (include funds for business) of the second call is CZK 750,000,000 (€27,553,269 approx.). On 5 February 2021, they introduced policies for self-employed in the culture (actors, acrobats, sound engineers, illuminators, painters, writers etc.) and audiovisual industry (audiovisual professions). A one-off support in the total amount of CZK 60,000 (€ 2,300 approx.) per person was provided. Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding Public works Utility waivers Antivirus Employment Protection Program: an employee who is affected by COVID-19 or ordered into quarantine in connection with COVID-19 is entitled to sick pay. This rule applies to all insured persons notwithstanding the place of quarantine (national territory, another EU member state or a third country). Same rules apply as in the case of a sick worker (the employer has the obligation to pay the employee a salary reimbursement in the amount of 60% of reduced average earnings for the first 14 calendar days of the quarantine, with no waiting period; after 14 days the employee is further reimbursed through sickness insurance). The employee must be covered by Czech sickness insurance to be entitled to this sickness allowance. The program has now been extended until 31/08/2020. New law that came into effect on 26 March 2020: care/nursing allowance (also called attendance Paid sick leave Social allowance) is prolonged for the whole period of school closure as a result of anti-epidemic measures Insurance for workers with children aged 0-13 (compared to up to 10 years old before) or persons taking care of disabled persons (regardless of age) if the facility designed for their care has closed. The attendance allowance is provided from sickness insurance by the Czech Social Security Administration and thus not considered as a family benefit. It might or might not be paid at the same level as a sickness benefit The government approved a proposal for legislative changes in the field of employment. It will now be possible for a job seeker to register at the Labor Office online and from anywhere. Persons registered with the Labor Office will now have up to 3 days to prove a medical certificate in case of illness. Health insurance Self-employed can apply for a 6-month waiver of health insurance payments. Pensions The government paid out a one-off benefit for pensioners of CZK 5,000 (CZK 15bn in total). Unemployment benefits [June 2020] As part of the Antivirus Employment Protection Program, social security contributions will be waived for the months of June, July and August for companies with up to 50 employees, an additional targeted support aimed at mitigating the effects of the coronavirus crisis in order to maintain the maximum possible number of jobs. The Antivirus C is expected to help approximately 88% of employers and 1.4 millions of their employees. The impact on the state budget is expected to Social security contributions amount to a maximum of CZK 13.5 billion. Social security contribution relief for self-employed affected by COVID-19. Waiver of penalties related to pension and state employment policy contributions payments. This measure waives penalties for late filing payments and statements to state pension and allows for deferral of monthly pre-payments into pension and state employment policy contributions. The government approved a proposal for legislative changes in the field of employment. It will now Activation measures be possible for a job seeker to register at the Labor Office online and from anywhere. Labor market regulations Reduced work time [March 2020] The Antivirus Employment Protection Program, designed to help businesses protect their jobs will compensate companies for payments through the Labor Office of the Czech Republic, helping employers to better manage the current situation and not resort to redundancies. Employers can apply to the Labor Office for a contribution in two modes: Labor - Mode A covers employers whose employees have been quarantined or have had to reduce their Markets operations as a result of crisis or emergency measures issued by the government, the Ministry of Health or the regional hygienic station. The maximum aid amount is 80% of the salary paid (incl. Wage subsidies levies) or CZK 39,000 per employee. - Mode B covers employers who had their number of employees dropped below tolerable levels due to quarantine and childcare, or the closure of the company due to lack of raw materials or inputs or reduced demand for products or services. The maximum aid amount is 60% of the wage compensation paid, including mandatory contributions or CZK 29,000 per month per employee. [Extension- June 2020] Extensions of the eligibility period and validity period started for both Mode A and B (back to the top) Denmark Cash-based transfers Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding Social Public works Assistance Around 500,000 households in various parts of Denmark can apply for assistance paying sky-high heating bills during the winter of 2021-2022. The government has announced funds of 100 million kroner to be earmarked to help low-income households in affected areas to pay the high bills. Municipalities will be able to apply for the funding. Local authorities would then use the money to Utility waivers directly subsidize residents, the Ministry said. Individual residents can already apply for the subsidies through their municipalities. The "Summer and Business Package" of May 2021 provided a framework of 110 million DKK for cheaper domestic transport during the summer period. Sickness Benefits Act amendment (new bill adopted on March 17 2020) provides a right to receive and be reimbursed for sickness benefits from the first day of absence in case of COVID-19 infection or due to quarantine imposed by health authorities, provided that the other general conditions in the Sickness Benefits Act for receiving and being reimbursed for sickness benefits are met. This applies to both employees (standard and non-standard) and self-employed workers. Social Paid sick leave For workers on sick leave benefits, the remaining entitlement period will be frozen for three months Insurance and all job search and activation requirements are canceled. Sick leave benefits subsidy by the Ministry of Finance. Sick leave benefits are normally provided by the employer in the first month of illness, however now, if related to COVID-19, the government will cover these. This is so far valid until the 31st of January 2021. Health insurance Pensions [March 2020] Unemployment benefit recipients will have increased access to unemployment benefit as the period from 1 March to 31 May does not count in the unemployed seniority. However, the person must be a member of the unemployment insurance fund during the period. Suspension of G- days: Employer's payment of unemployment benefit (G-days) to employees who are covered by a division of work or returned home is suspended. [Extension -July 2020] Due to the Corona situation, the Danish Parliament has decided to extend the temporary period by one month until 30 June 2020. [Extension -December 2020] Reintroduction of the suspension of unemployment benefit consumption for all unemployment benefit recipients in the period from 1 January 2021 to 28 February 2021, corresponding to the extension of the targeted compensation schemes. [Extension - February 2021] The parties to the agreement agree that the suspension of unemployment benefit consumption will be extended until and including April 2021. [Extension - May 2021] The Danish Parliament passed a bill (L 218) to extend the suspension of benefit consumption until 30 June 2021. Unemployment benefits [April 2020] A so-called 225 hours rule in force requires that the unemployed needs to have had 225 hours of employment over the last 12 months in order to continuously receiving a cash benefit. The government and the Parliament have suspended this rule on the grounds that finding a new job is impossible in the current situation. The government and the Parliament on 6 April 2020 decided to put the 225 hours rule on hold with effect from 9 March 2020 and three months forward. This means that the unemployed person receiving social security benefits in this period will receive the cash benefit without documenting 225 hours of employment in the last 12 months nor having continuously to search for jobs. [Extension - July 2020] Due to the Corona situation, the Danish parliament has decided to extend the suspension of the 225-hour rule for social security protection recipients until September 8, 2020. [Extension - February 2021] The parties to the agreement agreed to extend the suspension of the 225-hour rule by a further two months until and including 30 April 2021. [Extension -May 2021] The Danish Parliament passed a bill (L 219) to extend the suspension of the 225-hour-rule until the 30 June 2021. Social security contributions Activation measures Labor Markets [February 2021] A bill requiring employers to ensure that traveling employees are PCR-tested for Labor market regulations COVID-19 after entry into Denmark entered into force on 2 February 2021. It contains a so-called sunset clause, so the law will be repealed on 1 July 2021, unless this period is extended prior to that date. With the adopted bill, employers who employ workers traveling into Denmark to work are required to ensure that the arriving employees are tested for COVID-19 after entry. The requirement does not apply to individuals who live in Denmark. In connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Employment and the Labor Inspectorate has decided to adopt a force majeure provision in the occupational health and safety regulations on Reduced work time rest periods. This means that the rule that employees must have a rest period of at least 11 consecutive hours a day and a weekly day off can be waived to the extent necessary in companies that face an extraordinary workload due to COVID-19. This is a temporary measure. [March 2020] A 2.6 billion Danish krone short-time work scheme was announced on March 15, 2020 and will apply retroactively from 9 March until 9 June, 2020. It applies to companies facing having to fire at least 30 percent of employees or more than 50 employees. Conversely, companies undertake not to fire employees for financial reasons while receiving compensation from the state. For employees paid on a monthly basis who would otherwise have been fired, the Danish government would cover 75% of the employees’ salaries if firms committed not to lay off workers up to a maximum of 23,000 Danish krone/month ($3,418). Firms will also have to cover the remaining 25% to ensure employees can keep their full salary. For hourly workers (with no notice period) the compensation rate is 90% up to a maximum of 26,000 kroner (or EUR 3500). From the employees' side, it is a question of each individual having to take five vacation days - either vacation, time off or without pay - in order to receive the salary compensation. [Extension - April 2020] The government and the social partners have agreed to extend the temporary wage compensation scheme by one month to apply until and including 8 July. Wage subsidies [May 2020] Wage subsidy scheme for companies that have apprentices or want to hire apprentices. The initiatives are intended to ensure that pupils can complete their education in the event that they lose their apprenticeship as a result of the crisis. Companies will receive 75% of their current apprentices' wages. In addition, wage subsidies are given for new agreements of 45% for short appointments and 90% for ordinary training agreements, respectively. All employers in both the public and private sectors will receive an increased salary refund during school stays by 20% in the second half of 2020. Funds are allocated to a number of initiatives to ensure that pupils have easier access to school internships. It also envisages investing in the quality of school internships. The AUB scheme will be balanced by introducing a flexible AUB contribution from 2021 to ensure that income and expenditure balance over time and can accommodate an increased activity in vocational education and training. (back to the top) Djibouti Cash-based transfers (March 2021) The GoD has secured funding to its Integrated Cash Transfer and Human Capital Cash transfers Project. This additional finance permits an extension of cash transfers to about 2,500 households in (conditional and unconditional) urban areas. The transfers will be fixed at DJF 30,000 (about US$169, or US$56 per month) in the regions of the interior, and DJF 24,000 (about US$135, or US$45 per month) in Djibouti-ville. Social pensions In-kind transfers (April 2020) WFP, in partnership with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Solidarity (MASS), in response to the pandemic, has started a new phase of distribution of vouchers to vulnerable populations affected by the November 2019 floods, for a value of FDJ10,000 per household to 4,500 households in Djibouti city. WFP and MASS staff finalized the voucher distribution on 1 April. These households received their vouchers to be redeemed at retailer sites to receive food in the various neighborhoods of Djibouti city. In addition, UNHCR, ONARS and MASS agreed to include refugees in Social the cash assistance program Assistance (April 2020) Over a three-month period from April to June 2020, the Integrated Cash Transfer and Food, vouchers, others Human Capital project was restructured to accommodate new support for in-kind transfers to cushion the impact of COVID-19 on the vulnerable population. Food vouchers (FDJ10,000/USD56.5 per month per family for 3 months) were given to 27,567 poor and vulnerable urban households (154,000 people), exceeding the target of 27,000 households. It targeted approximately 16,000 households under the poverty line, and approximately 11,000 households active in day labor, temporary and/or independent work. In addition, the food voucher platform catalyzed government financing for food vouchers for one month to about 49,000 additional households. The vouchers entitled beneficiary households in Djibouti-ville and its suburb of Balbala to a basket of food staples, including rice, flour, cooking oil, sugar, dates, pasta, and tomatoes. The intervention was designed and carried out with a series of measures designed to mitigate the risk of transmission of the coronavirus School feeding Public works (March 2020) An electricity subsidy of 168.7 USD to cover 94% of the population as well as a Utility waivers universal postponement on the payment of utilities bills from March to June 2020. A presidential decree (2020-63/PR/MTRA) has been introduced, requesting exceptional measures for businesses with 11 workers or more, including paid leave. The employee benefits from compensation for lost wages, the rate of which will be fixed by a Paid sick leave government decree. All civil servants and employees in the parastatal and formal private sectors are paid during the containment period. Social Health insurance Insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits [April 2020] The government announced that it would provide support for the employers' social contributions paid by companies which are affected by confinement and commit to maintaining Social security contributions staff salaries. This amounted to 0.5 billion FDJ. [July 2020] On July 24, 2020, the African Development Bank mobilized additional funds to help Djibouti continue with this policy. Activation measures (March 2020) Presidential decree (2020-63/PR/MTRA) puts in place health and safety measures for the protection of workers in the workplace (in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic) of enterprises of 11 workers or more. Measures include: - Employer must set up a work environment that promotes barrier gestures, for example washing hands regularly and using disinfectant for hands and surfaces. Avoid touching face; covering mouth when coughing or sneezing. If a person is not feeling well, they should isolate themselves and seek Labor market regulations medical assistance. - Employer is required to respect and enforce barrier gestures in the workplace. - Companies are invited to rethink their organizations to: limit meetings to what is strictly necessary; Labor limit groupings of employees in confined spaces; non-essential trips must be canceled or postponed Markets by the organization. The government promised support measures to enterprises who would follow the rules, as well as sanctions to those which openly broke the instructions. ( [March 2020] Presidential decree (2020-63/PR/MTRA) proposed exceptional measures, requesting enterprises of 11 workers or more, to protect their workers contracts, by adopting alternative working Reduced work time measures (paid leave, teleworking, partial work). For the teleworking measure, the employee and his/her employer must agree to use telework. They must imperatively formalize this agreement by the means of their choice. The employee must agree to be teleworking. The fact of refusing to be teleworked cannot constitute a reason for dismissal. However, in the event of exceptional circumstances or force majeure, teleworking may be imposed on the employee without his/her agreement to contain the epidemic. [March 2020] Presidential decree (2020-63/PR/MTRA) proposed exceptional measures, requesting enterprises of 11 workers or more, to protect their workers contracts, by adopting alternative working measures (paid leave, teleworking, partial work). For the policy of partial work, the employer can place his employees in a position of partial activity when the company is forced to reduce or temporarily suspend its activity during the duration of the coronavirus crisis in consultation with the workers (staff representatives, trade union organization). [March 2020] As per decree (2020/63), certain categories of employees in the private sector who lost their jobs or had a reduction of work time due to COVID-19 can be entitled to government compensation. On April 29, 2020 Decree N° 2020-049/PR/MTRA announced the conditions for granting compensatory allowance for companies. Workers placed in partial activity could receive a compensation of up to 70 per cent of their wages despite the reduction in working hours—30 per cent being paid by the State, and the remaining 40 Wage subsidies per cent by the the employer. The employers will receive money from the government and must pay their employees. The specific allowance due to companies as well as the compensatory allowance allocated to their employees placed in a partial employment position mentioned by the aforementioned decree n ° 2020/63 of March 23, 2020, benefits companies who started their activity and did not file a declaration of suspension of payment before March 1, 2020, were forced to reduce or temporarily suspend their activity due to the pandemic. (back to the top) Dominica Cash-based transfers $8 million approved from the Dominica Social Security to help people who would have lost their jobs (from the Redundancy Fund and the Employment Injury branch of the DSS). Plus, a minimum of $9.5 million from the government for relief payments to those who are financially challenged. This program offered financial assistance in the amount of EC$600.00 and EC$400.00 to individuals with minor dependents under the age of 18 and individuals with no minor dependents under the age of 18 respectively who have either been laid off or whose employment hasbeen terminated as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic or the Emergency Powers (Curfew) Order, Statutory Rules and Order No. 15 of 2020. Financial assistance was paid via the Dominica Social Security (DSS). To be eligible, individuals must have been laid off/terminated between March 1 to August 15, 2020; individuals must have not received other unemployment benefits as a result of his/her termination, evidenced by an employer declaration or cross-checked with the Redundancy Social Fund database at DSS; and total employment income of the individuals must not exceed Cash transfers EC$4,000.00 per month, verified by the last month of income reported in the DSS database, among Assistance (conditional and unconditional) other requirements. This grant program is targeted at self-employed sole trader businesses. This program will offer a financial assistance grant in the amount of EC$600.00 and EC$400.00 respectively for a period of three months to self-employed individuals with minor dependents under the age of 18 and individuals with no minor dependents under the age of 18 respectively, whose businesses have been suspended as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic or the Emergency Powers (Curfew) Order, Statutory Rules and Order No. 15 of 2020. Grants will be paid via the DSS. To be eligible beneficiaries must show: - Evidence of business activity and business must have been operational in Dominica prior to March 1, 2020 - Business must have been closed/operations suspended after March 1, 2020 and must remain closed/suspended in order to receive each month's benefit - Individual's business sales for the last calendar year ending December 31, 2019 did not exceed EC$100,000.00 - Individual is not in receipt of other employment income - Individual has not received cash grants from government for agriculture The Social Cash Transfers Program is one of the programs launched by the government to mitigate the socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will provide temporary income support to selected vulnerable individuals and families to address their basic needs including food, health, education and other necessities. Groups targeted for potential support through this program are: - Existing beneficiaries of the Public Assistance Program (PAP) - Eligible senior citizens and persons with disabilities who are not registered on the PAP and are not receiving other types of financial support - Eligible fisherfolks and fish vendors and small craft producers and vendors The program is led by the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment, Youth at Risk, Gender Affairs, Seniors Security and Dominicans with Disabilities in partnership with the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) and it is made possible thanks to the generous support of the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and WFP. 3000 people to benefit from COVID-19 Social Cash, 2000 of whom are automatically registered under the Public Assistant Program (PAP) are to benefit from the program. They received two top- ups of EC$ 225 for a period of two months for a total value of $450 EC. Non-PAP beneficiaries received two payments of EC$ 450 each, over the course of two months, for a total value of EC$ 900. Benefits were disbursed based on the payment method selected at the time of registration. Bank payments were done by direct bank transfer, cash and cheques were issued and processed with the support of Village Councils Direct Farm Support Cash Grant - Cash grants (EC$3.5 million total) to approximately 2,500 individual crop farmers to assist with the cost of farm labour and other direct costs. The grant amount is based on the size of the farmer’s holding - small holdings EC$700, medium holdings EC$1,400 and large holdings EC$2,800. Social pensions In-kind transfers Backyard Gardening Seedlings Program – seedlings for a variety of crops distributed to registrants across Dominica to boost food production (corn, beans and sweet potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, pumpkin, cucumbers, cabbage, sweet peppers, and pumpkin) and to guarantee food security. Food, vouchers, others According to the press, the government spent EC$162,000 to procure seeds and produce seedlings and planting materials for farmers island wide. School feeding Public works The Republic Bank implemented a moratorium on all loans, including mortgages and help loans for up to 6 months. There was debt restructuring and a temporary increase in overdraft and credit Utility waivers cards. Late fees or loan payments were waived at the Republic Bank and there was no penalty on withdrawals of certificates of deposit. Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions [July 2020] The government announced that applications were open for Work Online Dominica, an online, 12-week long training program open to individuals aged 17-40. The goal of this program was to provide skills training to access online opportunities for incoming generations. [June 2021] The Activation measures training of the first cohort commenced in June 2021. Sixty participants benefited from this program Labor and out of those, fifty were able to secure online jobs. The program was supported by the Dominican Markets government, USAID and IsraAID. Labor market regulations Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Dominican Republic Cash-based transfers Government has rolled out a ‘Stay at Home’ program (Quédate en Casa) with different elements, including (i) top-up to safety net of 5,000 pesos (US$92) for two months to 811,000 beneficiary families that have the Solidarity payment card to purchase food and basic necessities; (ii) horizontal expansion at the same amount 5,000 pesos (US$92) to 690,000 nonpoor and vulnerable non- beneficiary families in the SIUBEN social registry. The payments are expected from April 1 to May 30; (iii) a special transfer totaling 7,000 pesos (US129) to over 350,000 households where the Cash transfers household head is vulnerable to COVID19. (conditional and unconditional) The government has launched the freelancer/self-employed work assistance program (Pa ‘Ti) which provides temporarily support of RD $ 5,000 to independent workers, who have not been able to work due to f social distancing measures imposed by the pandemic, with an unconditional cash transfer that allows them to counteract the economic effects of the measures taken to stop the spread of COVID-19 . Total planned beneficiaries is 2.3 million individuals (200,000 actual as of June 2020). The program is extended to the end of December 2020. Social Assistance Social pensions In-kind transfers Expansion of the Comer Es Primero cash transfer program, as follows: vertical expansion of conditional transfers of the CEP - 100% increase in the amount transferred to families. Horizontal expansion - inclusion of 100,000 families in extreme poverty, moderate poverty and vulnerable sectors on the verge of becoming poor due to the shock of COVID 19. This expansion will deliver the same increased benefits that will be delivered to families that already participate in the program. These inclusions are temporary. Horizontal expansion - inclusion of formalized own-account workers Food, vouchers, others who are listed in the Social Security Treasury (TSS) and who are at risk of falling into poverty due to the impact of the shock of the COVID 19. Economic Kitchens (Comedores Económicos) is serving more than 100,000 servings of cooked food every day, through its mobile kitchens across the country. More than 22,000 basic food kits are also being distributed to children 0-5.70. School feeding Through the Stay at Home program students receive food rations each week (it was announced that 1,3M will be delivered), enough for one week of feeding per child. More than 22.000 basic feeding kits are being distributed to children from 0 to 5 years old who received their food in children's centers. The National Institute of Student Welfare (Instituto Nacional de Bienestar Estudiantil) is distributing 1.8 million food kits to parents and tutors of students enrolled in the different modalities of the School Lunch Program (Programa de Almuerzo Escolar), replacing the cooked rations they receive daily. Public works The government decided to forbid the suspension of non-paid electric energy provision and Utility waivers telecommunication services, provided by both public and private firms, during the pandemic, in order to guarantee the provision of those services. Paid sick leave Paid leave for employees who are over 60 years of age and have a special health condition. Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures [March 2020] The government announced that firms whose establishments must be closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic may grant paid vacations to all workers. Labor market regulations [March 2020] The government announced that those firms whose establishments were to remain open during the pandemic should introduce more flexible working hours as well as remote work, Reduced work time wherever possible. However, firms are not allowed to reduce workers' wages. Labor Markets [March 2020] The government is covering up to 8,500 pesos (US $ 157) of the salary of formal employees in economic sectors that have temporarily ceased their operations. For those companies that have not yet suspended operations, the Economic Commission will work directly with them to provide coverage of a percentage of the salary, which can reach up to 8,500 pesos per month, to keep workers on their payroll, thus facilitating job stability and household income. This measure will Wage subsidies be valid for two months. According to the Decree 143-20, this economic support for suspended workers (FASE I) is equivalent to 70% of suspended workers' wages, although this cannot be less than RD$5,000 nor greater than RD$8,5000 and essential workers are not considered as beneficiaries of this program. The program is also targeted at non-suspended employees working in SMEs firms (FASE II), who will receive RD$5,000 per month. According to the IMF, the program's beneficiaries will be 754,000 families of formal workers who were laid off (no information about how many workers receive the benefit). [August 2020] The program was later extended by Decree 358-2020 until the 31st of December 2020. [December 2020] The government announced that FASE I would be extended until April 2021 and FASE II would eventually be replaced by another program. [April 2021] According to the IMF, FASE I expired at the end of April but the government announced a new program targeted at workers in the tourism sector, one of the most adversely impacted sectors, in the form of a targeted FASE program from May until July 2021. [September 2021] Overall, the expenditure of FASE so far has been 50.909 billion pesos. (back to the top) Ecuador Cash-based transfers The Bono de Proteccion Familiar is a transfer of USD 60 to 950,000 poor households and informal sector workers. The first transfer was made in early April and the second transfer was initiated in mid-May. The Decree N° 1026 (2020/04/24) extended this benefit in a second phase which was paid between May and June 2020. In this case, it is a one-off payment of US$120. This extension was aimed to increase the program's coverage, as they now include vulnerable and poor people whose income isless than the poverty line (Canasta Familar Vital) Cash transfers An amount of USD 15 every 2 months is given to all beneficiaries of benefits and pensions of the (conditional and unconditional) cash transfer programs of the Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion. The Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion (MIES) reported that more than 7,990 families, users of Child Development Services, will receive the Nutritional Support Bounce (Bono de Apoyo Nutricional). This is a one-time cash compensation of USD 240. The beneficiaries are mostly pregnant women and families with children from 0 to 3 years old. Household beneficiaries of the Social Bono de Protección Familiar are not eligible for this program. Assistance Social pensions In-kind transfers The program "dar una mano sin dar la mano" (Giving a hand) will provide kits. The digital platform allows individuals to choose between kits of 5, 10 and 20 dollars, which will allow donations for people who need it most. Food, vouchers, others The government announced an Emergency Food Plan for 8 million people through the Solidarity Basket Plan (Plan de Emergencia de Alimentación). This consists of in-kind food distributions in public schools and door-to-door delivery. School feeding Public works The Government of Ecuador (GoE) has prohibited the price increase of basic services, including Utility waivers water, electricity, internet, and telecommunications for one year. Paid sick leave The GoE extended health coverage for 60 days for people dismissed from their place of employment or those who received delayed payments due to the pandemic. Health insurance The GoE prohibited insurance companies from terminating health plans that received late payments during the COVID 19 pandemic. Social Pensions Insurance [June 2020] During the months of April, May, June and July 2020, the government of Ecuador Unemployment benefits facilitated the procedure to receive unemployment benefits, allowing formal workers who recently became unemployed to avoid monthly paperwork. The Social Security Institute of Ecuador (Instituto Ecuatoriano de Seguridad Social (IESS)) will Social security contributions postpone contribution payments for April, May and June 2020. Activation measures [June 2020] The Government of Ecuador established a law granting job security to the fixed-term Labor market regulations health workers employed at the healthcare center of the Comprehensive Public Health Network (RIPS). Labor [March 2020] The government implemented a series of guidelines to allow firms to reduce, modify or Markets suspend workdays, without job loss, during the pandemic. The employer must obtain approval from Reduced work time the Regional Director of Labor and Public Services. Employers are allowed to modify the working hours of their employees to protect their economic activity without violating the rules regarding the maximum working hours as stated in the Labor Code. Wage subsidies (back to the top) Egypt Cash-based transfers (April 2020) A one-off monetary compensation of EGP 500 is being offered (for 3 months) to informal workers registered inthe database of Ministry of Labor and Manpower Payment. It will be done through post offices and banks. Registration is still opened and is expected to cover 1.9 million individuals (out of 4.4 million applicants) working in construction, ports, agriculture, fishing, plumbing, electricity, etc. The first payment was processed in April 2020 via Post Offices (4,000 branches) and the Agriculture Bank of Egypt (1,100 branches) as well as 600 schools used as payment site – a total of 5,700 outlets. Beneficiaries receive a free ATM card with their first payment to cash their 2nd and 3rd payment via post offices and/or banks. Accepted beneficiaries are notified via SMS regarding the location and time to visit to collect their first payment and the ATM card, to avoid overcrowding and ensure the safety of beneficiaries (3 billion EGP). (2020) To support the healthcare sector, EGP 5 billion has been allocated, targeted at providing urgent and necessary medical supplies, and disbursing bonuses for medical staff working in Social quarantine hospitals and labs. To support medical professionals, including doctors working in Cash transfers university hospitals, a 75 percent allowance over the wages has been announced. Assistance (conditional and unconditional) (April 2020) In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Social Solidarity has been implementing several COVID-19 response measures, including supporting 9,000 workers in the tourism sector (EGP 500 per month per tour guide). The subsidies are provided by the Emergency Fund at the Ministry of Manpower. (April 2020) Monthly cash assistance for 6 months financed by the House of Zakat for informal workers who did not benefit from the Sisi Grant to Informal Workers. The program was originally for 3 months (April, May and June) and then extended for additional three months (October, November, and December). WFP and the Ministry of Education and Technical Education continued to provide assistance to about 27,000 families with community school children in 5 governorates with cash assistance (USD 11 per child) redeemable at local retail shops. The assistance aims to increase food security of vulnerable families negatively affected by the pandemic. WFP provided food assistance through cash (USD 25 each) to about 100,000 registered refugees from different nationalities to help secure their basic food needs (2020) An unrestricted/unconditional one-off cash transfer by WFP of EGP500 (equivalent to USD31) to 50,000 families with children under three years old, and pregnant women, in 5 governorates to complement the national social safety nets (covering those who were previously rejected from Takaful and other social safety net programs and who are now more vulnerable due to sudden disruption of services and loss of income). (2020) A payment to women community leaders in rural areas ranging from EGP350 to EGP900 per month has been announced. (2020) In support of the Ministry of Manpower, WFP launched its first monthly cash assistance of EGP500, targeting about 52,000 registered casual workers, 40,500 of whom redeemed their assistance. The assistance was launched on 12 April in 9 governorates. To avoid crowding at the Fawry retailer outlets, WFP divided the distribution process over 5 slots that extended between 12- 30 April. WFP’s assistance runs as part of the Ministry of Manpower’s temporary cash assistance to casual labor workers provided via post offices and Agricultural Bank of Egypt branches, benefitting over 2 million people. (April 2020) More than 400K households will also be added to receive a one-time-off cash payment of EGP 450-500 EGP for 3 months in addition to potential in-kind benefits with priority given to elderly, orphans, disabled and female-headed households. The households will be selected from MoSS Social Registry that includes around 30 million registered beneficiaries. Payment will be done via post office for first payment and ATM card will be collected for 2nd and 3rd payments. (March 2020): Since the start of the pandemic, the Ministry of Social Solidarity has been implementing several COVID-19 response measures including expanding the cash transfer program (Takkaful and Karama) coverage to include an additional 411,000 households. Up to July 2021, the project has reached 3.37 million direct project beneficiaries (including 75% women), while 11.85 million direct and indirect beneficiaries benefited from the project. Social pensions In-kind transfers (2020) In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Social Solidarity has been implementing several COVID-19 response measures, including providing meals to approx. 3.8 million Food, vouchers, others households with pregnant women or children under two years of age to improve nutrition levels. (2020) The ministry of social welfare distributed more than 500,000 hygiene and sanitation matrials for needy families School feeding Public works Utility waivers The Doctors Syndicate has agreed with the Insurance and Pensions Authority on the rules for disbursing the work injury pension to female and male doctors affected by COVID-19, according to Paid sick leave the decision issued on May 30, 2020, considering the COVID-19 as an infectious disease that is entitled to a work injury pension after submitting the required documents to the authority. It will reach an amount of 6000 pounds during this year. The head of the Egyptian Tax Authority (ETA) has recently issued a regulation regarding the payment of the health insurance contribution (which is amounting to 0.25% of total annual revenues of the enterprise). As per this regulation the taxpayer can now pay such contribution electronically Health insurance via any of the banks that supports the ETA’s electronic payment system, through the ETA’s web portal. The taxpayer’s tax registration number is required to verify the taxpayer and confirm the settlement. Social Pensions have been increased by 14 percent in the budget of FY 2021. To facilitate payments, Insurance pension payments are scattered over different days (depending on the level of thepayment) and schools are also being used as payment sites. Mobile payments will be piloted in Luxor and Port-Said for the transfer of pensions. Pensions Pensioners will receive five bonuses (variable income) at a total cost of 35 billion EGP this year. The variable wage pension will be re-adjusted by adding 80 percent of the special allowances that are not included in the basic wage of the pensioners who have ended their service between July 2006 and June 2016. Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor Reduced work time Markets [March 2020] On March 29, the President's office announced that all medical professionals, including Wage subsidies doctors working in university hospitals, will receive a 75% increase to their medical profession allowance. The total value of the wage subsidy is EGP 2.25 billion (back to the top) El Salvador Cash-based transfers (March 2020): The government of President Nayib Bukele has pledged to give $300 to some 1.5 million households (75 percent) who work in the informal economy such as house cleaners and street vendors who lack a financial safety net. The government targeted households using electricity usage: any household with monthly consumption of 0-250 kilowatts/per hour got the transfers. This Cash transfers criterion spurred some protests from people who demand to be included in the new scheme (conditional and unconditional) (March 2020): The government launched a compensation bonus of USD 150 for essential public employees who work in activities aimed at combating COVID 19, particularly those working at the Ministry of Health. Social pensions In-kind transfers (April 2020): Distribution of 2.7 food baskets to affected families worth US$ 56 each. This program Social Food, vouchers, others was originally launched in April (budget of US$50 M per month) and a second delivery was Assistance implemented in August (with an additional estimated cost of US$190 M). (June 2020): The government delivered 320,000 Family School Meal Packages, primarily targeted to vulnerable families that cannot access food during the COVID 19 pandemic. This program is aimed at those students’ families living in municipalities which fulfilled the following criteria: 1) being considered as severe, high or moderate in the poverty map; 2) being considered as a municipality School feeding with very high, high or moderate chronic malnutrition. The government planned to spend $7.8 M in this program. The package includes food and in-kind items such as milk powder, milk, fortified beverages, vegetable oil, rice, beans, sugar and cereals. It was estimated to be delivered between June and July 2020. Public works (March 2020): The government has granted a waiver for utility bills payments for individuals and legal entities directly affected by COVID-19 for three months. Utilities include electricity, water, telephone, cable, and internet. Also, mortgage payments, personal loans, credit card payments, Utility waivers business loans were frozen for three months for individuals and legal entities directly affected by COVID-19. (March 2020): The government implemented a price control scheme to ensure that there is no increase in the basic food basket and protect people's income. The government has mandated private companies to ensure quarantine of particular worker categories, including those older than 60, pregnant women or those with preexisting conditions. These workers would receive a paid sick leave for 30 days. Also, private companies (except those in Paid sick leave the food, medical and other key sectors) that decide to send all their workers home on paid leave will be eligible for further government support. This initiative also includes leave with disability pay for Social quarantined workers, for the time required by health personnel. Insurance The government decided to keep on offering health insurance coverage during the emergency period Health insurance for those suspended workers or unemployed, even if their employers did not pay their social contributions. Pensions Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Instituto Salvadoreño de Formación Profesional (INSAFORP) offers e-learning courses that respond to the demands of the productive sectors and the population. The online platform serves as an interface for 15 platforms from different providers through which the online training is carried out. Activation measures [October 2020] The government, through the Fondo Solidario para la Salud (Fosalud), trained more than 62 professionals from the Medical Emergency System in order to standardize health workers knowledge and action in cases of patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic. [March 2020] By Decree N° 593, the government established that no worker who is quarantined due to COVID-19, ordered by the competent health authority, or unable to return to the workplace due to migration or health restrictions decreed in the country or abroad can be dismissed, nor be subject to a reduction of their wages. The measure will expire at the time of declaring the State of National Labor Emergency extinct. Markets Labor market regulations [May 2020] On May 5, 2020, the Legislative Assembly approved Decree No. 641, which contains the "Ley de Protección al Empleo Salvadoreño". The purpose of this law is to safeguard the job stability of employees in the Salvadoran private sector, guaranteeing employees a decent income, without affecting the sustainability of business activity, without distinction of sectors or economic elements. [March 2020] On March 20, 2020, the Legislative Assembly approves the Telework Regulation Law, which aims to promote, harmonize, regulate and implement telework as an instrument for the Reduced work time generation of employment and modernization of public, private and autonomous institutions, through the use of information and communication technologies. Wage subsidies (back to the top) Equatorial Guinea Cash-based transfers Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) Social pensions In-kind transfers Social The government will make contributions to finance the Public Social Guarantees Program against Assistance Food, vouchers, others the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Public Social Guaranties Program will guarantee basic food and necessities for identified households. The program was launched on May 28th, where 12,000 households are expected to receive the food baskets. School feeding Public works As part of the COVID-19 relief package announced in March 2020, households benefitted from a 25- Utility waivers 50% reduction in their electricity bill. Paid sick leave Health insurance Pensions Social Unemployment benefits Insurance [March 2020] Article 23 - The Ministry of Finance, Economy and Planning demands food distribution and food commercialization companies and all those that hire new employees to reinforce their Social security contributions workforce to comply with the standards established by the health authorities. They will be granted a discount of 100% of the Social Security contributions until September 30, 2020. Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Eritrea Cash-based transfers Cash transfers The GoSE provides unconditional monthly cash of 500Nakfa (33.33USD) for approximately 60000 (conditional and unconditional) families of martyrs every year. Social pensions In-kind transfers UNICEF provides one-time in-kind transfer (direct cash transfer is not allowed) of 600USD to establish income generating ventures (shops, livestock, cottage production, etc) to the vulnerable families, specifically female headed households and households hosting children with disabilities and orphans. In 2020, with UNICEF support 499 families were reached. Food, vouchers, others UNICEF extended in-kind support equivalent of 300 Nakfa (20 USD) for each student for educational supplies and reached 7,220 vulnerable children to get them back to school in April 2021. Social The GoSE provides universal food vouchers with discounted rates for bread, sugar, milk, etc. Assistance distributed from selected shops (not much information available) School feeding Public works Payment of electricity, water and telephone household bills were postponed. Price control measures: The government took stringent legal measures on all individuals and commercial enterprises that engage in hoarding and speculative price hikes by misconstruing the precautionary measures that are being taken. Utility waivers Landlords in Eritrea have agreed to waive rents - It was just for 3 months and the lock down and other stringent measures extended until the opening of schools in April 2021. The Ministry of Agriculture is working to distribute around a million one-month-old chicks to around 40,000 families all over the country. The ultimate objective of the distribution program is to sell chicks at a very fair price to the tune of 15 Nakfa per one-month-old chick, for rural families so as to improve their livelihoods and promote nutritious diets. Social Paid sick leave Insurance Health insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Estonia Cash-based transfers On 22 April 2020, a temporary amendment to the Creative Persons and Creative Societies Act was passed by the Estonian government, which aims to support creative practitioners who have lost their income. A minimum wage is guaranteed for six months and is available to freelance creative practitioners who are creators as defined in the Creative Industries Act and whose main source of income is professional creative activity in the fields of architecture, audiovisual, design, performing arts, sound, literature, visual arts. The Ministry of Culture applied for an additional EUR 4.2 million to cover this expansion of the Act to a total of approx. 1,200 people who work in creative fields and have been disrupted by the pandemic. On 4 February 2021, it was introduced a short-term scheme for freelance artists, sports coaches and heads of choirs and dance groups. It concerns a temporary measure for the period of the emergency situation due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Freelance artists were supported by an amount equal to the minimum salary for a period of two months. Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) On April 13, 2020, The Estonian government introduced an emergency support for parents with special needs children under the age of 18. The person must officially be on unpaid leave to be eligible for the allowance and cannot receive any other COVID-19 related financial support or national Social replacement income (e.g., parental benefit). The allowance is paid for one parent of a child with Assistance special needs in case that the parent cannot work due to the need to take care of their child due to the national emergency situation. The amount of the allowance per calendar day is 70% of the previous year’s salary per calendar day. The allowance is paid monthly. The minimum rate is €18 per day (around €540 which is the national minimum wage per month), the maximum rate is €35 per day (around €1,050 per month). The allowance was paid as of 12 March 2020 and during the entire time of the unpaid leave, but not longer than 31 May 2020. The implementing institution is the Estonian National Social Insurance Board. According to the data of the Estonian Social Insurance Board, altogether 1,298 people received the allowance in the total amount of €1.3 million Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others It is reported on April 8, 2020, that Tallinn government in Estonia, due to school closure and social distancing norms changed the modality of school feeding from on-site hot meals at school to once School feeding in a week take-home style food package. Within a week after the change in the distribution of school food in Tallinn, the number of children coming for lunch has risen from 1,200 to 11,550. Even though the growth in numbers has been exponential, the city will not monitor whether people who request food actually have the need for it. The weekly food package has food for 6 days' lunch. The packages distributed on April 1, 2020 had rye bread, cucumber, tomato and carrots, apples, bananas and an orange, pasta, cheese, meatballs, canned soup, milk, kefir and corn puffs. The menu will vary in order to ensure different nutrients for the children and the foods are chosen in close cooperation of the caterers and health promotion specialists. Public works The Estonian government reduced the Excise duty on some types of fuel, electricity and gas from 1 May, 2020 until April 30, 2022. On 29 September 2021, this policy has been further extended for a Utility waivers period of one year (until 30 April 2023). The freeze on excise duties will impact the state budget, leaving a hole of €53 million in 2022, rising to €93 million in 2023. Waiving of the 3-day waiting period: the state decided to reimburse the first three days of sick leave for all workers during an emergency situation (normally not covered: the employer pays sick pay from day 4 to day 8 of sick leave for employees). The first three days of sickness are reimbursed Paid sick leave retrospectively to anyone whose sick leave was opened from 13 March. This difference applies to all sick leaves (including the self-employed) that were opened until the end of the emergency, that ended on 17 May. The economic stimulus package includes temporary suspension of second pillar pension scheme payments. Health insurance Pensions [September 2020] In June 2020, the Parliament approved an amendment to the Labor Market Services and Benefits Act regarding temporary employment. Thus, since September 2020, it is Social possible to take on temporary work (a one-off work task not exceeding 8 calendar days per month) Unemployment benefits Insurance while being registered as unemployed. Previously, an unemployed person had to terminate his/her unemployment status if he/she took on a piece of work (e.g., a one-off lecture, publishing a paid article, replacing a former colleague for a few days, etc.). [July 2020] From 1 July 2020 to 31 August 2021, the state will suspend the employer contributions to the second-pillar funded pension from social tax (4% of salary). Payments into the II pillar of the pension fund are temporarily suspended. Social security contributions The state has suspended its payments into the mandatory funded pension system from 1st July 2020 to August 30, 2021. Persons participating in the system may decide to suspend their payments into this system as well from 1st December 2020 to August 30, 2021 (the decision to be made and the application to be filed in October 2020). [March 2020] The Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund (EUIF) improved its blended employment Activation measures counselling (combining face-to-face and distance counselling) and adopted a law to allow PES to decide the mode of counselling without any time or other limits. Counselling can be provided online, via telephone, e-mail and Skype. The key changes in the counselling practice were implemented from March 2020 to December 2021. Labor market regulations Reduced work time [March 2020] The Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund will compensate 70% of the average wages from the last 12 months but no more than 1000 Euros. The employers will also contribute, Labor paying at least 150 Euros. Both the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund and the employers will Markets pay the social tax and the unemployment insurance premiums from their part themselves. If possible, employers should continue paying the wages they have paid thus far. In order to be eligible Wage subsidies to apply for the compensation, employers need to meet 2 out of 3 criteria: the turnover or revenue of the employer has fallen at least 30% due to the corona virus compared to the same period last year; the employer does not have work to give to at least 30% of the workers; or the employer has had to cut down the wages of at least 30% of the workers by at least 30%. The compensation is paid for only those workers to whom the employer does not have work to give or whose wages have already been cut because of the lack of workload. (back to the top) Eswatini Cash-based transfers The WFP has been supporting families hardest-hit by the impacts of a poor harvest, rising food prices and the prolonged secondary effects of COVID-19 in the rural, urban and peri-urban areas of the Manzini, Lubombo and Hhohho regions with cash transfers. Monthly cash transfers are delivered via a mobile money platform established in partnership with mobile service provider MTN. The Cash- Based Transfer program will also continue to integrate Social Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) to provide knowledge and information on basic hygiene for prevention of COVID-19, as well as knowledge on nutritional practices to enhance purchasing choices for households to meet their nutritional needs. The project was scaled up significantly in August 2020 from 20,000 to 94,000 families but has since been pared back. In September 2021, a donation of EUR500,000 allowed for the continuation of the project for 53,600 beneficiaries. Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), mandated in terms of the Coronavirus (Covid- 19) Regulations 2020 to coordinate and provide relief assistance to the most vulnerable, paid cash transfers to 13,659 households in 14 constituencies in the country. In this regard, the government through the NDMA provided a payment (grants) of SZL 700 to the poor and vulnerable to help them Social to buy food and other basic necessities. As of July 17th, 2020, an additional donation from the Kirsh Assistance Foundation allowed for the NDMA to provide a total of 330,000 Emaswati with cash transfers to support food consumption. The NGO Young Heroes, with assistance from MTN Bushfire has distributed monthly cash transfers of SZL 200 for three months and food parcels, to families looking after orphaned and vulnerable children in Lobamba Lomdzala in spring-summer 2020. (April 2020) Disbursements of the government's Old Age Grant and the Disability Grant were increasingly processed via mobile money instead of manual cash payments. The payment digitization Social pensions process was supported by the Red Cross and implemented via the eSwatini Post and Telecommunications Corporation and MTN Mobile Money. In-kind transfers (April 2020) The Government pledged to provide food assistance to the most vulnerable of society Food, vouchers, others that have been adversely affected by the COVID 19 pandemic. Vulnerable individuals and households in areas where local and traditional government structures were in place (i.e. rural areas) were identified with the support of chiefs and other local structures and received food parcels. The scheme was funded largely through donations and aimed to complement various donor-funded cash transfers. The All Out Africa Foundation provided food relief assistance on a monthly basis to 44 and later 55 (from July) families from April to September 2020. The NGO Young Heroes, with assistance from MTN Bushfire has distributed food parcels to families looking after orphaned and vulnerable children in Lobamba Lomdzala in spring-summer 2020. School feeding Public works (March 2020) Banks have announced that those individuals and companies that need short term financial support or relief can approach them and each application will be assessed on a risk-based approach. (April 2020) The increase in the price of electricity and water have been suspended for two months and three months respectively. (April 2020) The Government of Eswatini is ensuring that the citizens have continued access to Utility waivers water and sanitation services during the crisis. This is done by providing water tanks and hand washing facilities to most of the areas in the country. As part of the measures to cope with the COVID-19 economic crisis, the government of Eswatini reduced the price of fuel with effect from midnight April 2nd, 2020. (April 2020) To provide relief due to lockdown measures, the government announced that taxpayers projecting losses are expected to file loss provisional returns and no payment will be required. Access to paid leave and access to health care: Identified and/or suspected COVID-19 positive cases are to relieved from duty with immediate effect and treated by the terms of the provisions of the Paid sick leave relevant workplace sickness policy and/or the Employment Act, No. 5 of 1980 in relation to sick leave. Access to paid leave and access to healthcare: Identified and/or suspected COVID-19 positive cases Social are to relieved from duty with immediate effect and treated by the terms of the provisions of the Health insurance relevant workplace sickness policy and/or the Employment Act, No. 5 of 1980 in relation to sick Insurance leave. Pensions [June 2020] On June 5, the Prime Minister announced the establishment of the Unemployment Unemployment benefits Insurance Fund (UIF). The Eswatini National Provident Fund has set aside SZL 5 million for the establishment of the fund to offer protection against loss of income. Individuals can claim unemployment benefits if they lose their jobs. The employer and employee will each contribute a certain percentage of the employee’s salary. [April 2020] On April 8, the government announced the suspension of the payment of Eswatini National Provident Fund (ENPF) contributions for the months of April and May 2020 to allow Social security contributions companies to use these contributions to cushion wages and payment of salaries. [April 2020] On April 1, the Prime Minister announced that the government provided COVID-19 training to 1,007 nurses from all levels, 147 medical doctors and over 3,000 rural health motivators Activation measures in reaching out to communities and helping with the required information to stop the spread of Labor COVID 19. Markets Labor market regulations Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Ethiopia Cash-based transfers Cash transfer to poor and vulnerable, Proposed temporary income support to poor and vulnerable households in urban Ethiopia. This is to supplement support otherwise going to rural households via the Rural PSNP. As of end of December 2020, the project was still proposed. 6-months of cash transfer top-ups to all existing 50,050 UPSNP PDS households in 11 cities. The support reached 93,120 clients (55,127 female beneficiaries). The top-up value was 360 ETB per month for 6-months. Disbursements for PDS clients started in September 2020. MoLSA, JOBFSA, WFP and UNICEF also collaborated to identify 17,460 TDS clients in the 11 UPSNP cities and Cash transfers provided 3-months of transfers (disbursements commenced in November 2020). For TDS clients in (conditional and unconditional) Addis Ababa, the support was extended to provide 6-months of support, this was due to additional budget availability and the higher COVID-19 transmission rates in Addis Ababa. Beneficiaries of the Urban Productive Safety Net Project (UPSNP) will receive a 3-months advance payment while on leave from their public works obligations. They will be able to withdraw 50% of Social their savings to cover expenses arising out of the COVID-19 emergency. The project is split into public works, direct support, and institutional support/capacity strengthening components. This Assistance benefit pertains to direct support beneficiaries. Social pensions In-kind transfers Amhara Regional State: started providing flour, oil and sugar to "the poorest of the poor" in the city of Bahir Dar in April 2020. City of Adama (Oromia): started providing bread and water for those who need assistance during the stay-at-home order. Food, vouchers, others Addis Ababa City Administration: Allocated 600 million ETB for purchasing stockpile of food/other essential goods and to distribute the same to 800 retail shops. $635 million (0.6 percent of GDP) for emergency food distribution to 15 million individuals vulnerable to food insecurity and not currently covered by the rural and urban PSNPs. $282 million (0.3 percent of GDP) for provision of emergency shelter and non-food items. School feeding The PSNP is the government of Ethiopia’s multi-billion-dollar food security, public works, and social safety net program for millions in need across Ethiopia. A total additional $2.2 billion investment by the government and Ethiopia’s international partners in PSNP over the next five years will reach up to nine million people each year as it provides food assistance and services that will lift vulnerable families out of poverty. Ethiopia Rural PSNP is adapting the following adjustments: the public works requirement is waived since beginning of April. Public works Ethiopia Rural PSNP is adapting the following adjustments: The program scaled up vertically and provided 2 extended supports. The extended support reached 2.9 million with financing of people $40. The cash benefit value will increase by about 22% for scale-up. It also extended the duration of benefits from 3 months to 6 months. Beneficiaries of the Urban Productive Safety Net Project (UPSNP) will receive a 3 month advance payment while on leave from their public works obligations. They will be able to withdraw 50% of their savings to cover expenses arising out of the COVID-19 emergency. The project is split into public works, direct support, and institutional support/capacity strengthening components. This benefit pertains to public works beneficiaries. National Expansion of free public transport: government buses to provide free transportation service to the public to reduce overcrowding in the public transport system. Utility waivers Tigray State: a moratorium on evictions and reduction of rents by half, Harari State: government employees who are at higher risk of COVID-19 (elderly, pregnant women, Paid sick leave those with underlying conditions) to stay home while receiving their salaries. Social Health insurance Insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits Social security contributions [July 2021] The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs announced that it was preparing to launch a Labor Management Information System (LMIS). It would be a multi-functional system which would Labor Activation measures offer institutional arrangements, procedures and mechanisms put in place to coordinate the Markets collection, processing, storage, retrieval and dissemination of labor market information. It would assist in searching for jobs, matching applicants to jobs, providing information about market needs, developing job profiles, providing information to employees about the development of new sectors, professions, and projects. [April 2020] The government prohibited companies from laying off workers and terminating employment in measures introduced as part of a state of emergency to stop the spread of COVID- 19. [March 2020] The government issued guidance on health and safety protocols including the measures of workplace prevention and mitigation mechanisms to be put in place by employers, monitoring of the measures, urgent follow up action for COVID-19 cases, up-to-date information Labor market regulations sharing by Safety Officers, and precautionary measures to be taken by workers. [March 2020] According to the tripartite Protocol, workers were allowed to take their unused annual leaves; for those who had exhausted their annual leaves, they were allowed to take at least half of their annual leave from the following budgetary period. For the fiscal year 2020/21, the authorities planned to allocate funds for additional payments for health workers. [March 2020] The federal government workers were directed to work from home with effect from Reduced work time 25th March, 2020. Each Ministry was mandated to determine critical staff. Wage subsidies (back to the top) Faroe Islands (Denmark) Cash-based transfers Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) Social pensions Social In-kind transfers Assistance Food, vouchers, others School feeding Public works Utility waivers Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations Reduced work time [March 2020] A job retention scheme was introduced in mid-March to support companies hit by the COVID-19 crisis until the 30th of June, 2021. It was designed to temporarily help pay the wages of Labor people who cannot do their jobs, thus allowing employees to stay on the payroll. Markets [April 2020] It was announced that more than 4,000 people had signed up for the scheme and the Wage subsidies government had paid out over DKK 52 million in stimulus payments. With the lifting of the lockdown, many people returned to work so the number of people registered decreased to 3,575. [June 2020] The measure was extended until the 31st of August, 2020, however, people aged 67 and over (working pensioners) would not be included in the extension. [August 2020] The scheme expired on the 31st of August 2020. (back to the top) Fiji Cash-based transfers On 26 March 2020, as part of the budget, the government of Fiji announced a one-off cash transfer of $150 to all Hawker license holders in the informal sector in the lockdown areas On 26 March 2020, the government announced that Fijians in the informal sector who get tested positive for the Coronavirus will receive a one-off cash transfer of FJ$1,000. The deficit in the budget will be financed from ADB and the World Bank. On January 11, 2021, it is reported that the Fiji government has made more than 19,000 Fijian families most-affected by the impacts of COVID-19 receive 100 Fijian dollars a month over the following four months through digital cash transfers. This program has started before Christmas. It is said this will be one of the largest cash assistance programs ever rolled out in Fiji and will be especially crucial as families prepare to send their children back to school. Each household received Social $400 through a digital cash transfer system, namely Vodafone’s M-PAiSA platform. The second Cash transfers round of the Cash Program commenced in August 2021 and will be implemented over a 6-month Assistance (conditional and unconditional) period until January 2022. A total of 16,772 households received cash payments. On 7 September 2021, a total of $6.7Million Fijian dollars was transferred directly to families to help them meet their basic needs such as buying food and medicine and taking care of their children’s educational needs. The second round of the Cash Program commenced in August 2021 and will be implemented over a 6-month period until January 2022. This is being done through the Fiji National Philanthropic Trust Cash Assistance Program - a partnership between Save the Children Fiji, Fiji Council of Social Services and Vodafone Fiji. Between August and December 2021, they will be providing 39,000 households, each will receive 3 payments of $200 which will be transferred into their mycash wallet or M-PAiSA accounts. As of September 2, 2021, they have already verified and vetted a total of 16,772 households. These households have already been paid their first transfer amount of $200 on the 22nd of August. They will receive their second and third payment of $200 on the 22 of September and their final third payment of $200 on the 22nd of October. In total more than $23million FJD will be transferred to 39,000 households by December 2021. On 26 April 2021, the government of Fiji announced a one-off COVID-19 relief for FNPF members impacted by the lockdown restrictions in the Western Division which will open from Monday 26th April 2021 and close on May 3, 2021. The beneficiary will get a one-off payment of $220, given that the containment period is 14 days, which is equivalent to two weeks. Members living in the containment area and who are currently accessing phases two and three of the COVID-19 relief, will not be eligible for this one-off relief. There are two main modes of application submission – the employer portal and the myFNPF App which will be available from Monday 26 April 2021, when the scheme opens. Government provides top-ups to eligible FNPF members whose general account balance is below a certain threshold. In 2020, the government of Fiji announced that households registered in the Disability Allowance Scheme (DIS) will receive two payments: one in August 2020 worth FJD 100 and one in September 2020 worth FJD 100, in addition to the existing monthly food voucher and cash entitlement. Starting from 5th August, beneficiaries will be able to withdraw cash from their bank accounts or redeem the vouchers at their nearest post offices. Around 7,500 beneficiaries exist for this program/scheme In 2020, the government of Fiji announced that households registered in the Poverty Benefit Scheme will receive two payments: one in August 2020 worth FJD 100 and one in September 2020 worth FJD 100, in addition to the existing monthly food voucher and cash entitlement. Starting from 5th August 2020, beneficiaries will be able to withdraw cash from their bank accounts or redeem the vouchers at their nearest post offices. Around 26,000 beneficiaries exist for this program/scheme In 2020, the government of Fiji announced that households registered in the Child and Protection allowance will receive two payments: one in August 2020 worth FJD 100 and one in September 2020 worth FJD 100, in addition to the existing monthly food voucher and cash entitlement. Starting from 5th August 2020, beneficiaries will be able to withdraw cash from their bank accounts or redeem the vouchers at their nearest post offices. Around 45,000 beneficiaries exist for this program/scheme Social pensions In-kind transfers On 18 March 2020, the government of Fiji announced that households and farms received packages Food, vouchers, others with seeds and planting materials to ensure their food security and adequate access to food of acceptable quality and nutritional value. The government has two programs: Home Gardening Program and Farm Support Program. The former program provides home-gardening kits for households in small towns or large cites. While the latter program support aims to improve production of short-term crops in farms in the country. Under the Home Gardening initiative, households in urban and peri-urban communities, with at least 49 square meters of land, received home gardening packages with vegetable seeds and instructions on planting techniques. Under the Farm Support initiative, packages include seeds and planting materials, e.g.: taro, cassava, rice, kumala, duruka, eggplant, chilies, okra, tomatoes, maize, bitter gourd, pigeon pea, and cowpea, and were distributed to farmers with the aim to support short-term crops production. This program was started on 2 April 2020. School feeding Public works On March 26, 2020, the Fiji government has requested banks to waive all charges on minimum balances in customers’ accounts and to remove the minimum purchasing requirement for electronic transactions. This will allow more electronic and online payments by customers and consumers. On March 26, 2020, the government of Fiji has requested banks and hire purchase companies to offer six-month deferral (i.e., until the end of September 2020) of loan repayments for Fijians who have lost their jobs or had their hours reduced. As of July 2020, the total value of repayment relief for loans given by licensed financial institutions stood at $3 billion for 17,194 customers (this also included businesses). On 3 September 2020, the loan and interest payment deferral was extended until the end of December 2020. Again, on March 17, 2021, the Association of Banks in Fiji (ABIF) has announced further support for vulnerable customers with the extension of COVID-19 Customer Utility waivers relief measures to September 30, on a case-by-case basis. On 26 March 2020, the government of Fiji has ordered Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) to suspend all disconnections of water meters for non-payment of bills until 31 December 2020. This policy cost $28.4 million dollars. This policy got further extended until the end of March 2021. All residential customers will need to clear at least 50 per cent of their outstanding payments by 30 April 2021 and enter into a payment plan that ensures that full outstanding accounts are paid by 31 December 2021, and all current bills from 1 April 2021 must be paid in full by their due dates. On March 26, 2020, the government of Fiji announced a policy for students repaying Tertiary Education Loans based on which repayments will be suspended until 31 December 2020. This will provide a relief of around $10 million. On 5 September 2020, the government further extended the repayment of tertiary educational loans until the end of December 2021. Government to fund 21 days COVID- 19 leave for Fijian employees earning less than FJ$30,000 who Social Paid sick leave have tested positive for the virus. Insurance Health insurance The Fund paid one-off additional payment to Retirement Income Fund annuitants (active Pensions pensioners). More than 7,000 Fiji National Provident Fund pensioners received a COVID-19 relief payment on Tuesday 26 May 2020. Inactive pensioners will need to contact the Fund for validation before payment will be processed. Unemployment benefits Effective from 1 April 2020 to 31 December 2020 reduction in employee and employer FNPF contribution from 8 percent and 10 percent respectively to 5 percent. The program has been extended to 31 December 2021. Waiver of penalties for after due date contributions; reduction of upfront contribution payments to 10%; and reissuance of conditional compliance letters. Fijian workers in the hospitality sector who have lost their jobs or have had their hours cut since 1 February 2020 are able to access an initial $1,000 from their FNPF accounts, with additional funds to be considered. Insured workers under the national social security system were able to withdraw from their own retirement funds, and/or receive top-ups if their funds were not sufficient. The scheme comprises of 4 phases, with one or two rounds each, aimed at different types of beneficiaries and rolled out between March 2020 and still ongoing: · Phase 1 (March 2020 – 29.05.2020; beneficiaries: employees who work in the tourism Sector Social security contributions ($1,000) and those affected due to physical distancing issues or work within the lock-down zone nationwide ($500). Employees who have had reduced working hours; been sent on leave without pay; reduced wage rate or salary - entitled to government top-up; taxi, minivan or hire drivers, small enterprise owners and employees who have resigned, been terminated, non-renewal of contract, laid off or seasonal workers in the last 6 months - no government top-up); · Phase 2 (09.06.2020 - ongoing; FNPF members who were eligible before or have recently become unemployed/leave without pay); · Phase 3 (10.08.2020 – 16.10.2020; beneficiaries: FNPF members who are on reduced hours and reduced wage rate can apply for Phase 3 withdrawal. Members who have insufficient General Account balance will receive government Top Up.); · Phase 4 (31.08.2020 – ongoing (govt. top-up not applicable); beneficiaries: members who became unemployed before COVID (from 1 October 2017 to 30 September 2019). Koroi says the fund paid out $438.9million driven by retirement, migration, unemployment withdrawals that included COVID-19 related assistance totaling 101,879 applications valued at $55.8 million. Employees affected by the nationwide stipulated physical distancing requirements, along with employees in the Lautoka confined area who have been placed on leave without pay or had their hours cut are able to access an initial $500 from their FNPF accounts. Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Finland Cash-based transfers On October 5, 2021, the government announced a temporary compensation for households and persons that receive basic social assistance (in Finnish ‘toimeentulotuki) that are affected by the restriction imposed due to COVID-19. Basic social assistance is available for individuals living and residing in Finland whose income and assets do not cover essential daily needs. This temporary compensation can be granted to persons who received basic social assistance while the restrictions were in force (between March 2020 and July 2020). Only persons who have received basic social assistance in the month preceding the payment of the compensation are eligible. The compensation is granted automatically by the Finnish social insurance institution Kela. The amount is €75 per month and per person. The benefit is not subject to tax nor does it affect the social assistance or any other benefits. The total budget of this measure is €60 million. This policy was implemented from 5 October 2020 until 31 December 2020. This measure is implemented to off-set the negative impacts created by the restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Finland. For instance, Cash transfers the closure of schools in the spring 2020 increased the costs in many low-income families as they (conditional and unconditional) could no longer rely on school lunch or lunch provided at day care facilities. Social Due to the social distancing recommendations and restrictions, the culture and creative arts sector Assistance has been hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic. Freelancers among others are negatively impacted and have been excluded from many of the other forms of support available for enterprises in Finland. Private individuals can apply for a work grant that is €6,000. The grant is available for professional artists and other professionals whose work and income have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This policy started on 1 April 2020 and lasted until the 30 June 202.1 As of June 2021, five application rounds have been organized. The total budget of the fifth application round is €55 million. The grants are administrated by Arts Promotion Centre Finland. As of June 2021 (when the fifth application round was opening), the number of beneficiaries was approximately 9,500. The total amount of support granted was around €43 million. Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others On April 3, 2020 it is reported in Finland that some cities such as Helsinki and Kauniainen have School feeding opted for on-site school feeding. Officials in the capital Helsinki estimated that 97 percent or roughly 43,000 basic education pupils are no longer attending school physically and are learning remotely instead. The city continues to provide sit-down meals for students at their respective schools, but remote learners need to sign up in advance if they want the free lunch. As of April 3, 2020, 300 distance learners go in for school lunches every day. In much smaller 10,000-resident Kauniainen, a program that began on 24 March 2020 provides distance learners with a daily warm lunch. Students should also sign up for lunch, which is served at one school, Kasavuoren koulu, between 11 and 11.30am daily. On April 3, 2020, it is reported in Finland that some cities such as Tampere have opted for take- home ration. In Tampere, Finland’s most populous inland city, officials said that just three percent of about 20,000 children in basic education are attending classes. They get school lunch as normal but students learning remotely should call ahead if they also want a meal. Only 35-40 remote learners per day have been coming in for meals. Some parents just do not want to take the chance and send their children out to school. The city is currently working with social services to identify and deliver lunches to vulnerable families whose children may need special support. Children doing distance learning will be given take-away meals from 6 April, if they place an email order by 10am on the preceding workday. Public works In Finland, students who graduate on time can receive a deduction to their loan (either directly or through taxes). This deduction is 40% of the amount that exceeds €2,500. During the COVID-19 pandemic, some students have struggled with finishing studies due to the stress and other health issues caused by the turbulent situation, making it hard for students to graduate and therefore, missing their right to student loan deduction. In order to support students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, on 30 June 2020, the amendment (effective from 1 August 2021) was made such that Utility waivers students who graduate maximum one semester later than planned can receive student loan deduction. The student must be able to prove that the delay is caused by COVID-19. Students must apply for reprocessing of the deduction. This means that a student whose right to the deduction has been rejected by Kela (Finnish social insurance institution) can demand reprocessing. If they can prove that their studies were delayed by maximum one semester due to COVID-19, they get the deduction. There is no budget for this measure. The maximum amount of deduction an individual student can receive is €7,640. Kela (the national Social Insurance institution) can pay a sickness allowance to: Social · employees who have been ordered to stay away from work in order to prevent the spread of a Paid sick leave Insurance communicable disease such as the novel coronavirus. · provider of a child under the age of 16 who is placed in quarantine, making it impossible for the provider to continue working while the quarantine is in effect. There is no waiting period to qualify for such sickness allowance, and the allowance provides full compensation for the loss of income suffered during a period of absence from work, isolation or quarantine. For employees, the sickness allowance is determined on the basis of the salary they would have earned if able to continue working. For self-employed persons, the allowance is determined on the basis of their annual earnings under the Self-Employed Persons’ (YEL) or Farmers’ (MYEL) Pensions Acts at the beginning of the absence. Payment of the allowance requires the affected person to present to Kela a decision from the physician in charge of infectious disease response for the municipality or hospital district which indicates that the affected person has been barred from work or placed in isolation or quarantine. Persons who have been placed in isolation or quarantine in an EU country can be paid a daily allowance. The placement in isolation or quarantine must be certified by a physician authorized to issue an isolation or quarantine order in the relevant country. The allowance provides compensation for loss of income and is therefore payable only for days in which the affected person cannot work due to placement in isolation or quarantine. The allowance is not available for example if it coincides with a leave of absence or if telecommuting would be an option. Proof of the loss of income must be presented in the form of documentation from the employer. On 27th January 2021, the government decided on the reimbursement of COVID-19 vaccinations through health insurance. The Health Insurance Act will be amended so that vaccinations received through occupational healthcare can be reimbursed by Kela. The costs of reimbursement would be paid from state funds. The amount of the reimbursement will be decided later. The state is Health insurance responsible for procuring the vaccine, while municipalities are responsible for its distribution. Travel costs related to vaccinations provided by both public and private healthcare services would also be reimbursed. The Government will submit a proposal on the reimbursement of COVID-19 vaccination to Parliament in February. Pensions [March 2020] The government allowed self-employed and entrepreneurs to claim temporarily the labor market subsidy, an unemployment benefit. To be beneficiary, entrepreneurs need to be unemployed or have a monthly income less than €1,089, or to show a decrease in their income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The labor market support is €33.6 per day and it is paid 5 days a week. [Extension - June 2020] This measure was extended until 31 December 2020. Unemployment benefits [Extension - November 2020] The government proposed extension of this temporary amendment until the end of March of 2021. [Extension - February 2021] This measure was extended until the end of June 2021. [Extension - June 2021] This measure was extended until the end of September 2021. [Extension] This measure is expected to end by December 2021. In 2020, in total 44,000 entrepreneurs received labor market subsidy. The total amount paid out by KELA, the social insurance institution that pays out the subsidy, was €165.7 million. [June 2020] Because of COVID-19, the government increased temporarily the exempt amount of the adjusted unemployment benefit. For benefit adjustment periods beginning between 1 June 2020 and 30 November 2021, the exempt amount is EUR 465 if the benefit is paid every four weeks and EUR 500 if the benefit is paid monthly. For adjustment periods beginning on or after 1 December 2021, the exempt amount is EUR 279 if the benefit is paid every four weeks and EUR 300 if the benefit is paid monthly. [Extension - September 2021] This measure was extended until the end of November 2021. The government estimated a total cost of EUR 19 million for this measure. [June 2020] The government removed the waiting period in order for jobseekers to receive benefits from the first day of the unemployment period. This measure applies to all jobseekers. Also during the waiting period the amount of financial support is dependent on whether the job-seeker is a member of an unemployment fund and meets specific criteria. [June 2020] The government introduced fiscal measures which included lower pension contributions. Pension funds granted a postponement up to 3 months for pension premiums paid by employers Social security contributions and self-employed individuals. Besides, pension contributions paid by employers wereas reduced by around 2 percent in order to deal with the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Activation measures [March 2020] The government declared that some changes in the Annual Holidays Act regarding critical workers would not apply. This includes the following sectors: 1) health care 2) social services 3) rescue services 4) emergency response centers 5) police services. This measure was in place until June 2020. Employers are required to take the necessary measures to ensure the safety and health of their Labor employees while they are at work. Markets As part of this obligation, employers must ensure that their risk assessments under the Labor market regulations Occupational Safety and Health Act are up-to-date. This obligation continues to apply also now that the Emergency Powers Act has entered into force. [November 2020] The government modified the risk assessment and hazard analysis employers need to implement in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic. This included providing information to the occupational safety and health authority, upon request, about whether their employees’ risk of being infected with the coronavirus at work is elevated in comparison to the rest of the population. These obligations are based on the Decree on Biological Agents, the amendment of which entered into force on 15 November 2020 [March 2020] The government declared that some changes in the Working Time Act regarding critical workers would not apply. This includes the following sectors: 1) health care 2) social services 3) rescue services 4) emergency response centers 5) police services. This measure was in place until June 2020. Reduced work time [April 2020] In order to prevent COVID-19 close physical contacts need to be avoided. The government recommended shifting to remote work when possible in a situation where the health authorities state that the COVID-19 epidemic is growing regionally. Employers should also promote work arrangements that reduce close contacts and other risk factors at the workplace. This recommendation ended on October 15th, 2020. Wage subsidies (back to the top) France Cash-based transfers A transfer of Euro 1,500 will be provided to the self-employed and other SMEs in April 2020 as part of the solidarity fund. Guarantee payment of benefits by the Family Allowance Funds if the quarterly declaration of resources is not possible. A bonus for all civil servants who pursue their public service mission, despite confinement, up to 1,000 euros in tax-free bonuses are provided (April 2020). At the national level, on April 15th, 2020, the government announced a one-off payment of 100 euros per child for vulnerable families to mitigate the additional financial burden for families because of coronavirus, including the unavailability of nearly-free school meals for children. An "emergency aid" of 150 euros per family receiving active solidarity income (RSA) or specific Social solidarity allowance (ASS) was provided. This payment also concerned the disabled. Their payment Cash transfers "will be automatic, without any action being necessary" and will concern more than four million Assistance (conditional and unconditional) households. This aid was provided once again in December 2020. Following the announcement by the Prime Minister of July 15, 2020, the back-to-school allowance (ARS) paid per child has been exceptionally increased by an additional € 100 for the start of the 2020 school year. This measure helps families meet back-to-school expenses and thus ensures the continuity of their children's learning, made difficult by the health situation. It should enable low- income families to cope with the crisis which has sometimes weighed heavily on their income and their daily lives. This increase was paid to families this summer to adapt to their needs. It complements the exceptional solidarity aid paid on May 15, 2020 to more than 4 million low-income households and families. The amount of the back-to-school allowance has thus increased for the 2020 start of the school year to: € 469.97 for a child aged 6 to 10 instead of € 368.84 in 2019, € 490.39 for a child aged 11 to 14 instead of € 389.19 in 2019 and € 503.91 for a child aged 15 to 18 instead of € 402.67 in 2019. Healthcare workers are also set to receive a tax-free bonus of €500-€1,500 per person, for those who have been managing the worst of the Covid-19 crisis. Those at the frontline of the worst- affected departments in the country will receive the most. Administrative workers and those in the least-affected departments will receive less (April 2020) The government has provided multiple rounds of emergency aid for students in 2020. On May 4, Prime Minister Édouard Philippe announced to the Senate the creation of financial aid of 200 euros for the most deprived and isolated students during this health crisis. This exceptional aid is accessible to students in initial training (excluding apprentices/work-study), scholarship holders and non-scholarship holders, without condition of nationality, which can justify a reduction in resources due to the Covid-19 epidemic. Scholarship students received an aid of 150 € paid by the CROUS at the beginning of December with their usual monthly scholarship payment. The first beneficiaries of the Youth Solidarity Income (RSJ) will receive 400 euros in June 2021: these young people aged 18 to 24 will inaugurate the new social system for the most precarious, approved in March 2021 by the executive of Greater Lyon (note; only for Lyon). This local RSJ, endowed with 10 million euros per year, targets 1,500 young people by the end of the year: French or foreigners out of the education system, not fitting into any existing system and with less than 400 euros of activity resources per month, and without financial support from third parties or parents are eligible for the benefit. The monthly allowance of 300 to 400 euros, open for six months, will be renewable for up to two years on condition of enrolling in an "active course" of training or integration, with a reassessment of situations every three months. Social pensions In-kind transfers To face the increase of student precariousness, the French president announced on January 21, 2021, “an extension of 1-euro meals to non-scholarship recipient students”. The CROUSes declare that this action helped multiply by five the number of meals served every week to student in January, up from 160,000 to 780,000. Non-scholarship recipient students are indeed the ones who benefitted most from this action: the number of meals per week increased 9 times, from 50,000 to more than 450,000. As of April 2021, about 5.5 million meals were served in 540 CROUS restaurants open in the French territory. Food, vouchers, others The “Solidarity Grocery” bus from the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ) will distribute 200 baskets of food and cleaning products every week free of charge in student residences in Yvelines. The weekly tour takes place at the feet of the building three days a week during the partial period, until June 4, 2021. ActivitY and the State provide respectively 65,000 euros and 105,000 euros for training and employment support for these five employees. The foodstuffs (canned food, dairy products, prepared meals, fruit, vegetables, cleaning products) come from donations made or collected by the Solidarité Etudiants Facebook group, the solidarity network, the Jardins de Cocagne and supermarket chains. In France, where school feeding programs are managed at the sub-national level, several modalities have been implemented in different areas of the country. The municipalities of Marseille, Paris or School feeding Brest, as well as the county of Haute-Gavonne had announced cash transfers or food stamps to mitigate the unavailability of school meals. In the county of Meurthe-et-Moselle, the local authorities have decided to deliver school meals to the home of the most vulnerable children enrolled in middle schools (April 2020). Public works Since 1st February 2021, psychological support systems have been offered to students. Students facing a situation of ill-being can benefit from psychological support without advancing the costs via the platform santepsy.etudiants.fr (uploaded on March 10, 2021). They can choose their psychologist from the list of professional partners accessible on the interface and make an appointment directly with them. The sessions, which can last up to 3 meetings of 45 minutes, are completely free. If necessary, the doctor can renew them. Utility waivers Beginning in 2022, consultations with the psychologist will be reimbursed for all French people aged at least 3 years. The first consultation may be invoiced for 40 euros, the following ones at 30 euros, with a fixed price of 10 sessions, renewable once. This rate is a ceiling. There will be no out-of-pocket expense. Complementary health insurance will participate in the financing, at a level that remains to be discussed. The measure was informed by experiments conducted during the COVID-19 period. People placed in isolation will benefit from “sick leave and daily benefits” of up to 20 days without Paid sick leave “waiting period”. The measure also applies to parents whose children are subject to isolation and who cannot, therefore, go to work. Health insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits Social [February 2020] Partial exemption from employer contributions and contributions: For the period Insurance from February 1 to May 31, 2020, this exemption covers social security contributions, unemployment insurance contributions, the autonomy solidarity contribution and the contribution to the National Housing Assistance Fund Social security contributions [Extension - Fall 2020] As part of the second wave of the health crisis, the Social Security financing law for 2021 provides for measures to support companies and associations directly impacted by the economic consequences. These measures will be the subject of Decree No. 2021-75 of January 27, 2021. This decree will be adapted to take into account the activity restriction measures taken at the end of January 2020. Companies and associations can benefit, under certain conditions, from an exemption from part of employer contributions as well as assistance in the payment of social contributions. [Extension - March 2021] Employers who experience a direct or indirect closure or restriction of their activity as a result of measures decided by the public authorities retain the possibility of postponing all or part of the payment of their employee and employer contributions for the deadlines of April 6 and 15, 2021. Declarations must nevertheless be filed on the dates specified. The deferral of Urssaf contributions also applies to supplementary pension contributions. Deferred contributions, which would not be subject to the exemptions announced under the new support plan decided in the autumn, will subsequently give rise to clearance plans of up to 36 months. [February 2020] Help with the payment of social contributions and contributions. Aid for the payment of social contributions and contributions is equal to 20% of the amount of activity income that was the subject of the exemption over the period from February 1 to May 31, 2020. The employer calculates and declares the amount of this assistance in DSN via CTP 051. The payment aid resulting from the amending finance law n ° 3 applicable within the framework of the first health wave is calculated for the periods starting from February 2020. It can be allocated to the payment of contributions and social contributions due to the title of the years 2020 and 2021. The withdrawals from the April 2020 installments are suspended for self-employed workers whose main activity relates to sectors affected by the crisis, eligible for exemptions from social contributions. [July 2020] As part of plan « 1 jeune, 1 solution » new qualifying training for the professions of the future thanks to the Skills Investment Plan (PIC) will be offered: 100,000 new qualifying or pre- qualifying training courses will be offered to young people without qualifications or failing in higher education. Labor Activation measures [July 2020] As part of plan « 1 jeune, 1 solution », training in the healthcare sector to double the Markets training capacities of nursing assistants, nurses and carers over the next 5 years will be offered. Digital training for unskilled young people will be offered. [July 2020] As part of plan « 1 jeune, 1 solution », personalized courses for dropouts between 16 and 18 years old will be offered. Additional training places to continue training in higher education, CAP and BTS at the start of the 2020 academic year will be offered. [July 2020] As part of plan « 1 jeune, 1 solution », doubling of the number of students benefiting from success ropes and excellence courses will take place. [September 2020] Increase in the coverage of the Youth Guarantee program. [Extension - February 2021] A relaxation of the conditions of access to the Youth Guarantee. First of all, the system is open to young people still attached to their parents' tax household, and now takes into account the income of the last 6 months, instead of the last 3 months. In addition, people with disabilities will be able to claim a Youth Guarantee until the age of 30. For more flexibility, the duration of the course, usually between 12 to 18 months, can now be between 9 to 18 months. The Youth Guarantee is a device reserved for young people aged 16 to 25 in precarious situations, to help them in their access to autonomy and professional integration. The Youth Guarantee is a one-year reciprocal commitment contract between a young person and a local mission. A local mission counselor accompanies youth in an intensive and personalized way to build a course that combines professional experience, advice, collective workshops and payment of an allowance. The Youth Guarantee gives the right to an allowance of a maximum monthly amount equivalent to that of the Active Solidarity Income (RSA) for a single person, less the housing package. [Extension - April 2021] As of April 1, 2021, the maximum amount of the allowance paid under the Youth Guarantee was thus equal to € 497.01 per month. It is open to all young French people, but also to foreigners (European Union or third countries) provided they are legally resident in France and have a residence permit. The duration of the Youth Guarantee support is 12 months. [March 2020] Ordinance #2020-323: In-house company agreement or branch level collective bargaining agreement may set out the conditions under which the employer can require the taking of paid leave, or modify the dates of leave already scheduled, with a limit of up to 6 working days, and respecting a notice period of one clear day. This also applies to paid leave days accrued before the start of the period during which they will be taken. The agreement may authorize the employer to divide the leave without the employee's consent. Labor market regulations [March 2020] Employers may, throughout the public health emergency period, impose or modify employees' paid leave for periods not exceeding six working days, subject to compliance with a minimum notice period of one clear day. This option is subject to conclusion of a company or branch agreement. This option, which cannot be extended beyond December 31, 2020, applies to leave acquired before May 31, as well as leave normally due to be taken as from June 1, also within the limit of six working days. [March 2020] The new provisions allow employers in business sectors "particularly necessary for the security of the nation or continuity of economic and social life" to temporarily derogate from the rules set out in the French Labor Code and the collective bargaining rules on working hours, weekly rest periods and Sunday rest periods. (March 2020) Profit-sharing and incentive schemes: Incentive and profit-sharing bonuses, which should have been paid by companies before June 30, 2020, may be delayed until December 31, 2020. (June 2020) A decree and an order published in the Official Journal on June 14, 2020 provide for an exceptional relaxation of the time savings account in the territorial and hospital public services. This measure allows employees to preserve their rights to acquired leave by ensuring the continuity of public service during the health crisis. The total number of days that can be maintained on this account increases from 60 to 70 days for the year 2020. [March 2020] To avoid layoffs and mitigate the effects of reduced activity linked to COVID-19, a Decree on March 25, 2020 (Ordinance #2020-325), followed by a Ministerial Order on March 27, 2020 (Ordinance #2020-770), have adjusted and extended the system of application for short-time authorizations, filed since March 26, 2020, for time not worked since March 1, 2020. Grounds for recourse to this measure: Companies may apply to implement short-time working for one or more employees unable to work if they are either affected by Decrees requiring the closure of the business, or are faced with falling activity and/or supply difficulties, or when it is impossible for them to set up the necessary preventive measures to protect employee health (homeworking, barrier gestures, etc.) for all their employees. Reduced work time The Administration will be carrying out checks afterwards to ensure that companies have not abused the system. Status of the employee subject to short-time working: The employees concerned, including protected employees, cannot refuse short-time working. This entails suspension of their employment contract for unworked hours but does not constitute a change in the contract. [March 2020] The new provisions allow employers in business sectors "particularly necessary for the security of the nation or continuity of economic and social life" to temporarily derogate from the rules set out in the French Labor Code and the collective bargaining rules on working hours, weekly rest periods and Sunday rest periods. A Decree to be published shortly will list the sectors concerned. These should include the energy, telecoms, logistics, transport, agriculture and food processing sectors. The exemptions allowed are as follows: - an increase from 44 to 46 hours in the weekly working time authorized over a period of 12 consecutive weeks; - an increase from 48 to 60 hours for working time authorized in a single week; - authorization to work on Sundays; - a reduction in the compensatory rest period between two working days from 11 to 9 hours. Employers using at least one of these derogations must inform the Social and Economic Committee and the French Labor Inspectorate immediately and by any means. [March 2020] Decree n° 2020-325: Special unemployment benefits for employees who stop working. The company compensates 70% of gross wages (about 84% of net). Minimum wage earners or less are compensated 100%. The company will be fully reimbursed by the state for those earning up to 6,927 euros gross monthly— that is, 4.5x the minimum wage. Extension of temporary virus- related unemployment benefits until summer. [March 2020] The partial unemployment scheme operates in 2 stages: 1) The employee receives a partial activity allowance from his employer, in lieu of his salary. This compensation corresponds to 70% of his gross salary (i.e. approximately 85% of his net salary) with a minimum of € 8.03 per hour. Employees whose remuneration was less than the minimum wage (apprentices for example) benefit from an allowance equal to their previous remuneration. 2) The company benefits from an allowance paid by the State corresponding to 85% of the amount of the employee's partial activity allowance within the limit of 4.5x the minimum wage. The company can apply for a partial activity allowance for one or more employees unable to work, if Wage subsidies it is in one of the following cases: - it is affected by the decrees providing for a closure, - it is faced with a decline in activity and/or supply difficulties, - it is impossible for it to put in place the necessary preventive measures to protect the health of employees (teleworking, barrier gesture, etc.) for all of its employees. [Extension - June 2020] Ordinance #2020-770 of 24 June 2020, supplemented by Decree #2020- 810 of 29 June 2020, stipulates that the rate of the common law allowance reimbursed to employers between 1 June and 30 September 2020 is 60% of employees' pay, up to a limit of 4.5 times the minimum wage. Until December 31, 2020, the following companies benefit from 100% coverage of the partial activity allowance paid to employees: - companies in the tourism, hotel, catering, sport, culture, air transport and events sectors, - companies in sectors subject to specific legislative or regulatory restrictions due to the health crisis or impacted by the curfew implemented in several cities in France as of October 17, 2020. [Extension - September 2021] Ordinance No. 2021-1214 of September 22, 2021, specifies the benefit of long-term partial activity (APLD). This is open: - to employees on a fixed-term contract (CDD) in the context of a seasonal job, who benefit from a guarantee of renewal of their employment contract provided for by this contract, a collective agreement or a collective employment agreement; - to employees who, failing a renewal of their employment contract, have worked or are working at least two same seasons in the same company over two consecutive years. The common law system of partial activity (co-pay 40% now) will be applied to all sectors with effect from 1 st September 2021. [August 2020] As part of plan « 1 jeune, 1 solution » a load compensation of 4,000 euros for any young person recruited between August 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021. [Extension - September 2021] The compensation of charges of 4,000 euros was extended until May 31, 2021. Exceptional aid of 5,000 euros or 8,000 euros is granted for the first year of the contracts signed between July 2020 and December 2021 and should be extended until June 30, 2022 (Prime Minister's announcement of September 6, 2021). [March 2021] As part of plan « 1 jeune, 1 solution », an exceptional assistance of 5,000 euros to recruit a work-study student under the age of 18 (on an apprenticeship or professionalization contract) or 8,000 euros to recruit a work-study student over 18 years of age will be provided. These provisions apply to apprenticeship contracts between the 1st of March 2021 and 31st of December 2021. [October 2020] As part of plan « 1 jeune, 1 solution », the “Franc + employment” system, that will run between October 15, 2020 and May 31, 2021, is reinforced with assistance paid to the employer which is increased when recruits a young person under the age of 26 (on a permanent or fixed-term contract of at least 6 months). [July 2020] As part of the "1 young, 1 solution" plan, exceptional assistance facilitates hiring under a professionalization contract. This system applies to all contracts concluded between July 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021, up to master's level. Financial assistance granted to employers of employees on professionalization contracts. Its amount is: - € 5,000 for a work-study student under 18 - € 8,000 for a major work-study student (up to the age of 29) by contract preparing for a diploma (or a professional title, a qualification certificate) up to a master's degree (bac + 5 - level 7 of the National Directory of Professional Certifications - RNCP). For the employer to benefit from this device, workers must be under 30 years of age. The aid will be paid: - to companies with less than 250 employees: unconditional, - to companies with 250 or more employees on the condition that they undertake to reach, in their workforce, a threshold, defined by decree, of work-study contracts or contracts promoting professional integration (otherwise the sums received must be reimbursed): - 5% of contracts promoting professional integration as of December 31, 2021 - 3% of work-study students as of December 31, 2021 and an increase of 10% of work-study students compared to 2020. [January 2021] In order to support the recruitment of 1,000 young people in VSEs, SMEs and ETIs in ecological transition trades, aid of up to € 8,000 will be paid to the company that welcomes a talent in Territorial Volunteering in a company (VTE). Eligible companies can be VSEs, SMEs or ETIs. They must hire, for a mission of at least one year, from September 1, 2020: - on an employment contract, a young person with a minimum of 3 years of higher education, graduated less than 2 years ago - on an apprenticeship contract (if applicable, minimum duration of 10 months) or professionalization, a young person who has already graduated with a bac + 2 level and is in training for a bac + 3 level or more. The Green VTE Aid cannot be combined with the franc employment aid or with the hiring aid for young people under 26 years old instituted by decree n ° 2020-982 of August 5, 2020. VTE Vert aid can be partially combined with the exceptional work-study aid provided for the apprenticeship and professionalization contracts concluded between July 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021. When a company already benefits from this aid, the amount of VTE Vert Aid is capped at € 4,000. Launch in January 2021 (retroactive application possible for contracts signed from September 1, 2020). [July 2020] Beside the expansion of short-time work at the start of the crisis, the government has created a long-term short-time work scheme (Activité partielle de longue durée, Decree, 28 July 2020) designed to provide security for employees and business activity, which enables companies faced with a lasting reduction in activity to reduce working hours in return for commitments, particularly in terms of job maintenance. The employer must pay the employee compensation corresponding to 70% of his gross salary per nonworking hour: hour not worked by decision of the employer, or about 84% of net hourly wages. This compensation cannot be less than € 8.30 net, nor be greater than a ceiling of € 33.01 per nonworking hour. The employer receives an allowance equivalent to 60% of the employee's gross hourly remuneration limited to € 28.30 with a minimum of € 8.30. In administratively closed companies, the employer receives an allowance equivalent to 70% of the gross hourly remuneration of the employee limited to € 33.01 with a minimum of € 8.30. [Extension - October 2021] Long-term partial activity (APLD) allows a company facing difficulties to reduce the working hours of its employees. This temporary arrangement can apply until June 30, 2022. (back to the top) French Polynesia Cash-based transfers Family allowances were increased from 10,000 FCP to 15,000 FCP. The first payment took place on Cash transfers April 8, 2020 at the same time as the allowances intended for employees registered with the RGS (conditional and unconditional) (General Plan for Employees). On February 2, 2021, the government announced to extend family allowances of 15,000 FCP for RSPF nationals, until June 2021. Social pensions In-kind transfers On May 5, 2020, the government distributed hygiene kits and food baskets for the poorest families Social in the municipality of Mahina, as reported on May 6, 2020. In this event, 100 families living in poverty Assistance received health kits including liquid soap, hydro-alcoholic gel, disinfectant solution, tissues and gloves.100 families also benefited from 100 food baskets and vouchers, consisting of basic Food, vouchers, others necessities, fruits and vegetables. The municipality of Mahina will continue this food aid for the next five weeks thanks to the financial support of 5 million Fcfp provided by the state and Mixed Syndicate of the City Contract of the agglomeration of Papeete. At the entrance of the distribution area, fabric masks were provided to beneficiaries and social distancing protocols were adhered School feeding Public works Utility waivers Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Gabon Cash-based transfers Cash transfers In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the UNDP supported the vulnerable by distributing $50,000 (conditional and unconditional) to 500 people living with a double handicap. Social pensions In-kind transfers The government created a solidarity fund in the amount of five (5) billion CFA francs with the aim of creating a food bank. This facilitated the granting of food aid to people in distress and emergency situations. This highly popular initiative was extended in June 2020 to last "until the end of the pandemic." In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the UNDP supported the vulnerable by spending $75,000 in providing viral load and genotype testing for 1,200 economically and socially vulnerable patients. Social Free coverage of Covid-19 screening tests had been introduced since the start of the pandemic in Assistance Food, vouchers, others 2020 in Gabon. As of October 16, 2020, eight months after the start of the pandemic in the country, free tests costed the State more than 589.3 million FCFA, at a rate of 2,800 FCFA per test, excluding costs of transport, according to the Gabonese authorities. This envelope was spent on the purchase of 210,482 tests. Faced with the increase in cases of Covid-19 contamination in October 2021, Gabon plans to reduce the budget allocated to the free coverage of screening tests to reallocate funds to the vaccination campaign. The Advisor to the Minister of Oil, Gas and Mines, Eddy Moubambou Mounanga Bounda, in charge of corporate social responsibility, has under the Local Communities Development Fund (FDCL), the Nyanga-Mayomb permit operated by Maurel and PROM, delivered pharmaceutical drugs worth CFAF 10 million to the Ndindi Medical Center, the departmental capital of Haute Banio. All the communities in Upper Banio will now have access to free medicines. School feeding Public works For the most fragile and economically weak people, the state will inject 4 billion CFA francs per Utility waivers month for the payment of electricity bills and 2 billion for all water bills. The measure was extended in May 2020 for a second phase. It was confirmed by the implementing agency that the program will end in May 2021. Landlords and 'small' lessors of residential, commercial and mixed-use properties with a rental income of less than CFA 250,000 per month can apply for full payment of the regular rental income from the state. The scheme is implemented by the Ministry of the Economy and Finance and funded through a special fund established for this purpose. It was launched in May 2020 and will remain in place as long as deemed necessary by the government. An aid fund of 2.5 billion CFA francs will be set up to compensate for the losses of small owners linked to the previous measure. Land transport provided by public companies will be completely free for all users in urban areas starting in April 2020. The program has continued through July 2021. Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures [March 2020] To prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus, the Minister of Labor calls for the responsibility of employers and workers to scrupulously implement and enforce Covid-19 preventive measures essential to the well-being and health. Some measures include restricting and regulating the flow of workers within companies, supervising and regulating the working time of workers in situations of vulnerability, promotion of measures and awareness of workers on the importance of and compliance with barrier measures, permanent disinfection of workplaces and regular distribution Labor market regulations of safety equipment, provision of disinfectants to customers, visitors and staff when entering and leaving businesses, and administrative checks carried out by the Ministry of Labor and other Labor administrations to verify the application and compliance with barrier measures. Markets Relaxation of conditions relating to layoffs with payment of compensation that were not previously provided for by the Labor Code in force. Reduced work time ( [April 2020] The purchasing power of workers will be preserved by setting up a technical unemployment allowance. This is set between 50% and 70% of the gross monthly salary excluding Wage subsidies bonuses and allowances for workers fully impacted by the protection and prevention measures linked to the fight against the spread of the Covid-19 virus, with the exception of low-income workers between 80,000 and 150,000 CFA francs, whose salaries must be fully maintained. (back to the top) Gambia, The Cash-based transfers The WFP provided important direct support to households during the lean season by providing 60,355 food insecure households (not covered by the Nafa Quick program) with the same transfer value (D1,500 or $30), plus a bag of rice, for three months from September 2020 to December 2020. Horizontal expansion to Nafa Quick program targeting 83,000 households with a cost of US$10 million. The Nafa Quick package will last for four months. The package intends to contribute to the mitigation of the social and economic impact of COVID-19 on the population with a view to providing immediate universal cash transfer of D1,500 ($31) per month to each beneficiary household (program is ongoing as of November 2020). The beneficiaries under the BReST project (mothers and their children) benefited from a direct cash transfer between 2017 and 2019. The [top-up in 2020 for COVID] intervention targets 6000 households and it was implemented through Unconditional Cash Transfer along with SBCC. With an operating budget of EUR200,000, the intervention was implemented at 10 selected health facilities in The Gambia Social Cash transfers The Government of The Gambia agreed to provide a one-off cash transfer of US$50 to each of the Assistance (conditional and unconditional) small-scale tourism actors whose contact details are available. Since then, arrangements were made with Africell for the transfer to each beneficiary. A total of D16,837,867.50 (sixteen million eight hundred and thirty seven thousand, eight hundred and sixty seven dalasis and fifty bututs) was remitted by UNDP directly to Africell's for the transfer. The GoG announced a new D250M Covid-19 relief that includes the provision of a cash package of D3,000 to families affected by the economic downturn of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Ministry of Women Children and Social Welfare in The Gambia provided 1,000 extremely vulnerable households with cash transfers of 1,000 D over a period of three months starting in July 2020. The Gambia delivered a Cash Transfer Program (CTP) to enrolled children and their families deemed most in need during this emergency period. The cash transfer is unconditional, which has given the beneficiaries the autonomy on spending. Thus, the overall objective of the cash transfer is to provide cash to most in need enrolled families for resilience building during the coronavirus pandemic. Beneficiaries were select from communities in West Coast Region and Lower River Regions of The Gambia and a total of 2,877 beneficiaries were reached so far. Gambian students studying abroad and who were not receiving government funding benefitted from financial support as part of the government's COVID-19 response. The scheme was implemented by the Ministry of Higher Education, using beneficiary lists drawn up by embassies and consulates. Payments were disbursed via embassies in two payment rounds. Social pensions In-kind transfers The GoG announced a new 250M D Covid-19 relief that includes the provision of immediate food support to the entire Gambian population to aid food security The President of the Republic launched the National COVID-19 Food Assistance of over seven hundred and thirty-four million (GMD734,254,864), targeting 84% of the total households in the country with rice, sugar, and oil, respectively. The aim of this assistance was to contain the spread of the virus and to uphold the declaration by the public. It was also aimed to strike a balance between responding to the effects of COVID-19 and addressing the underlying causes of vulnerability. Out of the 208,220 beneficiaries provided by the regions, 189,026 have already benefited from the distribution. On average about 91% of the list provided for the distribution have been covered. The government targets 235,767 households nationwide for this exercise. This relief package comes in the form of bags of 50kg of 100% broken rice, 50kg bags of sugar and 10-litre drums of refined Food, vouchers, others cooking oil. The WFP provided important direct support to households during the lean season by providing 60,355 food insecure households (not covered by the Nafa Quick program) with the same transfer value (D1,500 or $30), plus a bag of rice, for three months from September 2020 to December 2020. The government of The Gambia (GoTG), through the Ministry of Agriculture, and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) have today launched an emergency relief package to provide food assistance to 342,000 people (42,750 households) across all regions of the country as part of the national COVID-19 response. Each household will receive a 50kg bag of rice per month for a period of four months, February to May 2021. The Ministry of Women Children and Social Welfare in The Gambia provided 1,000 extremely vulnerable households with 50kg bag of rice and five liters of cooking oil. Following prolonged school closure, WFP and Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) School feeding agreed to implement Take Home Ration (THR) and cash-based transfer as part of interim solutions to children who benefited from the School feeding program with two months ration equivalent to 16.6kg of rice, 2 liters of oil or cash equivalent of D600. WFP has 150,742 (54% females) learners in Regions, 1, 3, 5 and 6. The school meals provided to the child at school will be converted to a family ration for the child to take home to benefit his/her household. About 73,939 households will be benefitting from the THR. The THR is implemented in July and August 2020. MoBSE will be doing the same in regions 2 and 4 to support 88,000 school children who benefited from school meals prior to the schools’ closure. Public works Emergency powers were used to freeze prices of essential commodities such as rice, meat, fish, cooking oil soap, sanitizers, and cement. Utility waivers The government of The Gambia has announced measures to facilitate the accessibility and affordability of livestock in preparation for the Tobaski feast observed on July 20, 2021. All duties and domestic taxes by Gambia Revenue Authority will be waived during the period in addition to a 50 percent reduction of fees for the ferry crossing for all livestock dealers. Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor Markets Reduced work time Public servants were allowed to work from home through stay-at-home orders. Wage subsidies (back to the top) Georgia Cash-based transfers One-off compensation of 300 GEL to individuals employed in outlets or facilities whose operation were suspended. This measure involved 370,000 beneficiaries with a total budget of GEL 110,8 million in 2020 and 1,233 beneficiaries with total budget GEL 369.9 in 2021 On June 24th,2020, the parliament announced support for citizens who have been employed but lost their jobs during the pandemic: GEL 200 per person for 6 months, 162.3 thousand people benefitting with a total budget of GEL 131.2 million in 2020 and 136.9 thousand people benefitting with a total budget GEL 148 million in 2021. On May 4th, 2020, the government introduced temporary monthly cash transfers, according to the families Proxy Means Test (PMT) rating score: families with a PMT rating score of 0 - 100,000 with three or more children aged 16 or less received a top-up benefit of 100 GEL through the Targeted Social Assistance for up to 6 months. This cash transfer covered 21,000 families, involving a total budget of 13 million GEL (USD $4.08 million or €3.78 million). Additionally, families with a PMT rating Social score of 65,000 - 100,000 received a flat benefit of 100 GEL for up to 6 months. This benefit Cash transfers Assistance reached 70,000 families and involved a total budget of 45 million GEL (USD $14.13 million /€13.10 (conditional and unconditional) million). The transfers were extended in January 2021 for another six months. Persons with severe disabilities and children with disabilities received a direct transfer of 100 GEL for up to 6 months. About 40,000 citizens benefited from this program, involving a total budget of 25 million GEL (€7.28 million). The program was extended for another six months in January 2021. In 2021 persons with severe disabilities and children with disabilities received a direct transfer of 100 GEL for up to 6 months. About 45.9 thousand citizens benefited from this program, involving a total budget of 27.3 million GEL (€7.28 million) On August 6th, 2020, the government provided one-time assistance of GEL 200 to all children below 18, aiming at reaching 800,000 children. The estimated total cost was GEL 160 million. The government increased the list of villages that benefited from the provisions of the law on ‘Mountainous Regions’ by 59 villages. A total of 272,000 people benefited from this law, including dwellers of high mountainous regions, as well as the villages adjacent to the occupied territories. The benefits introduced by this law included social transfers for the newborns. The Social Service Agency is ensuring the continuous issuance of state transfers (compensation), regardless of the origin of the suspension(s) established by law. (Announced in Government Decree No. 184, issued on 23 March 2020) The government postponed recertification procedures of beneficiaries of the Targeted Social Assistance and simplified its application and enrollment procedures. People employed in the informal sector or self-employed who lost their jobs received a one-time assistance of 300 GEL. This was particularly aimed at those who applied for government assistance, but were refused. The government allocated 75 million GEL to this program, reaching 170,000 people that received it. Assistance to socially vulnerable children will be doubled starting July 1st, 2021. Instead of the existing level of 50 GEL per child, assistance for socially vulnerable children will be 100 GEL in Georgia. The number of children receiving assistance will also increase. Instead of the existing threshold of a 100,000 social score, children living in families with scores less than 120,000 will be able to receive the 100 GEL assistance. A total of 145 million GEL will be allocated from the budget annually for the program. The government increased the list of villages that benefit from the provisions of the law on ‘Mountainous Regions’ by 59 villages. A total of 272,000 people benefited from this law, including dwellers of high mountainous regions, as well as the villages adjacent to the occupied territories. The benefits introduced by this law included higher pensions and social assistance. Social pensions From January 2021, a rule of indexation of pensions was introduced, including on its calculation the inflation rate as well as the real economic growth rate. Regardless of this new rule, the government increased pensions by at least GEL 20 for pensioners younger than 70 years old and by GEL 25 for those above the age of 70. A new increase is planned for 2022, January 1st. In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding Public works The government implemented the State Program for Maintaining Prices of Primary Consumption Food Products consisting of building stocks of commodities, such as rice, pasta, buckwheat, sunflower oil, sugar, among others. This involved a total budget of GEL 139 million. Also, the government subsidized the price of grapes and sub-standard apples to help peasants in the regions. The government helped students from vulnerable families (with a PMT score below 150,000) covering one semester of their university tuition. About 33,000 were expected to benefit from this initiative, involving a total budget of GEL 35 million. The government announced a subsidy on utility fees for three months (March, April and May 2020), including electricity bills, sanitary service, gas and water bills for households which consume less than 200 kWh of electricity and 200 cubic meters of natural gas per month. This meant a total planned expenditure of GEL 170 million. This was reintroduced from November 2020 to February 2021, involving 1.1 million families. The government implemented a bank loan service holidays for individuals in the period of March- Utility waivers May 2020, which was later prolonged for 3 more months for those borrowers who asked for extension. This measure involved an estimated budget of GEL 3 million. The government increased the list of villages that benefited from the provisions of the law on ‘Mountainous Regions’ by 59 villages. A total of 272,000 people benefited from this law, including dwellers of high mountainous regions, as well as the villages adjacent to the occupied territories. The benefits introduced by this law included subsidized electricity and heating to households. Out of pocket co-payments for COVID-related expenditures are fully subsidized by the government for all. The 'Produce in Georgia' state program will introduce a new program providing co-financing on loans taken out by families with newborn children to buy a new apartment. The state will cover 6% of the total interest amount for the families with a first or second newborn and 8% of the total interest amount for families with a third or every subsequent newborn. The loan amount should vary from 60,000 GEL to 300,000 GEL. A state subsidy will increase from 10 to 15 GEL per 50 kilograms of wheat flour in Georgia in order to avoid an increase in bread prices during the coronavirus pandemic in the country. The state subsidy will not exceed 15 GEL per 50 kilograms of high-quality wheat flour. The budget for the program is 10 million GEL. The program came into force on December 1st, 2020 and ended on March 31st, 2021. The government helped students from vulnerable families (with a PMT score below 150,000) covering one semester of their university tuition. About 14439 benefited from this initiative, involving a total budget of GEL 14.8 million Acceleration of VAT refunds. 1.040 million GEL- in 2020 and GEL 1, 700 million planned in 2021 In order to ensure access to paid leave, Ministerial Decree No. 281/n was amended to enable the issuance of forms equal to medical leave to persons in quarantine or self-isolation, upon which the Paid sick leave period spent in quarantine or self-isolation will be paid. Furthermore, employers are obliged to develop flexible sick leave policies, in compliance with the public health instructions. Health insurance From January 2021, a rule of indexation of pensions was introduced, including in its calculation the inflation rate as well as the real economic growth rate. Regardless of this new rule, the government increased pensions at least by GEL 20 for pensioners younger than 70 years old and by GEL 25 for those above the age of 70. Social Pensions Insurance The Social Service Agency is ensuring the continuous issuance of state transfers (state pensions), regardless of the origin of the suspension(s) established by law. (Announced in Government Decree No. 184, issued on 23 March 2020) [April 2020] Unemployment cash allowance to formal workers who lost jobs. As of September 2020, this measure reached 161,295 people. [April 2020] To support hired employees who have lost their jobs and income during the crisis after Unemployment benefits the declaration of the state of emergency and cannot receive their salaries, the State will provide assistance in the amount of 1200 GEL over a period of six months, which is 200 GEL (about $62.79/€58.23) per month. This assistance will apply to 350,000 citizens. A total of 460 million GEL (about $144.43m/€133.92m) is allocated from the budget. Social security contributions Activation measures Labor Markets [April 2020] To control the spread of the Covid-19 virus, the Order of MoIDPLSA approved a set of Labor market regulations general recommendations for all business sectors. Employers are required to develop a plan for readiness for and response to infectious diseases. This plan shall foresee the risk levels related to the different workplaces and the assignments which the employees are to perform. Among other issues, the employers shall develop policies and procedures for immediate isolation of persons who show signs and/or symptoms of coronavirus. Furthermore, employers are obliged to provide employees with the personal protection equipment required for their safety when employees are performing their job responsibilities. Employees are obliged to observe hygiene rules at the workplace and to clean their workplace and the devices they use for work with disinfectants. They are also obliged to maintain a distance of 2 meters from other people and to use alcohol-containing hand-cleaning solutions if they are unable to wash and dry their hands. The government increased the list of villages that benefited from the provisions of the law on ‘Mountainous Regions’ by 59 villages. A total of 272,000 people benefited from this law, including dwellers of high mountainous regions, as well as the villages adjacent to the occupied territories. The benefits introduced by this law included increased salaries for teachers and medical personnel [April 2020] With the aim of slowing down the spread of the virus, the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia Reduced work time (MoIDPLSA) prescribed general recommendations for all permitted sectors of business activities, and employers shall develop a flexible working regime and inform the employees about it. Employers shall carry out control activities, such introducing remote working, to minimize contact between employees, clients and consumers. [April 2020] All persons who will retain their jobs and all the companies that will retain jobs will Wage subsidies receive a full subsidy of salary payment of up to 750 GEL for salaries of up to 1,500 GEL. For the six- month period, the salaries will be fully exempt from income tax. The budget for this assistance is 250 million GEL (€72.78 million). (back to the top) Germany Cash-based transfers Solo freelancers such as artists and nurses are to receive direct grants of up to Euro 15,000 over 3 months. A total of Euro 50B is planned for this purpose. Parents who lose income due to COVID-19 can get easier access to child benefits. In addition, a simplified process for child grant (Kinderzuschlag) is put in place, with one-month income proof instead of 6 months. Payment amount is up to Euro 185/child/month until September 2020. As part of the Second Act on protection of the population in the event of an epidemic situation of national importance of May 2020, all nursing care workers will receive a one-off special payment (“Corona premium”) of up to €1000 in 2020. The highest payment will be made to full-time employees in direct care and nursing. The payment can be increased to €1500 by employers and/or the Länder. Individual Länder, such as Bavaria, has announced that they will pay a premium of €500 to all employees in the health and care sector. Social The stimulus package of February 2021 provides for a 150€ one-time bonus for recipients of basic Cash transfers income support in 2021. Assistance (conditional and unconditional) Simplified access to minimum income benefits according to Social Code Books II (Basic Income Support for Job-Seekers) and XII (Social Assistance) was provided in the first economic stimulus package of March 2020: in order to support especially microentrepreneurs and the self-employed who have suffered significant income losses in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, access to subsistence benefits has been simplified (until 30 June, with the possibility of an extension until 31 December). A "child bonus“ of 300€ per child was paid in autumn 2020 to all parents in two installments of 150€. An additional payment of 150€ was provided in the economic stimulus package of February 2021. The bonus is also paid to recipients of minimum income benefits under Social Code Books II and XII. If parents are unable to work due to the official closure of kindergartens and schools, they can, subject to certain conditions, receive compensation (this measure applies to parents with children under 12 or disabled children [with no age limit]) starting in March 2020. Foreign nationals living in Germany may only claim public funds for their family in the form of child allowance if they have previously been granted an unlimited settlement permit or other residence permit. Child allowance is paid up to a minimum age of 18 or, alternatively, up to the age of 25 if the dependent is undergoing schooling or training or higher education. As of January 2021, for the first and second child, child allowance is 219 euros per month. For the third child it is 225 euros. For the fourth and any subsequent children the sum is 250 euros. In order to support low-income families and help them participate in social and cultural life once again, the German government has decided to offer a one-off “leisure bonus”. The German Bundestag approved a one-off “children’s leisure bonus” (Kinderfreizeitbonus) of 100 euros per child in April 2021, which will be paid out to underprivileged families in August. It is part of the larger "Catch-Up Program" intended to help children make up for lost experiences during the pandemic.The federal government is promoting short vacations for poor families so that they can recover from the stresses and strains of the Corona period starting in October 2021. With the "Corona break", families can take a week's vacation in a non-profit family vacation home or youth hostel. Families only have to pay around ten percent of the regular costs for accommodation and meals. A budget of 50 million euros has been earmarked for the "Corona break". Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding Lunches made available as part of the education package even if schools are closed Public works Private leases may not be terminated until June 30, 2022 due to any rent arrears in the period from April 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020. It is not necessary for landlords and tenants to agree this in an addendum to the rental agreement. Landlords and tenants are not allowed to lift or restrict the moratorium on rents in the rental contract. This means there is no unrestricted coronavirus termination protection for the tenants. Tenants are only protected against contract termination if they demonstrate the arrears in payment are due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Utility waivers The government approved support for single parents as part of the June 2020 stimulus package. A parent who raises their child without a partner can normally claim a so-called relief amount when filing their tax return, i.e. they have to pay €1,908 less tax on annual income. This relief amount is being raised to €4,000 for two years. The aim is that more money will be left in the pockets of single parents. The VAT rate was cut in Germany and flexibility has been added in payment of taxes in order to ease the burden on taxpayers and stimulate consumption. In March and April 2020, officials offered extensions to filing of VAT returns. In June 2020, the VAT rate was cut from 19% to 16% until 31 December 2020. Most recently, in February 2021 the VAT return deadline was extended to August 2021 from the original due date of March 31st, 2021. Electricity prices will be reduced for consumers by reducing the EEG levy on electricity prices to subsidize renewable wind and solar energy sources. The federal budget will compensate the approximately €11bn levy reduction, so that there will be no adverse impact on the promotion of solar and wind. The number of days off that parents may take when their children under the age of 12 are sick was doubled to 20 per parent and 40 for single parents. During these days 90% or 100% (if the employee received Christmas or holiday allowance) of the net income is compensated by the health insurance As a Federal law, the German Protection against Infection Act (Infektionsschutzgesetz (IfSG)) Paid sick leave regulates the prevention and management of infectious diseases in humans. For the physician actively engaged in the management of patients, the requirement to report infectious diseases and the surveillance responsibility for specific nosocomial infections are of particular importance. Where the Infection Protection Act applies, for the first six weeks the provided sick leave corresponds to the net salary, after which the amount equals to sick leave benefits. German finance ministry plans interest rate cuts to pension products. The German finance ministry Health insurance is set to reduce the maximum interest rate on life insurance and pension products from the current Social 0.9% to 0.25% in 2022, the ministry told IPE in a statement. Insurance Pensions increase guarantee: Pensioners before the standard retirement age will be able to earn up Pensions to 46,060 euros in addition to the full pension in the coming year due to the COVID-19 crisis. The same applies to pensioners receiving old-age pensions where the limit for supplementary earnings has been raised from 6.300 Euro to 44.590 Euro a year. [April 2020] The government announced that the eligibility period to receive unemployment benefits was being extended to a further three months for unemployed persons whose entitlement would Unemployment benefits end between May and December 2020. Social security contributions [March 2020] As contract workers became eligible for short-time work, it was announced that social insurance contributions that employers must normally pay for their workforce would be fully reimbursed by the Federal Employment Agency. [October 2020] It was announced that the full reimbursement of social insurance by the Federal Employment Agency was extended to the 30th of June, 2021, however, between the 1st of July, 2021 and the 31st of December, 2021, the reimbursement would drop to 50%. [January 2021] The government announced that the if employers trained their workers during short- time work, the reimbursement level of social security contributions could be raised to 100% even after the 1st of July, 2021. [June 2021] The full reimbursement of social security contributions was extended by 30 September 2021. [September 2021] Under the fourth amendment on short-time work, full reimbursement of social security contributions was extended to the 31st of December, 2021. The period for short-term employment under privileged conditions (lump sum for social security) has been increased from 70 to 115 days a year to help seasonal staff, especially in the agricultural sector, and farmers. Activation measures [April 2020] Employees were allowed to supplement their short-time work allowance by taking up a second job in system-relevant professions and sectors, including areas such as healthcare, energy and water supply, transport and passenger traffic, agriculture, food industry and the supply of food to people. Earnings from these side jobs were not to be credited against the short-time work allowance. Labor [April 2020] The Ministry for Labour and Social Affairs presented a uniform SARS-CoV-2 Markets Occupational Safety and Health Standard which includes measures such as the placement of optical Labor market regulations and physical barriers in the workplace to maintain minimum safety distance of 1.5 meters, the regular cleaning and disinfecting of facilities and devices, the provision of necessary hygiene and sanitary products, and improvements to ventilation systems, staggered working and break systems, the requirement to wear mouth-and-nose coverings and PPE, and special measures for the protection of high-risk groups. [May 2020] The Federal Cabinet adopted occupational safety and health program for the meat industry, amending the Occupational Safety and Health Act (Arbeitsschutzgesetz). This included prohibiting contract workers and the leasing of temporary workers and only permitting employees of the company to slaughter and process meat, and doubling the fines imposed to EUR 30,000. [January 2021] Employers were required to inform workers about the risks of COVID-19 and the options for getting vaccinated. Workplaces were also required to allow employees to take time off to get vaccinated. In certain sectors, employees are required to inform their employers of their vaccination status. [ [April 2020] The government adopted the COVID-19 Working Hours Regulation, for a limited period of time from 10 April 2020, which introduced the following relaxations to the Working Hours Act: increasing the maximum daily working hours from 10 to 12 hours, reducing the daily rest period by 2 Reduced work time hours, and permitting employment on Sundays and public holidays if it is not possible to carry out the work on working days and a substitute day of rest is granted within eight weeks. These applied to certain sectors and were set to expire on the 31st of July 2020. If a worker was quarantined and could not work, they were entitled to receive their full salary. [November 2021] The federal government announced that unvaccinated workers who have to quarantine will no longer receive wage subsidies. Wage subsidies [June 2021] A new restart premium was announced as an incentive for a new start that will be paid to companies towards personnel costs which bring existing employees back from short-time work earlier or hire new employees. [September 2021] This scheme expired on the 30th of September 2021. (back to the top) Ghana Cash-based transfers (October 2020) Ghana has launched a GH¢11 million COVID Relief Fund, a cash transfer program to COVID-19 affected daily wage earners. The program targets vulnerable persons and households in the Greater Accra, Western and Ashanti regions. 75,000 persons would benefit from the relief fund. 65,000 of beneficiaries were daily wage earners in the Greater Accra Region, while the rest were smallholder farmers in the Ashanti and Western regions. Beneficiary households would receive different amounts of money depending on the number of eligible members in a household. The minimum amount to be paid had been pegged at GH¢53, which would be transferred through mobile money wallets each month for five months. (April 2020) Beneficiaries of the government's LEAP cash transfer program had to collect their payments from banks and cash points instead of the usual government pay points during the confinement period. To compensate for this, two bi-monthly payments were combined into one and beneficiaries also benefitted from a once-off top-up payment to cover additional transport costs Social Cash transfers incurred to collect their payment. Beneficiaries in rural areas received a higher top-up than those in Assistance (conditional and unconditional) urban areas. The program is implemented by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. (October 2020) Informal workers and smallholder farmers in selected regions were identified via an emergency registration drive for the Ghana National Household Registry, supported by WFP. Eligible beneficiaries will benefit from cash transfers paid via mobile money using the payment module of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty program. Benefits of varying amounts will be paid for a period of four months, starting in late 2020. (May 2021) As part of the additional financing of the Ghana Productive Safety Nets Project, a component will support the continuation, expansion, and strengthening of LEAP through (a) expansion of program coverage; (b) improved targeting of the program to poor households; (c) increased benefit levels; and (d) enhancement and strengthening of the capacity of decentralized structures (including regional and MMDA structures) to support the implementation of LEAP at the community level. It will finance cash transfers, program administration and operations, and the costs of strengthening and reforming program design and implementation. Social pensions In-kind transfers (April 2020) The government announced hotlines for the needy communities and households to reach them for their food items during the COVID-19 lock down. This act has really helped them to start to provide food for up to four hundred thousand (400, 000) individuals and homes in the affected areas of restrictions. Total cost is 280 million cedis. Food, vouchers, others (April 2020) Vulnerable households and individuals in Accra, Kumasi, Tema and Kasoa benefitted from the distribution of cooked meals and food parcels which was implemented in collaboration with faith-based organizations. The program was coordinated by the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and implemented over a 2-3 week period in April 2020. (May 2021) Government, in partnership with the World Bank, has handed over twenty thousand (20,000) wheelchairs to the Ghana Federation of Disabilities Organizations as part of ongoing interventions to improve their livelihoods and wellbeing. In 2020, an estimated number of 3.3 million pupils from nine thousand basic schools in Ghana benefited from the Ghana School Feeding Program. This was a 2005 Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Program initiative that sought to decrease the prevalence of hunger and boost food security among kindergarten and primary school children in the country. In view of this, beneficiary pupils are expected to receive one hot and nutritious meal per school day. The government of Ghana mandated the closing of its schools in March 2020 to curb the spread of COVID-19, which brought a sense of fear among the children and families served by Food For All Africa (FFAA). School feeding had been a feature of FFAA’s programs since 2016, initiated in 12 schools across Ghana. Often these programs are sponsored by governments, but in some cases, like the schools where FFAA works, food banks and other non-governmental organizations are needed to School feeding fill critical gaps. In 2016, FFAA established school feeding kitchens in the poorest and hardest to reach primary schools, providing a daily hot meal to improve students’ nutrition and ability to focus on school. Through the use of mobile technology, FFAA recovered nutritious surplus food from a network of retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers, farmers, and growers to supply fresh ingredients to school kitchens, reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions in the process. And then, in March 2020, everything had to change. Schools were closed. Stay at home orders were announced by the government. The FFAA team found themselves unable to serve the 5,354 children/families they had been reaching through this program. With support from GFN, FFAA was able to quickly shift its school feeding kitchens to a weekly home delivery program, guaranteeing a lifeline of support for vulnerable families during lockdown. In addition to technical assistance, GFN also provided grant funding to FFAA to enhance the food bank’s infrastructure and logistical capacity to meet the growing demand for emergency food support across Ghana. This support from GFN meant that from March 2020 to January 2021, FFAA was able to deliver 24,822 food boxes to 8,455 families who were otherwise cut off from social protection programs. When schools reopened in Ghana in January 2021, FFAA was able to restart its in-person feeding program, providing one hot meal per day in 25 schools across five regions in Ghana. FFAA also invested in hand-washing stations, personal protection equipment, training, and new guidelines to ensure the health and safety of students and program staff. To address ongoing needs made worse by the pandemic, FFAA plans to expand its hot meals program in rural communities along with weekend food bag delivery, and incorporate vocational training for single mothers and youth. To improve its logistical capacity, FFAA hopes to establish a satellite warehouse in the Ashanti region of Ghana. (April 2020) A daily allowance of one hundred and fifty cedis (GH¢150) being paid to contact tracers. Beneficiaries of the Labor Intensive Public Works Program who were either mothers or caregivers of children benefitted from reduced working hours to allow them to care for their children while continuing to receive their full daily wages. In addition, the size of work crews was reduced, crew rotations were adjusted, and physical distancing was enforced to comply with COVID-19 safety Public works measures. (May 2021) As part of the additional financing of the Ghana Productive Safety Nets Project, support will be given to the implementation, expansion, and strengthened performance of LIPW, specifically: (a) expansion of the program in rural communities; (b) extension of the program to urban areas; and (c) development of a strategy for increasing financing for LIPW, including through Government financing at the national level and through the budgets of MMDAs. It will also finance the cost of LIPW sub-projects (including LIPW wages for participants), program administration, and the costs of strengthening and reforming program design and implementation. Beginning Friday March 20, 2020, all mobile money transfers of GH¢100 and below will attract no charges from service providers for the next three months. (March 2020) Ministry of Finance announced tax waiver for health workers and water sanitation bills to cost GHS 441 million cedis. GHS 241 million cedis to cover as a tax waiver for health personnel. (April 2020) From a speech given by the President on the 9th of April: The Ghana Water Company Utility waivers Ltd and the Electricity Company of Ghana have been directed to ensure the stable supply of water and electricity (supply will not be disconnected). The government will absorb the water bills for all Ghanaians for the months of April, May and June. Publicly and private water tankers will be mobilized to ensure the supply of water to vulnerable communities. This will cover persons who consume 0 to 50-kilowatt hours per month for this period. "This forms part of relief interventions by the state amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. Other categories of consumers will enjoy a 50 percent discount within the same period. For all other consumers, residential and commercial, the government will absorb 50 percent of your electricity bill for this period using your March 2020 bill as the benchmark." According to his speech: GHS 200 million cedis to cater for bills on water and sanitation Paid sick leave An insurance package, with an assured sum of three hundred and fifty thousand cedis Health insurance (GH¢350,000) for each health personnel and allied professional at the forefront of the fight has been Social put in place. Insurance Ghana’s SSNIT announces Ghanian cedis 500,000 as donation for COVID relief efforts. This money Pensions comes out of their reserves. Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures All frontline health workers will receive an additional allowance of 50 percent of their basic salary for Labor market regulations Labor the months of March, April, May and June. Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Gibraltar (UK) Cash-based transfers Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) Social pensions Social In-kind transfers Assistance Food, vouchers, others School feeding Public works Utility waivers (Nov 2020) The government published the Employment (Self-Isolation) Pay Order 2020 to assist businesses where their employees have had to self-isolate and are unable to work. The Order also Paid sick leave applies to assist self-employed people who are required to self-isolate and are also unable to work. This new scheme sees the introduction of a statutory self-isolation pay rate of £52.50 per day. Health insurance Pensions Social Unemployment benefits Insurance [March 2020] To help businesses continue to pay their employees, including those on zero-hours contracts, employers across all sectors (including the Excluded Sectors) will be allowed to defer their social insurance contributions for the second quarter of 2020 by a period of 12 weeks from month- end instead of the 10 weeks previously announced. Social security contributions The payment of salaries to employees of affected businesses in the hospitality, leisure, distributive, and catering sectors will not be subject to pay as you earn (PAYE) or employee or employer social insurance (SI) contributions for the month of April 2020. Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor Reduced work time Markets [March 2020] To help businesses continue to pay their employees, including those on zero-hours Wage subsidies contracts, Gibraltar introduced a wage subsidy reform called the Business & Employee Assistance Terms (or BEAT) payment. The COVID-19-related salary is £1,155 per month for a full-time employee (working 7.5 hours per day or more) or a self-employed person, and would be apportioned for those who work less than full-time or are on zero-hours contracts. (back to the top) Greece Cash-based transfers Financial assistance of euro 400 was introduced for non-subsidized long-term unemployed individuals, registered with the Hellenic Manpower Employment Organization (OAED) from March- November 2020, and not receiving any other benefit from the State. The one-off payment was provided twice, in April 2020 and in December 2020. Beneficiaries of the Social Solidary Income (SSI) Guaranteed Minimum Income program will not be required to submit a new application upon expiration of the benefit recertification period, unless they chose to do so. Three consecutive extensions have been granted for the approved benefits that have been expiring since February. The same extensions are also granted for the housing benefit. Extended for 3 months for those decisions to be expired during the period Nov.2020 - Jan.2021 (extended to Feb.2021-April 2021 respectively). One-off income support was granted to households with minor dependents that are GMI/SSI- beneficiaries: Euro 100 for the first child + Euro 50 for all other children and up to max Euro 300 for Social each beneficiary (single-parent or co-parent families). The decision was published in the government Cash transfers gazette on May 4, 2020. The amount is tax-free, cannot be seized and cannot be offset against any Assistance (conditional and unconditional) debt. The first income-support payment, to GMI beneficiary households with children, was introduced in May 2020 and paid in June 2020. One-off stipend of €600 to specific liberal professions i.e. economists / accountants, engineers, lawyers, geotechnicians. The measure was adopted in March 2020 and the economic support was provided to beneficiaries in April 2020. One-off stipend of €600 to specific liberal professions i.e. economists / accountants, engineers, lawyers, geotechnicians. The measure was adopted in March 2020 and the economic support was provided to beneficiaries in April 2020 The amount of the Easter allowance, corresponding to the period of suspension of the employment contract, and the respective social security contributions will be paid the state directly to the employees, whose employment contract is suspended within the period from the January-April 2021. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Labor announced Social Solidarity Income (SSI) recipients are expected to receive only for December 2020 double the monthly amount the usually get. The extra payment, to all GMI beneficiaries, was introduced in November 2020 and paid in December 2020. This payment was granted to 256,562 households (or 482,335 people). The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Labor announced Social Solidarity Income (SSI) recipients are expected to receive only for December 2020 double the monthly amount the usually get. The extra payment, to all GMI beneficiaries, was introduced in November 2020 and paid in December 2020. This payment was granted to 256,562 households (or 482,335 people). Employees whose contracts were suspended in November 2020 will receive (in December) an 800- euro stipend based on the number of days suspended. Measure covers all employees who have been hired until November 4, 2020. Regarding the Christmas gift, which is payable between Dec. 21 and Dec 3st, the state will pay the proportion for the period of time that the employees were suspended, calculated at the amount of 534 euros. Total cost of measure: 215 million euros. The European Commission has approved a €500 million Greek scheme to support self-employed individuals, including self-employed managers of small companies in sectors affected by the coronavirus outbreak. to provide a one-off payment of €800 per self-employed person, including self-employed managers of companies that employ less than 20 employees in sectors severely affected by the coronavirus outbreak. A measure was passed concerning a special allowance granted to seasonal workers in tourism and food sectors, who were employed in 2019 but not rehired in 2020. The measure was introduced in May 2020, and the special allowance was provided in June, July and August 2020. In April 2021, the authorities decided to provide an extra special allowance for January and February 2021, which was paid in May 2021. Approximately 20,000 unemployed workers benefited from this scheme. In May 2021, it was announced that affected workers in the tourism sector could again benefit from a special allowance for the months of March, April, and May.- Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding Public works The Public Power Corporation (PPC) announced discounts on its tariffs, including the abolition of a flat rate charge for all consumers, an additional 8% for vulnerable customers and for consumption of over 2,000 kW as well as a Euro 5 discount for all e-bill customers, old and new. The measure will apply from March 26, 2020 for three months. Tenants whose employment contract is suspended are allowed to pay only 60% of their monthly rent on main residence in March and April. The measure was extended through April 2021 for employees whose contract is still under suspension. Employees who are suspended from employment throughout the country are entitled to a mandatory 40% reduction in rent for their main residence but also for the student residence of their children (Total cost of measure: 30 mil. Euros). (April 2020) Shelter in Athens to open for the homeless. To protect the vulnerable group of homeless people in the corona pandemic, Athens has created a shelter with more than 400 beds. The three-buildings complex of seven floors was opened in April and is run by the City of Athens’ Reception and Solidarity Center. It offers accommodation in dormitories as immediate help and apartments for a longer stay, along with free meals and psychosocial support.- Utility waivers 'Bridge Program': The government will subsidize loans secured on a main residence with between 300 to 600 euros per month, depending on whether they are serviced or not. The subsidized tranches will concern both performing and nonperforming loans, using a number of criteria for debtors hurt by the pandemic. The scheme was means-tested, based on income and assets. The overall aim of the program was to support debtors who encountered difficulties in repaying their loans related to primary residence due to the COVID-19 outbreak. This program was introduced in July 2020 and was open for applications during August-October 2020. In total, 72,581 people (113,961 loans) benefited from this program (November 2020) Setting of a maximum profit margin for health-related products and services. The Ministry of Development and Investment announced the setting of a maximum profit margin in businesses selling products or providing services needed for the health as well as for nutrition, transportation and security of consumers. The measure in enforced until 28 February 2021 with a possibility of further extension. (June 2020) Extension of the 25% discount measure for timely payments of tax debt installments due in May 2020. For individuals who lease immovable property to such enterprises that are eligible for the extension of the deadline for the abovementioned payments to the Tax Authorities. Taxpayers that have collected a reduced rent by at least 40% are entitled to a discount of 20% on 60% of the rent of the months calculated before reduction, on debts payable from 31.07.2020 onwards, with the exception of tax debt installments or partial payment schemes, foreign government debts and debts from the recovery of state aid. (January 2021) The expansion of the VAT reduction to several categories of goods and services in crisis affected sectors until April 2021 and the suspension on cable tv fee with a total cost of 113mn € in 2021. (January 2021) An expansion of the VAT reduction to several categories of goods and services in crisis-affected sectors was approved until April 2021 along with the suspension of the cable TV fee with a total cost of 113 million euros in 2021. The Environment and Energy Minister officially announced a generous increase in support measures for households in the face of skyrocketing electricity prices, with the subsidy more than doubling to 39 euros a month for the months of November and December 2021. For households and businesses using the low-voltage grid, there will be a subsidy of 39 euros a month in November and December, up from 9.0 euros in September and 18 euros in October, for consumption of up to 300 kWh a month. For households qualifying for the Social Residential Tariff, the subsidy will be 45 euros a month from 24 in October. For natural gas consumers, in addition to an increase in the amount allocated to heating benefits (to 170 million euros from 80 million euros) and a 15 percent discount for domestic consumption, there will be a suspension of fees for using the network for November and December.- The subsidy of loans secured against the borrower’s main residence, provided through the Finance Ministry’s “Gefyra 1” program, has been extended by another three months, but reduced to about half of the original amount. The Gefyra 1 program subsidizes nine monthly tranches payable by over 74,000 borrowers hurt by the pandemic. The measure was introduced at end-August 2020 with a deadline for inclusion at end-December 2020. It was supposed to expire by end-September 2021 for everyone, but the measure has now been extended by another three months, to the end of this year.- [March 2020] The government introduced the 'special purpose leave for working parents' in the private and public sector, for their convenience during the shutdown of school units or special Social schools for children with disabilities and the further extraordinary measures linked with the Paid sick leave Insurance pandemic. The measure was adopted through a law within the framework of the labor market extraordinary and temporary measures aimed to address and limit the spread of COVID-19, with regard to the organization and the place of work. [Extension - July 2020] This measure was extended until July 31, 2020. Health insurance Pensions [[March 2020] All unemployment benefit payments will be further extended by 2 months for those whose entitlement expired within the first two months of 2020. This extension was targeted at the regular, self-employed and long-term beneficiaries of the unemployment benefit. The beneficiaries of the regular unemployment benefit will receive up to €798.50 (up to €399.25 monthly), self- employed individuals will receive up to €720 (up to €360 monthly) in total, and the beneficiaries of the long-term unemployment benefit will receive up to €400 (up to €200 monthly) in total. [Extension - November 2020] The Ministry of Labour extended this measure by two months for those whose unemployment benefits expired between September to December 2020. [Extension - February 2021] This program was extended for those beneficiaries whose benefits had expired within the first two months of 2021 and had not benefited from the previous two-month extension. [November 2020] Employees whose contracts were suspended in November 2020 will receive an Unemployment benefits 800-euro stipend in December 2020 based on the number of days suspended. This measure covers all employees who have been hired until November 4, 2020. [Extension - March 2021] The government extended these measures to workers of “special categories”, affected by the coronavirus pandemic. This includes dockers, active members of cooperatives, football and basketball coaches, forest workers -resin collectors, lottery salespersons, and outdoor traders of which the activity was suspended by public order. The allowance is set at 534 euros. [March 2020] The unemployment benefits was extended for two months (April and May) for those whose unemployment card expired during the first three months of the year and were to be employed this tourism season. [April 2021] This policy was included as part of the Stability Program 2021. [November 2020] The social security contribution payment instalments have been suspended for the month of November 2020 for the businesses suspended by the state. [Extension - September 2021] The reduction in social security contributions by 3 percentage points has been extended to 2022. Social security contributions [March 2020] The deadline for the payment of installments related to restructurings which are active and fall due by March 31st 2020 and the deadline for all related subsequent monthly installments has been extended for three months without additional fees and late payment surcharges. (March 2020) Payment of Social Security contributions. The deadline for payment of installments related to restructurings which are active and fall due by 31/3/2020 and the deadline for all related subsequent monthly installments is extended for three (3) months without additional fees and late payment surcharges. Reduction of self-employed individuals and self-employed professionals’ insurance contributions by 25%. This measure applies to self-employed individuals and self-employed professionals provided that they pay their current insurance contributions of February & March on time. The reduction of insurance contributions shall not apply if the option of prolonging the payment of insurance contributions has already been selected. The reduction of social security contributions for private sector employees by 3 percentage points amounting to a cost of 816 mn €. [March 2020] A training voucher of €600 was introduced for specific professionals and a corresponding indemnity of €600 was granted to six scientific fields during April 2020. The program aimed to reach 166,000 scientists from six disciplines: lawyers, doctors, engineers/architects, Activation measures economists/accountants, educators and researchers. (March 2020) Distance learning introduced for public training programs. [March 2020] Businesses that have had to cease their operations due to the pandemic were not allowed to terminate the employment contracts of their employees, who receive a special purpose Labor compensation. Such terminations, starting from March 18th, 2020 were considered void. Markets [March 2020] Employers which have been adversely impacted by the pandemic were entitled to the right to suspend the contracts of the employment of all or a part of their employees. By virtue of a Labor market regulations mutual Decision of the Ministries of Finance and Labour, dated March 28th 2020, the duration of the suspension has to be 45 days and cannot be interrupted nor revoked. The measure can be implemented until the 20th of April 2020 and can be extended by a decision of the Competent Greek Authorities. [March 2020] The employer is obliged to retain the same employees and with the same terms and conditions of their employment contracts, as they were in force on the 21st of March 2020, for 45 days after the conclusion of the measure of suspension. March 2020) Temporary rotational work scheme was introduced (for up to six months – i.e. until September 2020): businesses that have been financially affected may unilaterally designate staff as safety personnel for the operation of their business. Each employee may work for a minimum of 2 weeks within a reference period of 1 month, continuously or intermittently. The measure shall apply to at least 50% of staff. Employer is required to maintain the same headcount at the time of entering such operation. [September 2020] On 15 September 2020, a new law was passed (No. 4722, Part B, art. 15), which provides for the replacement of workers' absence time from work, in cases where quarantine was needed in order to avoid the spread of COVID-19. The new regulation was complementary to the measures taken in March 2020, concerning private sector employees and applied for the period after 1 September 2020. Employers of workers who were requested to stay at home (for either 7 or 14 days) could either ask them to work remotely, or in case this was not feasible, ask them to work for 1 hour per day on top of their contractual working hours on other working days following the end of the restriction period and up to the completion of half the hours corresponding to the working hours the employees were requested to stay at home.- Reduced work time [March 2020] The employers’ right to impose remote working unilaterally was announced. [November 2020] Compulsory teleworking was introduced for 50 percent of employees, when the type of work being carried out allows for it, until 31 December, 2020. [Extension - December 2020] The measure was extended until 31 January, 2021. [Extension - January 2021] The proportion of employees teleworking was increased to 60 percent in areas with a 'very high risk level' and the measure was extended until April 2021. [July 2021] The participation rate for compulsory teleworking was reduced to 20 percent of the total number of employees from June to September 2021. [September 2021] The participation rate for compulsory teleworking was left up to the discretion of the employer. [November 2020] The government announced that employees’ working schedules should be adapted and reformulated to avoid overcrowding in the workplace. [March 2020] A special part time working system was introduced where employees work for 50% of the month. '[June 2020] SYNERGASIA was established to help employers maintain the same headcount of full- time employees. Beneficiaries include full-time employees and all businesses that present at least a 20% reduction in sales, in comparison to the reference month and depending upon the month of Wage subsidies participation to the mechanism. The duration of the measure starts 15 June 2020 to 15 October 2020, and exceptionally until 31 December 2020. [Extension - January 2021] The measure was initally extended until 28 February, 2021. [Extension - July 2021] The measure was subsequenetlyextended from July to September 2021. The total expenditure as of February 2021 amounted to €69,798 million. [October 2020] The government launched a program in September 2020 to create 100,000 new jobs in the private sector by subsidizing the social security contributions for a period of six months. In the case of a long-term unemployed person, the subsidy will include an additional €200. The program came into place on the October 1, 2020 and will remain active until the target number of jobs has been reached. The total budget for this program is €345 million. [April 2020] The government announced that the the employment program for the long-term unemployed aged 55-67 would be expanded with an increase to 8,500 jobs. The beneficiaries were also expanded to include all legal entities under Public Law and all first and second degree Local Government Organizations, which do not carry out economic activity. The subsidy was increased from 50% to 75% of the monthly remuneration and non-salary costs along with an increase in the ceiling from € 600 to € 750 per month. This program was set to last 12 months with the possibility of an additional 12 months upon the request of the beneficiary. (back to the top) Greenland Cash-based transfers Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) Social pensions Social Assistance In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding Public works Utility waivers Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor Markets Reduced work time [March 2020] To prevent the dismissal of workers, the government allocated DKK$107 M to Wage subsidies compensate private firms for wage costs. [Extension - October 2020] The wage compensation scheme was extended till 30th November 2020. (back to the top) Grenada Cash-based transfers The SEED CCT adjusted payment delivery, including initiating payment delivery to beneficiaries aged 60 and over at their homes in March 2020 and introducing additional payment points for all beneficiaries in each Parish (district) in April 2020. The government of Grenada has approved a temporary income support program for the self- employed workers in the tourism-related sector (including transportation) such as taxi and bus drivers, tourist vendors, and tour guides, among others. The benefit amount of this program ranges from EC$300 to EC$800 per month for three months, requested through a one-time application, reducing administrative cost for both applicants and the government. The applicant requirements Cash transfers included registration with NIS and the Grenada Tourism Authority (where applicable). The benefit (conditional and unconditional) amount was determined by the Ministry of Finance based on previous income records of workers in specific occupations to partially compensate the loss of income. This benefit amount was fixed across eligible occupations. The total resources executed for the payroll support and the income support program are EC$20 million, approximately 0.6 percent of GDP. This program has reached at least 1,800 workers. Social Assistance Government to provide support to single headed households whose breadwinner is unemployed as a result of the pandemic. Social pensions In-kind transfers Delivery of care packages of basic food items to affected and vulnerable persons and households in different constituencies. The support is managed by the Prime Minister’s Office through Constituency Offices. Some care packages have also been made available due to private sector donations. Food, vouchers, others Government also continues to bear the cost of sanitization of buses and the provision of hand sanitization fluid in excess of $50,000 per month. Initiatives to facilitate remote teaching including: o Distribution of E-devices to secondary school students and teachers concluded (October 2020) o Primary school teachers begin receiving laptops (December 2020). School feeding The government approved the establishment of the Community Economic Infrastructure Program 2020-2022 and intends to accelerate its implementation. On April 27, 2020, the Cabinet approved the establishment of the Community Economic Infrastructure Program 2020-2022 with the objective to support public infrastructure, mostly small-scale infrastructure; support livelihoods through labor-intensive public works; and, involve local communities while incentivizing economic Public works activity for an inclusive recovery. The hiring guidelines for staff working in projects include hiring workers from the community where the work is taking place and that at least 10 percent of the workers must be women, contributing to closing the gender gap in a male-dominated sector. This program will generate at least 300 direct jobs, with many more jobs generated indirectly during the project execution and after the completion of the small-scale infrastructure projects. Backyard Gardening Program. This program will provide a unique opportunity for over five hundred (500) vulnerable households, along with local institutions that have limited and or irregular access to healthy and nutritious foods. Through this program, the target beneficiaries will receive material support such as seeds and other planting material, small garden tools and labor support. Backyard Gardening Program will also provide drums and tires to beneficiaries who lack sufficient land space around their house. Utility waivers The government committed to reduce the cost of electricity by 30 percent for the months of March, April and May in the first instance, to all consumers. This will not apply to a few companies that have special concessionary arrangements. Certain cleaning items are placed on the Price Control List to prevent price gouging. The Covid-19 National Food Security Mitigation and Response Plan will provide relief through the provision of agriculture inputs for small-scale and backyard farmers. Paid sick leave Health insurance Pensions [March 2020] The National Insurance Board (NIB) in Grenada allocated EC$10 million for workers who have lost income because of measures taken by the government to reduce the spread of Social COVID-19. There was to be no distinction between higher- and lower-income workers and the Insurance support was not based on income. Eligible persons must have been contributing to the NIS and must Unemployment benefits have been unemployed as a direct consequence of COVID-19. Persons who were receiving income support or payroll support from the government of Grenada were not eligible. Qualified persons were to receive a flat monthly payment of EC$330 per month over a period of six months and payments were to commence during the last week of May 2020. The program was expected to benefit at least 4,000 workers. [January 2021] The program was extended from October 2020 until January 2021. [March 2020] Prior to the pandemic, a two-percentage-point increase in the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) contribution rate paid by employers and employees was expected to come into force in January 2020 to support the long-term sustainability of the NIS. Given the unprecedented impacts from the COVID-19 crisis and liquidity constraint of employers and employees, the Social security contributions government approved the temporary suspension of this increase from April to July 2020. This measure is estimated to have a cost of EC$4.5 million (US$1.7 million, nearly 0.15 percent of GDP). The temporary suspension of the NIS contribution increase will benefit at least 2,500 employers and 34,000 employees. [July 2020] The suspension was not extended Activation measures [December 2020] The government issued guidelines for dealing with suspected COVID-19 cases at work. Labor market regulations [May 2020] Activity in the construction sector resumed with guidelines and requirements for contractors and construction companies. These include the provision of handwashing stations on site, safety kits for each worker, site cleaning to a set standard at the end of each day, and daily disposal of waste and PPE. Reduced work time [March 2020] To help businesses survive and retain workers while ensuring business continuity in Labor the key economic sectors in Grenada, the government has established a temporary payroll support Markets program targeting tourism-related businesses such as hoteliers, restaurants, bars, and travel agents, among others. The payroll support program covers 40 percent of the monthly payroll of businesses that meet the eligibility criteria in this sector. The main eligibility requirements include, among others, that businesses must be registered with the Inland Revenue Division (IRD) and the NIS; have Wage subsidies been in operation prior to March 2020 and it is only applicable for workers who were on the payroll in February 2020 or before. Businesses had to apply each month for up to four months, from April to July 2020. Grants were disbursed to businesses on a monthly basis. To increase the likelihood of workers and jobs retention, employee verification forms were required with the applications, starting with the second monthly application. Management and high-level jobs were excluded from this intervention. The payroll support program was planned to have benefited at least 140 businesses and 3,100 workers. (back to the top) Guam Cash-based transfers On March 27, 2020, Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act became law. The one-time stimulus rebate (Economic Impact Payment -1) provides individuals payment of $1,200, joint filers of $2,400, and people below 16 years receive $500 per qualifying dependent. On December 22, 2020, Congress approved a relief package which expanded EIP payments issued in 2020 as part of the CARES Act. If you’re a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien, you may be eligible for $600 ($1,200 for a joint return), plus $600 for each qualifying child. A third round of the Economic Impact Payments (EIP) was approved under the American Rescue Plan of 2021, which was approved into law on March 11, 2021. Under the Act, the EIP will provide payments up to $1,400 for individuals or $2,800 for married couples, plus an additional $1,400 for each dependent. Unlike the prior rounds of EIP, families will get a payment for all their dependents claimed on a tax return, not just their qualifying children under 17. The IRS has issued more than 169 million payments in the third round of direct stimulus aid, with more than 2 million people in July 2021. The IRS and U.S. Treasury approved $134.8 million and $241 million for Guam’s EIP 1 and EIP 3 Program respectively. Social Cash transfers Assistance (conditional and unconditional) On 6 May 2020, the Disaster relief program (called Prugråman Salåppe’ Ayudon I Taotao) was reported to provide cash assistance of $300 to $1,200 to about 18,000 Guam households (or 55,000 people). The direct disaster aid program uses $20 million from the federal government under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. Households need to meet the following requirements: (i) household that makes equal to or below 165% of the federal poverty level will get the assistance. (ii) Recipients must be 18 years or older and must have been residents of Guam for at least six months. (iii) Must provide valid identification documents: driver’s License, or Guam identification card or passport On April 16, 2021, it is reported that the US government began providing financial assistance for funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020 for deaths related to COVID-19. This involves a one-off cash transfer of $9,000. The measure began in early April 2021. On December 17, 2020, through Bill 340-35, the Guam’s government provides a one-time payment of $800 to qualified individuals for COVID-19 relief, aiming to help up to 30,000 needy families Social pensions In-kind transfers On December 27, 2020, the government of the US has increased SNAP by 15 percent starting from January 1, 2021, until the end of June 30, 2021. On March 11, 2021, it is reported that the USDA announced the extension of the 15% increase in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits, also known as food stamps, as families continue to struggle as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. For Guam, the increased benefits for another three months mean $5 million more invested in food security, involving 43,000 beneficiaries until the end of September 2021. This is an increase of $36 per person per month. Food, vouchers, others On 30 March 2020, the USDA approved the issue of Guam’s Emergency Allotment (EA) to ongoing SNAP households for March and April 2020, increasing their current monthly allotment up to the maximum monthly allotment for a household of that size. Ongoing SNAP households that already receive the maximum monthly allotment for their household size are not eligible for EA. All EA will be delivered on ongoing SNAP households’ EBT cards. This policy has been extended every month since April 2020, and the latest extension was approved on 17 September 2021 with 11,799 households eligible for the EA and $2,559,151 of EA allotted for the month With schools closed, the Guam Department of Education arranged with federal agencies to provide free lunches (take home style – Grab ‘n’ Go) for children starting on Monday, March 23, 2020, although meals were not served during weekends and holidays. According to the press, as of February 19th, 2021, there were 6,857,730 meals distributed. Apart from that on 8th October 2020, the Guam Department of Education (GDOE) announced that School Meal Distribution will take place every Friday 9AM-12PM at all GDOE schools and it is open to all children 0-18 years old. Children do not need to attend GDOE schools to participate (this is an example of horizontal expansion in school feeding). Again, on August 30, 2021, GDOE announced that meal distribution will begin from School feeding September 7, 2021. These school meals will be provided for free to children aged 18 and below, both to public and private school students. The content of the bags will include one breakfast and one lunch meal. The limit is five bags per vehicle. Distribution of Grab n Go is on a “first come, first served” basis. The GNG distribution will take place Monday through Friday from 11:00 am to 1:00 p.m. On 6 July 2021, the government approved the Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transaction (P-EBT). The Guam Department of Education (GDOE) will identify eligible children for P-EBT benefits who are directly certified from SNAP Households (HHs) based on free or reduced price meal applications from school districts through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and if the School District was closed or has reduced the number of days or hours that students attend the school for at least 5 consecutive days, utilizing the most current available data for School Year 2020-2021 (August 2020 through May 2021). If additional funding for P-EBT become available or may be extended to the summer or the next school year, Guam will modify the date range covered by the current plan and inform USDA of any significant increases or decreases in these data points based on requirements. The estimated total number of children which the Guam Department of Education directly certified from SNAP Households and based on free and reduced applications from non- SNAP households for issuance of P-EBT benefits is estimated at 27,942. Estimated total expenditure (total issuance + administrative costs) is 37,180,858.72. The first issuance ($422.41) will be for August 2020, September 2020 and October 2020 and it will occur on or around August 20, 2021. The second issuance ($310.83) will be for November 2020, December 2020 and January 2021 and it will occur on or around August 31, 2021. The third issuance ($294.89) will be for February and March 2021 and it will occur on or around September 18, 2021.The final issuance ($215.19) of SY20- 21 will be for April and May 2021 and it will occur on September 30, 2021. The USDA announced the extension of the 15% increase in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits, also known as food stamps, as families continue to struggle as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. For Guam, the increased benefits for another three months means $5 million more invested in food security, involving 43,000 beneficiaries. On March 22, 2020, the Guam Department of Labor had applied for the Disaster Displacement worker grant (DWG) from the US government. The initial approved amount is $1,500,000 for the duration of April 10, 2020 until March 31, 2022 with 210 planned participants. The proposed DWG will allow disaster-relief employment of eligible individuals to fill humanitarians position such as assisting first line responders at quarantine sites and airports, serving meals to school children and senior citizens, and as clean-up positions to sanitize schools, senior centers, and quarantine sites. Public works Workers laid-off due to quarantine orders or business closures related to disruptions caused by the outbreak are eligible participants. It also includes workers who are unable to go to their regular workplace due to social distancing requirements, as well as those missing work to care for a family member. On 25 February, 2021, the US government has announced additional funding of $1,767,172 to Guam to continue disaster-relief employment in positions addressing pandemic clean-up and humanitarian activities which is expected to employ 100 additional temporary pandemic jobs. On March 29, 2020, the Guam government declared that there would not be evictions or foreclosure actions or proceedings involving real estate or property, whether rental or otherwise until the public Utility waivers health emergency is over. Many financial institutions have already notified their customers that they are granting borrowers as much as three months in deferred payments. The executive order extends that relief to renters. On 6 June 2020, this measure was extended until June 30th, 2020. On March 29, 2020, it is reported that the Guam governor’s executive order reiterates that price gouging is in effect until the public health emergency is lifted. The price cap includes services, dwelling rentals and personal protective equipment, and other items that are either in short supply or could be in short supply because of the ongoing crisis. On March 27, 2020, as part of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, federal student loan borrowers are automatically placed in an administrative forbearance from March 13, 2020, to September 30, 2020. The pause includes the following relief measures for eligible loans: (i) a suspension of loan payment; (ii) a 0% interest rate; (iii) stopped collections on defaulted loans. After further extensions, on August 6, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education announced (applicable for Guam) a final extension of the student loan payment pause until January 31, 2022. On 22 September 2021, it was reported that the Guam Department of Revenue and Taxation has processed the first of five instalments for the Advance Child Tax Credit for Guam residents. A total of 15,556 payments totaling $8,499,895 million were processed on Monday (20 September 2021). The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 authorized the Advance Child Tax Credit. It includes the following: · The maximum Child Tax Credit increased to $3,600 for children under the age of 6 and to $3,000 per child for children between ages 6 and 17 (applicable even for people who turn 17 in 2021). · Taxpayers may receive part of their credit in calendar year 2021 before filing their 2021 Guam income tax return. Guam DRT will be processing payments for the Advance Child Tax Credit for Guam residents in 5 instalments as follows: September 20, 2021, September 30, 2021, October 15, 2021, November 15, 2021, and December 15, 2021. Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Insurance Pensions [March 2020] In an effort to help workers, many of whom have lost their jobs or are seeing smaller Unemployment benefits paychecks and to keep the nation’s economy from tanking in light of the COVID-19 crisis, the government planned to provide unemployment insurance benefits of $930 a week for those who lost their job or were furloughed. [April 2020] The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program was created to provide temporary benefits to individuals whose employment or self-employment has been lost or interrupted because of reasons directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Such individuals will receive up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits. The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program expanded the unemployment insurance eligibility to Guam workers who have suffered from reduced working hours and was established as a 39-week program for those who lost work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The eligibility window stretches from February to Dec. 31, 2020. Guam’s PUA Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA) is $345 per week and employees who have been laid off or furloughed due to COVID-19 qualify for the full amount. Employees still working but making less than $345 a week qualify for PUA minus their wages and those making $345 or more do not qualify. [Extension: December 2020] The second COVID relief package extends the benefit cap from 39 weeks to 50 weeks and the PUA program from December 27, 2020, through April 5, 2021. Claimants from the first COVID relief program who maxed out their benefit can now qualify for another 11 weeks starting December 27, 2020 if their employment and income continues to be affected as a direct result of COVID-19. [November 2020] The Lost Wages Association (LWA) Program, the replacement of the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program (FPUC), provides eligible claimants a supplemental payment of $300 per week, for up to six weeks, in addition to their weekly unemployment benefit amount. To date, the Guam Department of Labor has issued nearly $35 million as part of the LWA Program. It was approved a waiver of the 25% matching fund requirement to be eligible for the program. Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Guatemala Cash-based transfers The government of Guatemala (GoG) introduced an emergency cash transfer “Bono Familia” to reach 2.7 million households (80% of the population) for 3 months (1000 quetzals or USD 130 per month/beneficiary). Targeting is based on electricity consumption (<200whz) for areas with electricity (90% of beneficiaries). In areas with limited access to electricity, targeting is based on socio-economic characteristics (10% of beneficiaries). The initial plan was to allocate 3 payments of Q 1000 but given the increment in the number of beneficiaries they did two payments of Q 1000 and one payment of Q 250. Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) The GoG is removing the conditionality of the existing Bono Social cash transfer and facilitate how it disburses payment to beneficiaries. The Risk Cash Bonus grants a cash bonus to health personnel exposed to COVID-19. The bonus was created for the protection of professionals’ health who are providing their service during the pandemic to safeguard citizens. Social The GoG and the Ministry of Labor, who is the implementing agency, announced an expansion of the Assistance Social pensions non-contributory program “Adulto Mayor” (estimated expenditure of 100 million quetzals or USD 13 million). In-kind transfers The GoG is issuing food transfers and vouchers for food, medicine, and inputs to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The program targets vulnerable families, including the elderly and those in nursery Food, vouchers, others homes. The program is jointly implemented by the Ministry of Social Development and Ministry of Agriculture (estimated expenditure of 700 million quetzals or USD 91 million). To ensure that primary and pre-primary students continue to enjoy school meals during school suspension, the GoG shared resources transferred to the parents of parent organizations (OPF) to School feeding buy non-perishable foods. Targeted to reach 2.4 million children to receive food even if not attending school. The GoG allocated QTQ $ 589.9 million. The value of the food delivered is approximately QTQ 60 per student. Public works The National Electricity Institute (INDE) will continue to provide "social tariffs" to subsidize the cost Utility waivers of electricity for low-income households. Social tariffs of 0.4 to 0.7 quetzals per kw will be provided to families in need. The tax authorities in Guatemala issued guidance extending the deadline for filing certain tax returns in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The income tax return for 2019 and the monthly value added tax (VAT) return corresponding to February 2020 are now due 15 April 2020. The deadline for returns corresponding to income tax withholdings is April 28th, 2020 and for VAT withholdings is May 5th, 2020. Paid sick leave Health insurance Pensions One-time benefit for state retirees and pensioners. Unemployment benefits Social [March 2020] On March 21, the Guatemalan Social Security Institute (IGSS) authorized deferred Insurance payment of employer fees for March, April and May 2020. This benefit is granted exclusively to the private sector and employers will not have surcharges for arrears, interest or administrative Social security contributions expenses as provided that the provisions of the agreement are met. [Extended - June 2020] On July 24, and by agreement of the Board of Directors 1481, employers may defer the employer fees corresponding to June, July and August 2020, and may choose to pay them in four for up to 15 months Activation measures [March 2020] On March 16, the Presidency of the Republic issued a decree to enact the application of the safety and hygiene protocol for essential activities. In order to prevent the spread of COVID- 19, public and private institutions that will continue operating must follow the government's Labor market regulations instructions through official communication platforms. [March 2020] On March 16, the Presidency of the Republic issued a decree suspending in-person Labor Reduced work time work for the government sector with some exceptions. It also called for the public and private Markets sectors to allow and promote telework. [April 2020] On April 8, the government issued Decree 12-2020 which provides a wage subsidy of GTQ 75/day to formal workers in the private sector whose contracts have been suspended. Applicants must be receive approval from the Ministry of Labor. Program expenditure is estimated at GTQ 2 billion (USD 260 million). As of October 1, the government no longer continued to provide Wage subsidies the benefit to workers who were suspended when the State of Calamity ceased to be in force. [Extended - December 2020] On December 18, the government issued Decree 35-2020 which orders a single payment to private sector employees who were suspended as of September 30. (back to the top) Guernsey (UK) Cash-based transfers On 26 March 2020, the States of Guernsey has set up a hardship fund to provide emergency financial help for people who may not otherwise qualify for unemployment benefit, sickness benefit or income support. There are no contribution conditions for the hardship fund. Hardship allowance is targeted at people whose income has been severely reduced because of COVID- 19 but do not qualify for sickness benefit, unemployment benefit or income support. Payments are for essential items such as food, toiletries, cleaning products, etc. The hardship fund does not cover rent or mortgage interest payments. The weekly rate payable is: - £100 for the first adult in the household - £80 for the second adult in the household - £55 per child in the household Cash transfers On 26th January 2021, as there will be individuals and families who are struggling financially but may (conditional and unconditional) not be eligible for standard benefit support, and so government a £250,000 Hardship Fund is being re-established by the government. Social Assistance On 26 March 2020, the government implemented the Income support program, which is a weekly cash benefit for people with low incomes as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a means- tested benefit which brings a person's income up to the minimum amount needed to live on. The benefit amount is calculated as the difference between people's current income and this minimum amount to live. Only those with valid residency certificate or permit are eligible for this payment. There is a limit to the weekly amount of benefit that can be awarded. The limit is reviewed annually and is currently £850.00 per week. Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding Public works Utility waivers The government pays a sickness benefit of up to £168 /week to workers who are unable to work Paid sick leave due to illness. To be beneficiary, people must have paid at least 26 social insurance contributions, as an employed or self-employed person, at any time in the worker's working life; and must have paid or had credited at least 26 contributions, as an employed or self-employed person, during 2019 (for claims beyond 30 June, this switches to 2020). Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance [March 2020] The government pays an unemployment benefit of up to £168/week to unemployed people who are looking for work with an employer. To be beneficiary, people must have paid at least Unemployment benefits 26 social insurance contributions; and must have paid or had credited at least 26 contributions as an employed person during 2019. Social security contributions [April 2020] The Career Advantage Program is a joint offer from the Job Centre and the College of Further Education and seeks to: - Support people to clearly recognize their current knowledge and skills in order to create a portfolio of evidence that could be used to either: gain a recognized qualification and/or offer them coaching and CV update skills. - Identify skills gaps for further development, such as math and English. Activation measures - Explore future progression or retraining opportunities. - Support job application processes, e.g. develop CVs, letters of application and interview skills. This program was offered virtually, working with staff from the Job Centre and College of Further Education lecturers while the college is closed. Its aim is to give those currently out of work due to the COVID 19 pandemic the best chance to regain employment either during this ongoing crisis or later. Labor Labor market regulations Markets Reduced work time [March 2020] The government launched the Coronavirus Payroll Co-Funding Scheme which aims to pay employees an amount equivalent to Guernsey’s minimum wage. The government funds 80% of employee wages, based on the minimum wage of £8.50 per hour which equates to a gross payment of £238 for a standard 35-hour week. Employers must make up the remaining 20% (equivalent to £60 per week). Employers are encouraged to ‘top-up’ these amounts further if they can do so. The Wage subsidies support is available for an initial period of up to three months (13 weeks). Initially, this measure was in place for three months. The measure planned to reach 1,700 businesses with total employees of 10,500. [Extension - May 2021] After extending the program several times, the government announced the end of this measure by late September 2021. According to a government's report, as of May 2020 this program involved a total budget of £36M. (back to the top) Guinea Cash-based transfers (April 2020) The Agence Nationale d’Inclusion Economique et Sociale (ANIES) introduced a new cash transfers program of 250,000 GNF per month intended for 240,000 households (1.6 million people) in various parts of Guinea including Conakry.The transfers have been piloted in the capitol of Conakry to date and are planned to roll out to the interior of the country in coming months. The Cash transfers program has reached 20,000 households, or 130,000 individuals, with monthly transfers of 250,000 (conditional and unconditional) GNF. The World Bank has decided to increase its funding to 120 million US dollars (USD) as part of the strengthening of the activities of the National Agency for Economic and Social Inclusion (ANIES) (50 million USD on top of previous 70 million USD commitment). Social pensions In-kind transfers The country new Social Protection agency, the Agence Nationale d’Inclusion Economique et Sociale Social (ANIES) will distribute sanitation kits to 130,900 households (more than 850,000 people) in 102 Assistance Food, vouchers, others sub-prefectures (1,920 districts) and the special zone of Conakry. This phase will take place from April 2020. School feeding The COVID-19 economic response plan announced on April 6, 2020 includes the implementation of labor-intensive public works. ANIES will deploy high-intensity labor-intensive activities (HIMO) in Conakry and, where applicable, the construction of boreholes to promote access to drinking water in Public works the rural. In Conakry, the aim will be to contribute to the sanitation of the city by employing young people and women, on remunerated conditions, for cleaning the roads, cleaning the gutters, etc. This phase will be initiated from May 2020 and will be continued throughout the period of crisis management, and at the latest until December 2020. The State will cover the bills of subscribers to the social electricity tariff for three months from this month of April, at a cost of 456 billion Guinean francs. Utility waivers The State will also cover the bills of subscribers to the social water tariff for three months from this month of April, at a cost of 24 billion Guinean francs. Payment deadlines for water and electricity bills for all other non-commercial subscribers will be delayed by three months starting April 2020. The prices of health products (I.e. pharmaceuticals and health equipment) and basic necessities are frozen during the period of the pandemic. Rents on public and private buildings are blocked from April to December 2020. Public transport by bus is made free for three months from April 2020, which represents a state effort of 6 billion Guinean francs. Public transport by rail (Conakry Express) is also made free for three months from April 2020, at a cost for the State of 2 billion Guinean francs. Suspending the non-performing loan (NPL) classification for businesses and individuals impacted by the pandemic and the provisioning of such loans Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits the postponement (for three months) since April 2020 of all social charges for companies in the Social security contributions tourism and hotel sector. The Project Boosting Skills for Youth Employability (BoCEJ) will support higher and technical education institutions in distance training. Activation measures [January 2021] The Project to Strengthen the Competitiveness of Micro, Small and Medium Labor Enterprises and Access to Finance in Guinea (PRECOP) has launched a series of training courses for Markets 150 SMEs to strenghten their capacity and improve their competitiveness in the local market. Labor market regulations Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Guinea-Bissau Cash-based transfers Cash transfer program has been implemented for the most vulnerable households affected by COVID-19 in 8 sectors (Sao . Domingos, Bigene, Bula, Canchungo, Mansaba, Bissora, Quinhamel and Sonaco) plus 4 districts of the Capital (Antula, Bandim Cumtum Madina and Bairro Militar). The Cash transfers program is expected to reach 11,000 individuals with multiple vulnerabilities among which include (conditional and unconditional) female headed households with children, the elderly, those suffering from chronic illneses or malnutrition, and the unemployed. Each family will receive a transfer of 40,000 CFA (around 60 euros) during three months. The program will cover the regions in the country with the highest prevalence of food insecurity. Social pensions In-kind transfers 20,000 bags of rice and 10,000 bags of sugar were distributed across the country, costing CFAF 525 million (US$ 0.9 million or 0.06 percent of GDP) Social To mitigate the immediate impact of the pandemic the government made emergency and support Assistance Food, vouchers, others allocations (in 2020) of: (i) CFAF 4.7 billion (0.6 percent of GDP) to provide medicine, food, and medical equipment School feeding The Guinea Bissau Emergency Food Security Project will boost farmer livelihoods in light of the economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The project will ensure household food security Public works for sections of the communities affected by job losses by mitigating the expected shortfalls in their incomes through support for public, community-level works. To promote the use of electronic payment tools the Western Africa Central Bank (BCEAO) is providing more flexible measures to open a mobile money and making transfers between people backed by the electronic money free. Utility waivers The government has provided direct support to the agricultural campaign for CFAF 790 million The Guinea Bissau Emergency Food Security Project will boost farmer livelihoods in light of the economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One component of this project will support an accelerated supply response focused on preserving/restoring the productive capacity of 50,000 eligible farming households to enable them to effectively engage in continued and expanded production of key staple foods in the short - to medium - term (6-24 months). The project will finance the procurement and distribution of improved seeds and planting materials, with a focus on key food crops and vegetables. Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures The government has provided direct support to the agricultural campaign for CFAF 790 million Labor market regulations Labor Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Guyana Cash-based transfers Restoring and increasing the school cash grant to $15,000. Effective from the 1st of January 2021, a $15,000 cash grant for school children will be introduced. This is an increase to the $10,000 “Because We Care Cash Grant” that started under the PPP/C Administration in 2014 but was later discontinued by the APNU+AFC in 2015 COVID-19 relief fund of G$25,000 (US$120) to each household affected by COVID-19 (universal one-off). The government has launched a childcare subsidy for essential workers. Frontline workers who are Cash transfers providing an essential service or key public services during the COVID-19 pandemic can apply. (conditional and unconditional) GYD 150 million (USD 717,000) allocated to support frontline workers two-week tax-free bonus to the Joint Service workers. Social Assistance The government announced the disbursement of a one-off cash grant of $25,000 each to workers of the entire Public Sector, including those who are currently employed at GuySuco. The grant, valued over GYD 2 billion, would benefit more than 60,000 people. The Administration also announced it would be doubling the allowance for uniforms. This means that the uniform voucher allowance will be $4000 per child in the public school system. Advance payment of old-age pension Safeguard and ensure that people older adults can collect their Social pensions payments pension during the pandemic of COVID-19. In-kind transfers The assistance programs include vouchers and packaged hampers for the coastland and the hinterland respectively. Food, vouchers, others Civil Defense Commission extending food relief to a formalized COVID-19 Pandemic Assistance Voucher Program at an estimated value of between GYD 25,000 and 32,000 (USD 120 – 153) per voucher per month. The initiative focuses on homes where one or more individuals have experienced a loss in earnings because of the COVID pandemic, single-parent homes, elderly persons and persons living with disabilities. School feeding Public works Suspending water and electricity utilities for three months (from April 1, 2020, to September 30, 2020). Removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on all medical supplies. Removal of VAT on electricity and water consumption for households and businesses effective October 1, 2020. Utility waivers Mortgage Interest Relief on housing loans of up to GYD 30 million (USD 143,540) for homeowners occupying these properties REAP [Rural Entrepreneurial Agricultural Project] Kitchen Garden Initiative – relief effort whereby applicants benefit from vouchers for kitchen garden tools, seeds, irrigation and other start up materials to start their own kitchen gardens boosting both individual and collective food supplies in Guyana. Paid sick leave Health insurance Increase in Old Age Pension from $20,500 to $25,000, with effect from 1 January 2021. This will Pensions benefit over 60,000 persons and put an additional $4 billion of disposable income in their hands. Unemployment benefits Social [May 2020] The National Insurance Scheme has introduced an amnesty on the payment of Insurance contributions owing at January 15, 2020 to May 15, 2020 due to the COVID 19 pandemic. The new deadline for payment of the contribution without interest is June 30, 2020. Employers and self- Social security contributions employed persons who have existing agreement to pay outstanding contributions with the National Insurance Scheme’s Debt Recovery Unit are not entitled to the waiver of interest. [Extension- August 2020] The deadline for payment of the contribution without interest is extended to September 30, 2020, [September 2020] To ensure the development of an instrument that can be used to determine the Labor online and ICT training needs of TVET educators, enhance the quality of the teaching and learning Activation measures Markets process to integrate online platforms to deliver the curriculum, and to establish an online platform for educators to communicate, share best practices and develop teaching and learning materials, the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) unit of the Ministry of Education launched an online training program today for TVET instructors and lecturers. Labor market regulations Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Haiti Cash-based transfers The government announced a one-off cash transfer of 3,000 Haitian Gourdes (around 39 USD) to 1.5 million vulnerable families. As of January 2021, 319,959 individuals received the transfer.. Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) CERC to finance emergency CT in (peri-)urban areas. The contract with the WFP has been signed and the first tranche of cash-transfers and hand-washing stations are expected to be delivered in December 2020. Social pensions In-kind transfers Social The GoH announced in-kind transfers to 1 million families on March 27th, 2020. Assistance The government establishes measures to guarantee food security and among them it opts for a short cycle crop by prioritizing the planting of tubers and cereals, prioritizing plant production and Food, vouchers, others fishing, among others. Food safety measures: the Minister finally pointed out that in the Artibonite valley, out of the 8,000 hectares of unplanted arable land, 3,000 hectares will be used to produce more food supplies. School feeding Public works Utility waivers Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor Labor market regulations Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies for 60,000 workers were announced for the textile industry as well as compensation for 100,000 teachers. During the month of April 2020, the Economic Assistance Fund (FAES), which is the Governmental entity tasked to deploy assistance programs, implemented a temporary wage subsidy program with public funding to support incomes and ensure minimum consumption levels for the formal workers in the textile sector during the closure of the factories. Wage subsidies The intervention disbursed an amount equivalent to US$ 2,000,000. These public funds were directed to the 43 textile companies of the Association of Industries of Haiti (ADIH) to subsidize 50% of the daily minimum wage for the closure period of 15 business days; 30 of the companies were responsible for distributing the subsidies to workers in the sector and FAES is in the process of collecting the reports of the payments to the workers. The intervention was aimed at supporting income and did not include any specific measures regarding employment protection in the sector. (back to the top) Honduras Cash-based transfers The Government of Honduras (GoH) is implementing an emergency cash transfer program focused on self-employed and informal workers receiving government support under the Covid-19 crisis. The program will benefit around 500,000 people, who are all new beneficiaries. (May 2020): A cash transfer was made available for those needing to repatriate bodies of those that died due to COVID. In response to COVID-19, the GoH introduced vertical and horizontal expansion of Honduras Social Cash transfers Protection Integration Project. A vertical one-time top-up to increase the benefit size and (conditional and unconditional) committed to maintain the coverage of the CCT BVM (Grants for a Better Life, Bono Vida Mejor in Spanish) Program in urban areas in 64 targeted municipalities. The increased CCT benefits were provided to 31,091 urban beneficiary households in municipalities with compounded effects of the tropical cyclones and COVID-19 (out of the 45,820 beneficiary households). The GoH also paid these top-up transfers in rural areas covering 151,106 households out of the 289,651 beneficiary households. In May 2021, 110,000 rural households were added to the Honduras Social Protection Social Integration Project with the approval of the Additional Financing in the 64 originally targeted Assistance municipalities. Social pensions In-kind transfers (March 2020): The GoH launched Honduras Solidaria, a state-run program aimed at giving 800,000 Food, vouchers, others families food commodities and hygiene products every two weeks for 30 days. Packages of food are home delivered with support of teachers and local school feeding focal points. Collaboration between World Food Program (WFP) and UNICEF, in support of the Honduran Government, and safety protocols have been developed for teachers, together with school feeding committees, to prepare food rations that had been left unprepared when the schools shut. Consequently, one adult per family can go to a school to withdraw a ration of food, consisting of rice, School feeding beans, oil and cornmeal. Security protocols developed by WFP and UNICEF also allow for the delivery of take-home rations. Teachers decided to go for the door-to-door delivery to avoid crowds in schools, and it was also an opportunity to see how the children and their families were doing. In delivering food, the teachers take the opportunity to train families on how to keep the coronavirus at bay. The rations were delivered to parents in the warehouses, mainly, and in some cases in schools. Due to the lack of funding for the program, the strategy was to use the remaining funds of 2019 to give as much assistance as possible. The delivery of rations for the first time was made to all the children in the program (1.25 million) in March 2020, with rations for 45 days. Then in May a second delivery was made for 43 days in vulnerable areas of the country (380,000 students). Finally, there was a third delivery in August for 39,000 students from vulnerable areas, with food donated by private companies (without state resources). The program developed protocols and measures of biosecurity for delivery. Protocols were developed for the delivery of both dry and fresh rations, although in the end only the former were distributed, mainly due to mobility restrictions in the different regions. Public works (April 2020): An extension was granted to those categorized as small and medium taxpayers and to individuals and independent professionals for the delivery and payment of the Income Tax, Solidarity Contribution and Net Assets Tax Return; as well as the delivery and payment of the declarations of the Contribution of the Social Sector of the Economy; Specific Single Income Tax on Lease or Rental of Homes or Apartment Buildings; Special Contribution on Operating Surpluses obtained by Private Universities, Schools and Institutes of Preschool, Primary and Middle Education; and, to the Social Contribution of the Cooperative Sector. This applied to fiscal period 2019, with all formal and material obligations to be fulfilled no later than June 30th, 2020. (March 2020): The National Banking and Insurance Commission (CNBS) issued a resolution on measures to mitigate the economic and financial impact of the COVID-19 emergency. The measures include granting grace periods to debtors who are affected (natural and legal persons in the services, tourism, transportation, and housing sectors) by the reduction of cash flows until June 30, 2020. New payment plans can be given until September 2020, no changes in lending risk categories can be Utility waivers given until October 2020. (April 2020): The GoH established a maximum sale price to the final consumer on mask, antibacterial gel, and 95% alcohol products. This applies everywhere in the national territory. (April 2020): The National Telecommunications Commission (CONATEL) confirms a moratorium on suspensions for fixed and mobile telephones, mobile and residential internet services in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONATEL will allow users more flexible payment options through all self-management platforms, guaranteeing the continuity of services without interruption. Likewise, CONATEL will establish various measures to ensure to any of their subscribers (Natural Persons, SMEs and MYPMES) facing financial difficulty to pay for their telephone and internet service, receive a free basic package to be always connected, as well as access to the web portals established by the GoH. Paid sick leave The GoH issued a decree guaranteeing workers the right to health care benefits through the Honduran Social Security Institute (IHSS) even when contributions are suspended due to the suspension of work. Health insurance A fund to finance the "Plan para la Promoción Solidaria y del Auxilio Recíproco" (PLAN PRO- SOLIDAR) was established to increase the social protection coverage through the improvement of the Comprehensive Public Network of Health Services (RIPSS). This fund will provide access to essential services and social transfers with an emphasis on people in vulnerable conditions. Pensions Unemployment benefits [April 2020] The Private Contribution Scheme (RAP) will grant its affiliates an advance on the balance they have in their Individual Capitalization Account derived from the Social Welfare Insurance Scheme and the Coverage Insurance Regime Labor, as well as any other individual account that is accredited in the name of the affiliate and that is being administered by the RAP, taking into consideration the balance that each affiliate had in their individual account. The advance will be divided into 3 successive monthly payments of equal value, up to 9,000 Lempiras (L.9,000.00) to be Social disbursed over three months. The advance must be granted as long as the concerned company Insurance certifies that it has been adversely affected by the pandemic. [April 2020] The GoH issued a temporary suspension on the provisions related to financing through contributions and mandatory worker-employer contributions derived from the Social Security Insurance Scheme (Complementary Pillar of Individual Accounts) and the Labor Coverage Insurance Social security contributions Scheme; for a period of three (3) months starting March 2020. [Extension - July 2020] It was extended for 6 months by Decree 83 on 16th July, 2020. [April 2020] The Private Contribution Scheme (RAP) issued a temporary halt on the collection of worker-employer contributions and contributions to RAP for a period of up to 3 months from March 2020. This includes the collection of contributions and mandatory worker-employer contributions corresponding to the individual capitalization accounts derived from the Social Security Insurance Scheme and the Labor Coverage Insurance Scheme, in accordance with the attribution granted by the Framework Law of the Social Protection System. The aforementioned period may be extended as long as there is a decree issued by the GoH and in accordance with the the RAP. [Extension - July 2020] It was extended for 6 months by Decree 83 on 16th July 2020. e [May 2020] The GoH announced that it would provide training to those receiving Aportacion Activation measures Temporal Solidaria in the tourism sector. [May 2020] The National Institute of Professional Training (INFOP) was offering more than 50 trainings in the areas of administration, ICT, tourism, management, financial analysis, and entrepreneurship. [March 2020] The GoH issued nationwide hygiene and safety protocols. These measures were aimed at workers and employers for the prevention and control of COVID-19 and established health and Labor market regulations safety conditions in the workplace without prejudice to the regulations issued for each particular activity. [March 2020] The GoH issued a decree authorizing the implementation of teleworking for employees of public and private entities. [May 2020] The Honduran Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) instructed magistrates, judges, directors, coordinators, bosses, and any other technical administrative workers the authority to work Labor Reduced work time remotely. Markets [March 2020] The STSS authorized employers and workers to use holidays and vacations, guaranteed that holidays (those recognized in the Labor Code) would be recognized and paid for during the time of national emergency, and that employers would continue to grant vacations during the period of national emergency. These agreements were to be reported to the STSS. [April 2020] The government announced that workers who are subject to a suspension of contracts due to force majeure derived from the national health emergency, may receive a temporary solidarity contribution from the government and employers. Two relief schemes were set up to provide support to those contributing to the Private Contribution Regime (RAP) and those in the factory sector. For workers who work in companies under the Free Zones Regime (Maquila), the government Wage subsidies and the private sector will make contributions. In all cases, the amount, term and form of payment will be determined by the parties that finance the temporary solidarity contribution. [May 2020] The authorizing decree was modified on the 4th of May, 2020 to include the tourism sector. (back to the top) Hong Kong Cash-based transfers On 9 June 2020, the Hong Kong government announced that recipients of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA), recipients of the Old Age Allowance (OAA), the Old Age Living Allowance (OALA) and the Disability Allowance (DA) under the Social Security Allowance (SSA) Scheme will receive a one-off extra allowance starting from June 12, 2020. It is announced as part of the 2020-21 Budget. Recipients from the above-mentioned social security payments on May 14, 2020, will be eligible for the one-off extra allowance. The Social Welfare Department (SWD) has been allocated $4,209 million for implementing the arrangements and will credit the payment to the designated bank accounts of the eligible recipients without the need to make an application. Payments for different groups range from $1,435 to $6,770. The measure will benefit about 1.39 million eligible persons, including 320,000 CSSA recipients, 600,000 OALA recipients, 270,000 OAA recipients, 28,000 GD Scheme recipients, 9,000 FJ Scheme recipients and 150,000 DA recipients. On April 10, 2021, the government re-introduced a one-off extra allowance, equal to half of one month of the standard rate of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance payments, Old Age Allowance, Old Age Living Allowance or Disability Allowance, which Social Cash transfers would be provided to eligible recipients of these social security payments. About 1.51 million social Assistance (conditional and security recipients are estimated and it is expected to cost 2.5 billion (N.B. This is shared with unconditional) WFA and WITS). On 8 June 2020, the Hong Kong government announced that the Cash Payout Scheme will open for registration on June 21, 2020. Hong Kong permanent residents aged 18 or above may register electronically or use a paper form to receive $10,000 with the aim to encourage and boost local consumption on the one hand, and to relieve people's financial burden on the other. This measure involves an expenditure of about $71 billion and it is expected to benefit about seven million people. Registration will close on December 31, 2021. The public may choose to register through 21 participating banks to have the sum deposited to their sole-name bank account; those who wish to receive the payment with a cheque can register with Hongkong Post and collect it in person at the post office. Banks will start accepting electronic registrations from 7am on June 21. Please note, the registration commencement is batched based on the year of birth. As of 19 November 2021, 6,558,910 payments have been made. On February 20, 2020, the government of Hong Kong reported the provision of additional subsidies to kindergartens (KGs), primary and secondary schools and their students to alleviate the burden of schools and parents in defraying extra expenses during the fight against the epidemic and class suspension, as many parents must make the usual education-related payments for their children during the class suspension. Some may have to pay for reading and learning materials or e-learning devices for their children. To alleviate parents' burden, a funding of about $900 million will be allocated from the Anti-epidemic Fund to be set up shortly to provide an additional $1,000 to each recipient of the Student Grant for the 2019/20 school year, i.e., an increase from $2,500 to $3,500. This measure will benefit parents of about 900,000 students. No extra applications are necessary. On February 21, 2020, government of Hong Kong announced a one-off special allowance under the Anti-epidemic Fund (AEF) to eligible Working Family Allowance (WFA) households from June 9 to support low-income households affected by the deteriorating economic and employment conditions as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. Applications are not required. For WFA households, a household which has submitted an application (and was eventually approved) from April 1, 2019 to February 21, 2020, (i.e., the day on which the AEF funding proposal was approved by the Finance Committee of Legislative Council) will receive a special allowance equivalent to two months of WFA payment based on the highest monthly amount it received in its most recently submitted and approved application during the above period. It is estimated that about 58,000 WFA households will benefit from this measure. Again, on April 20, 2021, it is reported that, as part of the budget 2021-22, the government re- introduced an extra one-off allowance equal to half of the average monthly amount of the approved months payable to the corresponding recipients in their most recently submitted applications in the applicable period, and eventually approved. As reported on May 24, 2021, 70,000 WFA households will benefit from this policy. On February 21, 2020, the government of Hong Kong announced a one-off special allowance under the Anti-epidemic Fund (AEF) to eligible Student Financial Assistance (SFA) households from June 9 to support low-income households affected by the deteriorating economic and employment conditions because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. Applications are not required. Households receiving means-tested SFA for pre-primary, primary and secondary students in the 2019/20 academic year will receive a special allowance of $4,640. It is reported on June 5, 2020, that 145,000 SFA households would benefit from this special allowance. On April 18, 2020, as part of the second round of the Anti-epidemic Fund, the government announced a monthly subsidy of $5,000 for six months to each travel agency's staff and freelance accredited practitioners whose main occupations are tourist guides or tour escorts. The deadlines for applications are June 15, 2020. Some 26,000 persons are expected to benefit from this scheme. The government of Hong Kong, under the second round of the Anti-epidemic Fund, announced to provide the taxi or red minibus driver subsidy. Under the fund, the government provides a monthly subsidy of $6,000 for each eligible active taxi or red minibus driver for six months, from April 1 to September 30, 2020. It will be provided in two trenches. The application for this program has ended. On March 20, 2020, the government of Hong Kong announced to transfer the monthly allowance of $1,000 under the Anti-epidemic Fund to frontline cleaning workers, toilet attendants and security workers. Eligible frontline workers will receive a monthly allowance of $1,000 for a period of no less than four months (until the end of June 2020). The government and Hong Kong Housing Allowance are now working with their contractors to confirm implementation details and enter into agreements, so that the contractors can transfer the monthly allowance to eligible workers. It was estimated to cost $250 million and to cover 62,000 people. On June 16, 2020, the government has extended this policy for 3 more months (until the end of September 2020). As of June 16, 2020, over 70 government departments have made arrangements with their contractors. The allowance has been disbursed to some 60,000 workers who performed duties in March, April and May, amounting to approximately $180 million. On 8 April 2020, the government announced, as part of an anti-epidemic package, that a one-off lump sum subsidy of HK$7,500 will be granted to self-employed persons (SEPs) who have set up a Mandatory Provident Funds account on or before 31 March 2020 and which has not been terminated as of 31 March 2020. If the SEP has more than one MPF account, he/she may only apply once for a one-off lump-sum subsidy of $7,500. Around 215,000 self-employed persons will receive a one-off lump sum subsidy of HK$7,500 if they have made MPF contributions in the past 15 months. The first tranche of subsidies will commence from 25 May 2020. Besides, eligible self-employed persons who did not receive the one-off lump-sum subsidy of $7,500 under the first tranche of ESS can also make applications from 31 August to 13 September 2020. In the first tranche 110,000 eligible applicants received the one-off payment costing of more than $800 million of subsidy. For the second tranche some 10,600 SEPs received approval for their one-off subsidy, involving a total subsidy of $80 million. On June 5, 2020, as part of the second round of Anti Epidemic Fund, the government announced to provide each tour service coach driver a one-off subsidy of $10,000. Some 9,300 drivers are expected to benefit from this scheme. On September 28, 2020, as part of the third round of the Anti-epidemic Fund, the government re-introduced to provide each tour service coach driver a one-off subsidy of $6,700. Some 3,400 drivers were expected to benefit from this scheme. On August 5, 2021, the government again re-introduced a one-off subsidy of $3,350 which will be provided to each tour service coach driver. Some 3,400 drivers are expected to benefit from this measure. On 19 March 2020, the government of Hong Kong had announced a subsidy of $1,500 each to about 240,000 registered construction workers. On 1 April 2020, under the second-round measures of the Anti Epidemic Fund, a one-off subsidy of $7,500 will be offered to each eligible registered construction worker. It is also mentioned that to simplify and expedite the application process, eligible applicants for second-round relief measures who have received subsidies through the CIC under the first-round measures will each receive the $7,500 subsidy in May 2020 without the need to submit applications. On 18 May 2020, it was noted that the first round had covered 210,000 workers and about $1.7 billion in subsidies has been disbursed so far (which also includes the first round). On June 5, 2020, as part of the second round of Anti Epidemic Fund, the government announced that the registered vehicle owners who hold the vehicle licence(s) of taxi(s) or RMB(s) as at day- end of 8 April 2020 are eligible for a one-off non-accountable subsidy of HK$30,000. In any circumstance, the subsidy will be provided to each licensed taxi and RMB once only. On April 8, 2020, the government of Hong Kong, as part of the first round of Anti-Epidemic Fund, announced that Sports coaches affected by the coronavirus outbreak will receive a one-off grant of HK$7,500. A similar subsidy was provided in the context of the second and third rounds of injection into the Anti-epidemic Fund (AEF), with the level of subsidy pitched at $7,500 and $5,000 respectively for eligible sports coaches. On January 4, 2021, the government of Hong Kong announced that a One-off Grant to Registered Sports Coaches scheme was relaunched after the fourth round of injection into the Anti-epidemic Fund. The scheme will provide a one-off grant of $7,500 for each eligible registered sports coach. A total 8,496 applicants were approved and $63.72 million have been disbursed. For the second round 8,106 applicants were approved and $40.53 million has been disbursed. It is estimated that around $75 million will be required for the purpose to support 10,000 potential recipients in the fourth round. On March 11, 2020, it is reported that government of Hong Kong has introduced a one-off subsidy of $200,000 which will be provided to eligible license holders of the premises in operation including general restaurants, marine restaurants and factory canteens; and a subsidy of $80,000 will be provided to eligible license holders of the premises in operation including light refreshment restaurants, fresh provision shops, food factories, bakeries and siu mei and lo mei shops. On September 28, 2020, as part of the third round of the Anti-epidemic Fund, the government announced to provide each travel agency's staff and freelance accredited practitioner whose main occupation is tourist guide or tour escort a one-off subsidy of $15,000. Some 20,000 persons are expected to benefit from this scheme. On August 5, 2021, the government re- introduced a one-off subsidy of $7,500 which will be provided to each travel agency's staff member and freelance accredited tourist guide and tour escort. Some 18,400 persons are expected to benefit from this measure. Social pensions In-kind transfers On February 24, 2021, the government of Hong Kong, as part of the budget (FY2021-22), announced a Consumption Voucher Scheme whose registration opens on July 4, 2021. Hong Kong permanent residents and new arrivals aged 18 or above and residing in Hong Kong may register to receive electronic consumption vouchers with a total value of $5,000 by instalments Food, vouchers, others (2 or 3 depending on the service provider). The registration period will last for six weeks until August 14, 2021. On 26 October 2021, the government announced that the consumption voucher can be collected by tapping the registered Octopus card at designated channels by 30 September 2022 (Note: the deadline for collecting the voucher by batches and instalments using Octopus cards has all been extended from three months after the disbursement date to 30 September 2022). This measure is expected to cost $36 billion and is expected to benefit around 7.2 million people. As of 1 November 2021, about 6,273,033 vouchers have been distributed in the second round and about 6,305,558 in the first round. Hong Kong, a property developer is raffling off a $1.4 million apartment for people who have been vaccinated (2021). School feeding Public works On 28 Feb 2020, the Hong Kong government announced that it will pay one month's rent for lower income tenants living in public rental units of the Hong Kong Housing Authority and the Hong Kong Housing Society, involving an expenditure of about $1.829 billion will benefit about 760,000 (Hong Kong Housing Authority) HA tenants will benefit from the measure. On Feb 24, 2021, the Hong Kong government, as part of the budget (FY2021-22), proposed a Special 100% Personal Loan Guarantee Scheme (PLGS) will provide an extra financing option for the unemployed. The Government will offer a guarantee for loans provided under the scheme. The maximum loan amount per applicant is set at six times their average monthly income during employment, subject to a cap of $80,000. There will be a principal moratorium for the first 12 months. Afterwards, the principal and interest can be repaid over a period of up to five years with an interest rate fixed at 1% per annum. Applicants who have repaid loans in full as scheduled will be offered full reimbursement for the interest paid. Freelancers who provide proof of loss of Utility waivers income may also apply for the loan. The Government will provide a total guarantee commitment of $15 billion. The application period will last for six months, from 28 April 2021 to 27 October 2021. The Government announced on 21 September 2021 that the application period of the PLGS is extended to end-April 2022. On Feb 24, 2021, the Hong Kong government, as part of the budget (FY2021-22), announced to provide rates concession for non‑domestic properties for four quarters of 2021‑22, subject to a ceiling of $5,000 per quarter in the first two quarters and a ceiling of $2,000 per quarter in the remaining two quarters for each rateable property. This proposal is estimated to involve 420,000 non‑domestic properties and reduce government revenue by $3.4 billion. On June 29, 2020, the Hong Kong government announced that Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme’s monthly threshold will be relaxed from $400 to $200 from 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021. The Government will provide a subsidy amounting to one-third of the actual public transport expenses in excess of $200, subject to a maximum of $400 per month for each Octopus. Please note, this is already existing policy (i.e., it existed even during pre-covid-19), however, now the government has increased the fare subsidy rate from one-fourth to one-third of public transport expenses. On 20 March 2021, the Government has decided to extend the aforementioned special measure for another six months till 31 December 2021, and temporarily increase the monthly subsidy cap of the Scheme from $400 to $500 from 1 April to 31 December 2021. Hong Kong Government announced an Interest-free deferral of loan repayment for two years to students receiving loans from the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency. All student loan borrowers who have commenced their loan repayments (except those defaulters on whom legal recovery actions have been taken), as well as those new loan repayers who will graduate and commence their loan repayments during the period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2022 (referred to as “suspension period” hereunder), will benefit from the two-year interest-free deferral of loan repayment. Student loan borrowers do not need to submit any applications. The Student Finance Office (SFO) of the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency will issue notification letters to all loan repayers. During the suspension period, eligible student loan borrowers do not need to repay their loan instalments and interest. No interest will be accrued during the suspension period and their repayment period will be extended for two years accordingly. On 24 Feb 2021, as part of 2021-22 Budget, Hong Kong government announced an electricity subsidy of $1,000 to be provided to each eligible residential electricity account holder. Starting from 1 June 2021, an electricity charges subsidy of $80 will be credited by the Government to each residential tariff electricity account on the first day of each month for 11 consecutive months and $120 in the 12th month, making up a total of $1,000. This measure will involve an expenditure of about $2.8 billion and benefit over 2.7 million eligible residential households. The subsidy can only be used for paying electricity charges. Any unused subsidy can be carried forward to pay billed electricity charges under the same account until 31 December 2023 or the close of the account (whichever is earlier). Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Insurance Pensions [May 2020] The Social Welfare Department (SWD) announced the provision of six-months of Unemployment benefits unemployment support under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme from June 1 to November 30, 2020. The asset limits for able-bodied persons were relaxed temporarily by 100 per cent and were to be restored to the normal level from December 1, 2020. Lawmakers and pension experts have urged the government of Hong Kong to follow Australia’s lead and allow employees to dip into their savings in the city’s pension scheme to help them cope with the Covid-19 pandemic. The government, pension regulator and some commentators, however, have reservations, as they point out that the law would have to be amended and could Social security lead to massive withdrawals from the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF). The scheme is already contributions the least adequate in the world to cover the future living cost of people after their retirement. Relaxation of asset limits for able-bodied applicants of the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme (a household-based scheme) by 100% for six months, helping recipients meet their basic needs. Activation measures Labor market regulations [January 2020] A special work from home arrangement was implemented for government employees starting from January 29th, 2020. [January 2021] This was most recently extended in January 2021 when the government of Hong Reduced work time Kong announced that all government employees except those providing emergency and essential public services would continue to work from home until 20th January 2021 as the fourth wave of COVID-19 remains active. It was estimated that about 180,000 civil servants would be affected. [April 2020] In the FY2020-21 budget, an employment support scheme was allocated HK$80 Labor Markets billion to provide wage subsidies to employers. This scheme aims to subsidize eligible employers up to HK$9,000 per month for each employee. [May 2020] It was announced that the scheme would support salary payments for 6 months in two tranches, with the first tranche of subsidies supporting payment of wages in June, July and August 2020 and the second tranche covering September, October and November 2020. Wage subsidies [August 2020] The applications for the second tranche were opened. [November 2020] The scheme was not extended. [March 2020] The government allocated $150 million under the Anti-epidemic Fund for launching the Arts and Culture Sector Subsidy Scheme for arts organizations and freelance arts workers to pay the salaries of their staff, contractors and freelance workers as much as possible. (back to the top) Hungary Cash-based transfers Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding Public works On 18 March 2020, every commercial loan, mortgage or other loan contract signed before March 18, 2020, will receive a freeze on loan repayments, capital repayment and any related fees until at least 31 December 2020. The length of the loan will be extended by the period of the freeze. The Banking Association said the deferred loan payments would amount to about HUF 450 billion in the 9-month period, but estimations based on partner interviews suggest it would be at most half of that amount. Clients must sign a statement (online) to opt out of the payment freeze scheme, so the Social default is that they do get the suspension. On 20 October 2020, this policy was extended until 30 Assistance July 2021, the law targets certain special social groups (pensioners, parents and expectant parents, registered jobseekers and people in public works schemes) as well as people undergoing a "personal bankruptcy procedure". It was first calculated that about 700,000 people would benefit from the extension. Banks should apply the extension automatically. On 15 September 2021, an extension of the suspension of loan repayments was approved until 31 October 2021 for anybody and until 30 Utility waivers June 2022, by request, for vulnerable groups (pensioners, parents and expectant parents, those enrolled in public works programs, individuals who lost income in 2020). Central bank data shows that 1.2 million people opted to suspend repayment in April 2021. In March 2021, some 1.6 million individuals benefitted from the payment freeze. This amounted to HUF 4.2 billion or 42% of all loans (54% of retail loans) On 1 May 2020, the government of Hungary under government decree 96/2020 announced that students of higher education and adult education may take out an interest-free loan to offset their living expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The measure was introduced as part of efforts to help families with little or no savings, as well as seeing students as a group vulnerable to losing their part-time jobs or not finding a job during the pandemic situation. The loan can be requested via the student loans provider Diákhitel Központ until 31 December 2020. The amount of the interest-free loan for students in higher education is a one-off lump sum of HUF 500,000 (€1,429). Students in adult education courses organized by the Ministry of Innovation are also eligible, they can apply for an interest-free loan of HUF 1.2 million (€3,429). Students will have 12 months before they must start the repayment of the loan, which can be over a period of 1 to 5 years, at their discretion. On December 17, 2020, the deadline for accepting applications for the interest-free student loans has been extended until 30 June 2021. On October 1, 2021, the measure has been further extended until the end of the 'state of danger' due to COVID-19. The state of danger has been extended several times, the latest end-date under Act 102/2021 is 1 January 2022. According to a press report in April 2021, a total of HUF 31 billion (€86.1 million) in student loans were issued in 42,000 new student applicants in 2020, three times more than in the previous year. Expiring benefits for persons currently on maternity leave will be extended until the end of the state of emergency. Paid sick leave An extra week of pension will be paid out every February during 2021-24. Health insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits Social [March 2020] Employers in sectors particularly affected by the crisis (catering, sports, recreation, Insurance live performance, cultural services, personal transportation/taxi companies) were exempted from paying social security contributions. Employees’ contributions were significantly reduced until June 30, 2020, and the health insurance premium was reduced to the statutory minimum. Social security contributions [March 2021] This policy was extended many times and most recently, it was extended on the 28th of March 2021 for the month of April 2021. [June 2021] Based on decree 318/2021 (VI.9.), this relief may be requested if proof is provided that the taxpayer is experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19. The measure is expected to be in place until 31 December 2021. [April 2020] Wage support program for job retention - Kurzarbeit with training obligation. Under the government decree 105/2020. (IV. 10.) the aim of the measure was to prevent layoffs in face of the COVID-19 crisis. This program required employers to arrange training for the employee for 30% of Activation measures the hours that had been cut from working time and pay wages for this time as well. The wage support measure was extended in late April 2020 and the compulsory training could be held within Labor two years of approval. Markets [July 2020] The measure was extended by one month until August 31, 2020. Labor market regulations There were temporary amendments made to relax labor regulations and facilitate collective Reduced work time negotiations to allow for teleworking, home office, and flexible work hours, while also authorizing employers to take the necessary measures in order to inspect the health of employees. [April 2020] Under government decree 103/2020 employees working in the R+D field as engineers received an income supplement for three months during the pandemic in order to prevent job cuts in this occupational field. The income supplement was, on average, 40% of the gross wage and the amount was transferred from the state directly to the employee. The measure aimed at preventing job losses in the areas of innovation and product development due to COVID-19. The income supplement paid by the state was 40% of gross income, but no more than HUF 318,920 (€911) per month. The maximum support applied to gross monthly salaries of HUF 670,000 (€1,888) with all usual taxes payable. This measure was expected to support 33,000 researchers and developers. [January 2021] The Ministry for Innovation and Technology announced that applications for the R+D subsidy are open again in January 2021 and that the support could be claimed after new hires as well. It also stated that 23,000 applicants were supported in the first phase. [February 2021] The measure ended on February 23, 2021 and the government announced that 5,000 more applications submitted by 400 employers were granted HUF 4 billion (€11 million). [April 2020] Wage support program for job retention - Kurzarbeit with training obligation. Under the Wage subsidies government decree 105/2020 (IV. 10.) the aim of the measure was to prevent layoffs in face of the COVID-19 crisis. This measure followed the German example of Kurzarbeit, but on a much smaller scale, with a lot of narrowing criteria the applicant had to fulfill. The support could be extended from 1 May 2020 for three months. The amount of the income support was transferred directly from the state to the employee while the reduced wage was paid by the employer. Businesses who were shedding 30-50% of working time of employees compared with their pre-Covid situation who could prove that their orders have not fallen by more than 50% and were working towards the “interests of the national economy” were eligible. For every employee that was considered for layoff, the state agreed to pay 70% of the part of the salary that was lost due to the worktime reduction. Only the part of salaries up to HUF 214,300 net (twice the minimum wage - €612 as of 15 April) per month received the income supplement and earnings after that threshold were not subsidized. The government calculated that, on average, a monthly HUF 64,500 per employee will be paid out, so the total cost for three months could be HUF 193.6bn (according to government calculations) or HUF 128bn according to KOPINT-Tárki Institute calculations. The measure was extended in late April 2020 and the eligibility criteria were eased. For example, working towards the 'national interest' was no longer required, compulsory training could be held within two years of approval, and the ban on layoffs was restricted to employees in the scheme. [July 2020] The measure was extended by one month until August 31, 2020. [November 2020] Wage support for the catering and recreation sectors. The sectoral subsidy was equal to 50% of a full-time or part time employee’s wage, up to an amount equivalent to 150% of the minimum wage (currently pre-tax HUF 241,500 or €680). The measure applied for the single month of November 2020. During this time, the employer had to pay full wages, but was exempt from payroll taxes. The employee had to be in full employment with the company on 30 November 2020 and their work contract could not be terminated before 31 December 2020. [December 2020] In a pre-Christmas package of measures, the government extended the measure until January 2021 and announced that privately-owned bus-driving services were eligible. [March 2021] The program was extended for the months of January-April 2021 and the cap for the subsidy was raised to pre-tax HUF 241,500 per month, then to HUF 251,100 (€698) per month from 1 February 2021. The list of eligible sectors was expanded to include 55 sectors such as retail, accommodation, road transport, travel and tour operators, sports, and museums. [April 2021] The program ended on the 30th of April, 2021. According to the government, 155,000 employees at 25,000 companies received the subsidy and HUF 62 billion was spent. [May 2020] Wage support for job creation: The aim of the measure is to create jobs for registered jobseekers, reducing the level of unemployment (which has risen during the COVID-19 pandemic). Businesses may apply to the local branch of the National Employment Office (which acts as a state authority) for a full grant of 100% of wages for six months for employing a registered jobseeker, which is then reviewed. The candidate for the job can be stated in the application form or can be selected (recruited) by the Employment Office. If the application is approved, the Office signs a contract with the employer which includes details and conditions about the grant. This is a de minimis subsidy, so the rules of decree 1407/2013/EU apply (meaning that certain sectors such as export-linked sectors, farming and fisheries are excluded). [July 2020] The scheme was restricted to the target groups of applicants aged 15 to 25 and the long-term unemployed (individuals who have been unemployed for six months or longer). [October 2020] The program was extended until 31 March 2021 and the target groups were changed to include the unemployed youth (under the age of 25) and people with an education level of less than the completion of secondary school. [June 2021] An extended measure called the "workforce support program for companies" was introduced which targeted the unemployed youth (under the age of 25) and people who had been registered for more than 1 month with the National Employment Services. The support would be in the form of a grant for a maximum of six months. The amount of the grant was 50% of the gross salary with taxes payable by the employer, but not more than HUF 100,000 per month (€278) for full-time employment, and a proportionate amount in case of part-time employment. [September 2021] The program was extended to include a new measure called "work experience support" which is a subsidy equivalent to 100% of the new hire’s wages with social contributions, but no more than the minimum wage in effect. This subsidy can be claimed for up to 90 days. (back to the top) Iceland Cash-based transfers On 21 March 2020, the government of Iceland announced a one-off child benefit payment that will be made on June 1, 2020, to all families with children under the age of 18. Parents with an average monthly income below ISK 927,000 in 2019 will receive ISK 40,000 per child and those with higher income will receive ISK 20,000 per child. On 21 April 2020, the government of Iceland, as part of the second Economic Stimulus, announced grants for low-income families to encourage participation of minors (born between 2005 and 2014) in sports and other recreational activities administered by municipalities at the local level. The support is 45,000 ISK per child and the sport or recreational activity must occur during the 2020- 2021 school year (i.e., August 2020 until June 2021). The average household income must be below ISK 740,000 per month from May to July 2020 to be eligible for this grant. Applications must be received by 31 July 2021. This is expected to cost 600million ISK. The government of Iceland has increased the means testing threshold in the child benefits system will be permanently, thereby ensuring that it changes with developments in the lowest wages in the Social labor market. This change will ensure that single parents with two children and a monthly income of Cash transfers Assistance ISK 350,000-580,000 will receive an annual increase of ISK 30,000 in child benefits, and that for a (conditional and unconditional) family whose combined monthly income is ISK 700,000-920,000, child benefits will be ISK 60,000 higher than they would be otherwise. On April 21, 2020, as part of the second phase of the economic response package to COVID-19, the government of Iceland has announced an award for front-line healthcare workers, who have been “under additional strain and are at elevated risk of contagion,” a one-off bonus in acknowledgement of their service. The bonus is worth an estimated ISK 1 billion ($6,867,690 / €6,325,199). The implementation and allocation of the bonus will be in the hands of healthcare institutions. On May 26, 2020, it is reported that all individuals domiciled in Iceland, born in 2003 and earlier (older than 18), receive a Travel Gift worth 5,000 ISK. The travel gift is delivered in the form of a bar code that can be displayed or read out when paying for services at a travel company that is included in the project. The donation was part of the effort to support Icelandic tourism following a coronavirus pandemic. The validity of the travel donation is from the date of issue until September 30, 2021. The voucher will likely be distributed via a smartphone app to all adult residents, who are around 250,000. The total cost of the measure will therefore be around ISK 1.5 billion ($10.8 million/€9.8 million). [April 2020] On April 21, the government announced that front-line healthcare workers, who have been under additional strain and are at elevated risk of contagion, will receive a one-off bonus to reflect their service. The bonus is worth an estimated ISK 1 billion ($6,867,690 / €6,325,199). The implementation and allocation of the bonus will be in the hands of healthcare institutions. On Nov 20, 2020, Iceland Government announced that it will make one-time payment of ISK 50,000 before 18 December 2020 to recipients of disability and rehabilitation pensions who are eligible for pensions during the year, in addition to the December supplement that is usually paid during the month. Also, at the beginning of 2021, permanent changes will be made to the disability Social pensions pension system. Internal reductions will be scaled down, and the lowest-paid disability pensioners will receive a supplement of nearly ISK 8,000 per month in addition to the planned 3.6% increase provided for in the fiscal budget proposal. The total increase in social security benefits for the lowest-paid disability pensioners will therefore be nearly ISK 20,000 at the turn of the year. In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding Public works Utility waivers Workers including self-employed who used their twelve-month sickness benefit entitlement are still Paid sick leave entitled to sickness benefits. Self-employed workers can receive sickness benefits (“quarantine payments”) when in quarantine. Health insurance The government introduced temporary payments to individuals due to loss of income from being quarantined without signs of being infected. This involved paying salaries to those employees who Social needed to quarantine. Employees who are quarantined will get paid a salary. In such cases where an Insurance employee is quarantined but does not have the right to a salary from their employer during the quarantine, the government shall pay the employee his salary. Pensions The goal of the new Act is to allow individuals to follow the commands of the public health authorities without worrying about loss of income. The Act only applies to the private employment market. As the Act only applies to employers, employees and independently employed individuals on the private employment market, it is estimated that it will apply to approximately 140,000 individuals, or a total of 75% of the total employment market. The aid is conditional. The Act states that certain conditions must be met, for instance the employer of the quarantined employee must be able to prove that he has paid the employee’s salary during the active period (1 February 2020 to 31 December 2020). There is a salary cap. The Act states that a cap will be put on government payments, the payments may not exceed ISK 633,000 per employee, per calendar month. [November 2020] On November 20, the government announced its decision to pay a special supplement over and above basic unemployment benefits next year (2021), so as to support the large group of people whose income-linked unemployment benefits will expire in the next few months. The 2.5% supplement will be paid in addition to the 3.6% increase provided for in the 2021 fiscal budget proposal. With these increases, which total 6.2%, basic unemployment benefits will equal ISK 307,403 per month. [September 2020] On September 4, the Icelandic Parliament passed a bill regarding changes to the Act on Unemployment Insurance in relation to the rights to study while receiving unemployment benefits. The amendment’s objective is to broaden the right of receiving unemployment benefits Unemployment benefits while studying. The amendment included increasing the maximum amount of ECTS credit an individual receiving unemployment benefits may complete each semester while still receiving the benefits from 10 ECTS to 12. Participation in the program “Education is opportunity” wherein the participants (unemployed) can conclude a special educational agreement with the Directorate of Labor where he may still receive full unemployment benefits while being a full-time student. The participation in the program is limited to certain education which is defined as a labor market study program in addition to further requirements. [November 2020] On November 20, the government announced its decision to extend the increased payments for support of job-seekers’ children through the end of 2021, with a 6% supplement added to basic unemployment benefits for each child instead of the previous 4%. Moreover, a December supplement of just over ISK 86,000 will be paid to confirmed job-seekers. March 2020] On March 13, the Icelandic Parliament passed a legislation that permits legal entities to postpone the payment of half of the social security tax, that was originally due on 16 March 2020 to 15 April 2020. No penalty or surcharge on account of the late payments. The penalty or surcharge Social security contributions will not be imposed with regard to partial payments, provided that full payment is made by 15 April 2020. [Extension] The due date was further pushed until January 2021. During the next 15 months, individuals may withdraw a monthly sum from their voluntary pension savings to a maximum of ISK 800,000 (US$5,680). Activation measures [March 2020] The Administration of Occupational Safety and Health released a series of guidelines Labor market regulations for Icelandic workplaces in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. Reduced work time [March 2020] On March 21, the government announced the first-phase response measures to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The measures include a government commitment to allow part-time employees, the self-employed, and freelance workers to claim up to 75% of unemployment benefits in order to avoid job losses. This allowed workers at a risk of job losses to reduce their hours to 25% of previous levels and access to government support of up to ISK 700,000 (US$ 4,975) per month until June 1, 2020. [Extended - April 2020] On April 28, the Government announced the extension of the program from June 1, until August 31, 2020. Starting July, workers and employers are allowed to decrease their hours to 50% of previous levels, instead of 25%. [Extended - September 2020] In September, the government announced the extension of the program, without significant changes, until December 31, 2020. [Extended - January 2021] On January 11, the government announced the extension of the program until May 31, 2021. Labor Markets [April 2020] On April 28, the government announced its decision to provide companies with the opportunity to apply for government support to pay a portion of salary costs for any staff member Wage subsidies during their notice period. This support will take the form of payment up to ISK 633,000 per month for up to three months, plus vacation pay. It is limited to those companies that have suffered at least a 75% loss in revenue and are forecasting continued revenue losses at least through 2020. This government support will be available from 1 May through 30 September. [November 2020] On November 20, the government announced the provisiion of "Resilience subsidies" which are intended to help companies maintain a minimum level of activity while the impact of the pandemic persists. The measure applies to all taxable entities that suffer at least a 60% loss of revenue, irrespective of their operational form. - For entities suffering revenue losses between 60% and 80%: The maximum subsidy ranges up to ISK 400,000 per monthly full-time position equivalent, capped at ISK 2 million. - For entities suffering revenue losses between 80% and 100%: The maximum subsidy ranges up to ISK 500,000 per monthly full-time position equivalent, capped at ISK 2.5 million [May 2021] Resilience subsidies extended through November 2021. Now also available for companies suffering between 40%-60% drop in revenue from the same month in 2019. The lower threshold (40%) applies retroactively to November 2020. (Back to the top) India Cash-based transfers On March 26, 2020, the Indian government announced a COVID-19 relief package, the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY). The PMGKY contained several measures aimed at mitigating the impact of the first nation-wide lockdown on the vulnerable and disadvantaged segments of society. The single largest component of PMGKY was the direct pay-out of Rs 500 per person per month for a duration of three months (April until June) to 20 crore Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) women account holders. Each beneficiary would thus receive a total of Rs 1,500 under this scheme. As per the official release on Aug 28, 2020, a total of Rs. 30,945 crores (INR 309.45 billion) have been credited into the accounts of women PMJDY account holders during the COVID-19 lockdown. On April 7, 2020, India’s state government of Bihar launched the ‘Corona Sahayata (Assistance)’ scheme to provide cash assistance through payments into bank accounts to tide over the immediate crisis. It was to transfer Rs.1000 ($15) to the bank accounts of Bihari migrant workers who were stranded outside the state due to the lockdown and who were interested to return safely to Bihar. Social The Bihar government received 2.9 million applications within a month of the launch of the scheme, Assistance Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) out of which 2.0328 million were verified and paid a total sum of 2.0328 billion INR by May 24. Bihar’s initiative is a rare example of a sub-national government’s effort to identify, onboard and pay a specific segment of the population (i.e., migrants – and generally the “missing middle”) adversely affected by the pandemic, doing so remotely, at scale and without the benefit of an existing database, using a “digital first” identification and payment approach to transfer funds quickly and efficiently. On March 26, 2020, the Indian government announced to make an advance payment of Rs 2,000 of its universal cash-for-farmers program, PM-KISAN, between April 1, 2 or 3, 2020 rather than in June 2020, responding to the coronavirus epidemic. Around 86.9 million people will benefit from the advance payment. Traditionally (in the pre-covid-19 days), under the scheme an income support of 6,000 per year in three equal installments would be provided to all land holding farmer families. On March 21, 2020, the Uttar Pradesh (UP) government in India announced a financial package of more than Rs353 crore to give cash handouts worth Rs 1000 to an estimated 3.53 million daily wage earners and laborers, who are likely to be hit due to the coronavirus outbreak. The beneficiaries include 2.03 million laborers registered with the UP labor department and 1.5 million rickshaw pullers, hawkers and kiosk owners, who will get the money directly into their bank accounts. As of June 3, 2020, it is reported that the UP government has provided cash assistance to more than 3.32 million poor, daily wage earners and laborers costing 3.32 billion INR. Again, on June 9, 2021, the Uttar Pradesh government in India has announced and transferred INR 2.30 billion into the bank accounts of 2.3 million daily wagers. The beneficiaries included dhobis, rickshaw pullers, construction workers, cobblers and halwais. On 2 October 2020, the state government of Assam in India launched a cash transfers scheme called Orunodoi. It will provide Financial Assistance of Rs. 830 per month through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme to around 1.7 million families in the state but it aims to expand to 2.6 million households. They will receive the amount on the first day of every month, starting from October 2020. Women being the primary caretakers of the family are kept as beneficiaries of the scheme. Aim of the program is to provide women empowerment and also to achieve SDG goals on health and nutrition. It is reported on 11 October 2021, that the state finance department has increase the cash assistance to Rs.1000 per month (from 830/month). Also it released Rs. 1.8598 billion to cover 1.91 million families. Currently, as of November 2021, the actual beneficiaries of the program are 1,931,971. On March 26, 2020, the Indian government announced a COVID-19 relief package, the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY). The PMGKY contained several measures aimed at mitigating the impact of the first nation-wide lockdown on the vulnerable and disadvantaged segments of society. Out of the Rs 1.7 trillion PMGKY package, an amount of Rs.28.145 billion is transferred to state/UT governments to provide ex-gratia of Rs. 1000 (in two instalments of Rs.500 each) to the 30 million old aged, widows and divyangjan beneficiaries of National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana Package (PMGKY) in 2020-21. The first payment is expected to be on April 8 or 9, 2020 and the second payment is expected to be in the second week of May, 2020. As of 8 September, 2020, it is reported that NSAP disbursed cash 2.81 crore to old-age persons, widow and differently-abled persons. In June 23, 2020, it is reported that in a significant move, the State Governments, in response to the advisory dated 24th March, 2020 issued by the Ministry of Labor & Employment, have disbursed a substantial amount of Rs. 4957 crore cash assistance until date to approximately two crore registered construction workers across the country during the lockdown. About 1.75 crore transactions were done directly into the bank accounts of the workers through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). Apart from cash benefits ranging from Rs. 1000 to Rs. 6000 per worker during the lockdown, some of the States have also provided food and ration to their workers. Gujarat - An amount of Rs. 1500 per child is provided to beneficiaries of Adarsh Nivasi Shalas, Ashram Shalas and Child Protection homes under the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, vis a vis the transfer of INR 1500 to all children deinstitutionalized from Child Care Institutes – this was completed by the Social Justice and Empowerment Department (SJED) alongside further reviews undertaken with all District Child Protection Officers (DCPOs) and Sub Divisional Officers (SDOs) from the 33 districts Bihar: In lieu of the midday meals, the government of Bihar gave cash transfers for each day of school closure to all children already receiving school-based cash transfers for unforms etc. Children from grade one through eight received anything between 115 to 171 INR per fortnight towards this through direct bank transfer On 27 April 2021, it is reported that the Delhi government will provide a medical assistance of Rs 5,000 per person (and maximum of 10,000 per family) for Covid-19 positive construction workers in the city. The process to claim this disbursal is fair and simple, and a member of the family would have to produce an RT-PCR report which will then be verified through the ICMR portal. Each worker infected with the virus will get Rs 5,000 aid (and maximum of 10,000 per family). A total of 2,10,684 construction workers will receive the cash transfer in the form of aid, out of which 200,000 have already received aid of Rs 100 crores, and 11,000 workers will be granted the disbursals in the week to come. On 13 April, 2021, the state government of Maharastra in India has decided to distribute Rs 1500 each to approximately 1.05 lakh domestic workers. Tamil Nadu: Maintenance allowance to existing beneficiaries ("persons with mental retardation, severely disabled people, those affected by muscular dystrophy and leprosy affected persons”) through bank transfer advancing 2 months payment. The state of Uttar Pradesh will provide compensation to poor workers via online payments if they lost their job due to the pandemic. Vegetable vendors, construction workers, rickshaw pullers, autorickshaw drivers, and temporary staff at shops will be targeted by this measure It is reported on 21 March 2020, that the state government of Delhi in India said that Rs 4,000- 5,000 pension will be paid to 850k beneficiaries by April 7, 2020. Social pensions In-kind transfers On 8 April 2020, the state of Gujarat in India expanded free grains to 6 million Above Poverty Line (APL) families during the lockdown who are otherwise not officially covered in the National Food Security Act. Each APL-1 cardholder can avail 10kgs of wheat, 3kgs of rice, 1kg of sugar and 1kg of pulses. The total number of such beneficiaries is around 25 million to 30 million. On 21 March 2020, the Delhi government in India announced free and increased rations for the Food, vouchers, others beneficiaries under the public distribution scheme. They discussed setting up kitchens to distribute free food but that would have led to crowds gathering, which is not advisable in the prevailing conditions. Hence, they have decided that they will give 1.5 times more ration to the 7.2 million beneficiaries under PDS in the coming month, and this will be given free of cost. The beneficiaries will now get 7.5 kg of food grains that include 6 kg of wheat and 1.5 kg of rice free of cost for the month of April 2020. (March 2020) Scaling up Public Distribution System (PDS) allocations for all Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) priority households for three months (1kg pulses per household, 5kg wheat or rice per individual) Bihar - With the support of local women Self-Help Group (SHG) members, new vulnerable families were identified and a total of 2.3 million new ration cards were made in 2020 On March 26, 2020, the Indian government announced a COVID-19 relief package, the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) for 1.7 trillion. As part of the program, government provides food grains under the name “Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana” (PM-GKAY). On 23 June 2021, the government approved the allocation of additional food grains (wheat or rice) for a period of 5 months starting from July to November 2021, providing 5 kg per person per month free of cost to 813.5 million beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) (Antyodaya Anna Yojana and Priority Households) including those covered under the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) with an expenditure of Rs. 672.66 billion. This package was first started from April to November 2020. Around 800 million NFSA beneficiaries were allocated additional 5 kg of food grains (wheat or rice), free of cost, thereby ensuring food security of poor/vulnerable beneficiaries/households. In this period a total of about 321 Lakh MT food grains was allocated by the Department to all States/UTs, about 305 Lakh MT food grains lifted by States/UTs and a total of about 298 LMT of food grains (i.e., around 93% of allocated quantity) was distributed all over the country. In 2021, the government re-introduced PMGKAY for a period of two months (i.e., May 2021 and June 2021) at an estimated expenditure of about Rs. 266.02 billion. A total allocation of over 79 LMT of food grains was done for this purpose. So far, more than 76 Lakh MT Food grains, (i.e. more than 96% of the allocated food grain has been lifted by States/UTs). Furthermore, more than 35 Lakh MT food grains have been distributed by States/UTs in May 2021 and more than 23 Lakh MT food grains have been distributed in June 2021. Around 80 crore NFSA beneficiaries are receiving 5 kg additional free-of-cost food grains (wheat or rice) for the months of May and June 2021. It was further extended for a duration of 5 months from July to November 2021 by providing 204 LMT of food grains. This additional free of cost allocation of food grains will be over and above the regular monthly food grains allocated for the beneficiaries covered under the NFSA. This entire expense will be borne by the government of India without any sharing by States/UTs. On 29 June 2021, the Supreme Court order directs states to ensure cooked food for migrant workers via community kitchens in prominent places until the pandemic ends and also it directs states not yet implementing One Nation One Ration Card scheme to implement it no later than 31 July 2021 To avoid people from gathering twice and to ensure social distancing in front of the ration shop, the Karnataka government, in India, provided double portions (i.e., two-month equivalent ration for the months of April and May 2020) in April 2020 itself (March 2020) The Kerala state government will deliver food ingredients for mid-day meals to over 300,000 children studying in 33,115 anganwadis (rural childcare centers) closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the moment, they are delivering such food items necessary for ten days. Before the end of such period, the materials required for the next ten days will be packed and delivered. The materials are being packed and distributed by the teachers themselves. Gujarat - Take home ration provided to children between 3 to 6 years at their home. The cooking cost for Midday Meals (MDM) was given to parents in cash form during school closures and schools provided coupon to children to get the ration from fair price shops in the villages. The Vadil Vandana program aims to provide free of cost cooked food to the elderly, needy and students living alone in various cities of the state (Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, Gandhinagar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Surat and School feeding Vadodara) at their doorsteps In lieu of the Mid-day Meals (MDM), primary school students received 4 kg of rice and 800-gram of dal and upper primary school students received 6 kg of rice and 1,200-gram of dal during COVID-19. Andhra Pradesh MDM were supplied in the form of dry ration On 16 November 2021, with the COVID-19 situation slowly improving, the government of India has asked the states and UTs to resume on-site school feeding (i.e., hot cooked meals in schools) to eligible students attending schools by strictly adhering to the prevalent COVID-19 protocols and social distancing norms. On 23 November 2021, it is reported that, after a gap of 19 months, on-site school feeding (i.e., cooked meals at school) has resumed in government schools in Tamil Nadu. A considerable increase in admission of students to government schools across the state this year has meant an increase in the number of beneficiaries under the mid-day meal scheme. In March 2020, as many as 1,60,773 students benefited from the scheme and this number has increased to 1,75,638 as of November 202 On 27 July 2021, it is reported that the budget for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS; India’s public works program which guarantees 100 days of wage employment) has been increased to Rs. 730 billion for MGNREGS for 2021-22 which is an increase of Rs. 115 billion as compared to the FY 2020-21. As of 23 July 2021, a total of 65.1 million persons have been provided an employment wage under NREGS. Public works On March 27, 2020, the government of India increased the average wage of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) workers from 182 to 202 per worker per day. This increase in wages under the MGNREGA will come into effect from April 1, 2020. On 15 March 2021, the government increased MGNREGA wages, although small, in 2021 as well. With the exception of Meghalaya, all states have recorded a lower hike in MGNREGA wages for 2021-2022 in comparison with the increase announced for the previous year (2020-21). On March 26, 2020, the Indian government announced a COVID-19 relief package, the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) for 1.7 trillion. As part of the program, government provided free gas cylinders (free of cost) to 8 crore poor families for the following three months. This started on April 1 until 30 June 2020. Utility waivers The Indian government has introduced 67 new railway routes for running 235 parcel specials (out of which 171 are time-tabled parcel trains) to supply essential commodities including perishable horticultural products and agricultural inputs. Paid sick leave Norms on collection of Health Insurance Premium during COVID-19 crisis. In view of prevailing Social conditions owing to the COVID-19 outbreak, considering the need for easing the payment of health Insurance Health insurance insurance premiums, all the insurers are allowed to collect health insurance premiums in instalments. The premium instalment facility may be offered either as a permanent feature by duly complying with the norms specified in the above referred guidelines or may be offered as a temporary relief for a period of twelve months (one year policy) in respect of all the health insurance policies that are due for renewal up to 31st March 2021. Non-life insurers’ premium collection grew by 11.67 per cent in 2019-20 as compared to 2018-19. However, premium collection for the month of March 2020 declined significantly. India’s Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) also allows withdrawals - Workers can now withdraw up to 75 percent non-refundable advance from PF account or 3 months’ salary, whichever is lower India’s National Pension Scheme (NPS) allows partial withdrawals towards treatment for COVID related illness for the subscriber, spouse, and children. The current rules of early withdrawal do not apply to Atal Pension Yojna (APY) (informal sector) subscribers and therefore are applicable only for about 1 crore people Pensions The EPFO has received 400,000 requests for withdrawals under a special Covid-19 window announced in March 2020 to provide relief to subscribers in financial need. The facility allows such subscribers to withdraw three months’ salary or 75% of their retirement funds. The scheme was amended on March 28 to allow members to withdraw non-refundable advances – either their basic wages and dearness allowance for three months or up to 75% of total account, whichever was less – if facing any financial exigency due to Covid-19. Unemployment benefits [March 2020] The government of India announced that it will pay the Employee Provident Fund contributions for employees and employers for the next 3 months. This is targeted to firms with up to 100 workers and where 90% of workers earn less than Rs15,000 per month. This was expected to cover 1.8M employees and 400,000 firms. [May 2020] This measure was extended for 3 months until the end of August 2020 with an expected Social security contributions expenditure of Rs 25 billion. [May 2020] The Employee Provident Fund contribution for both employers and employees was reduced from 12% to 10% for all establishments covered by the Employees' Provident Fund Organization for the next three months. However, the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and state public sector undertakings (PSUs) were to continue to contribute 12% as an employer contribution. This was expected to provide liquidity worth Rs. 675 billion. Activation measures [March 2020] A notice was issued to employers of public and private establishments advising them Labor market regulations not to terminate their employees, particularly casual and contractual workers or to reduce their Labor wages during the 21-day lockdown period. Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Indonesia Cash-based transfers Indonesia government reported on 18 April 2020 that a new, unconditional cash transfer program (BLT Dana Desa) was issued to village residents not currently registered in the social registry and who are not recipients of any government social assistance (such as Aspiring Family Program (PKH)/Food Assistance Program/BST). This program is funded via Village Fund and will cover approximately 11-12 million households with the benefit of IDR 600,000 per household per month to 6,881,778 beneficiaries for 3 months starting from April 2020 until June 2020. On 3 June 2020, the government reported an extension of the program until the end of sept 2020 with IDR 300,000 per household per month with a budget of IDR 31.8 trillion. On 5 Jan 2021, the BLT has been further extended with IDR 300,000 per household per month until the end of the year (i.e., 31 Dec 2021). As of 8 May 2021, the BLT has been distributed to 49,095 villages from the total of 74,961 villages targeted in the program and has spent IDR 18.3 trillion. The planned budget is IDR 72 trillion for the year 2021. On 9th April, 2020, a new unconditional cash transfer program called social cash assistance (BST) was introduced for eligible residents outside the Greater Jakarta region who are not recipients of Social PKH or the Food Assistance Program. The budget allocated for this is allocated budget reaches IDR Cash transfers Assistance 16.2 trillion. Starting in April 2020, approximately 9.1 million households each received IDR 600,000 (conditional and unconditional) (US$ 40) per month for the first 3 months and IDR 300,000 per month. On 1 Nov 2020, Indonesian government has announced that in 2021 BST will reach 10 million Beneficiary Families (KPM) with an index of IDR 300,000/KPM/month from Jan to June 2021. The Ministry of Social Affairs has allocated IDR 12 trillion budget for this program. The assistance comes from the State Budget (APBN) funds. BST payment for May and June 2021 is given in July 2021 for 1,007,379 beneficiaries. It was announced on 31 March 2020 that Indonesia’s flagship CCT program, Program Keluarga Harapan (PKH), will expand the program coverage from 9.2 to 10 million beneficiary families (or 15 percent of the population) and double the benefit level for 3 months (April-June 2020). The PKH program budget has been increased by nearly 29% to reach IDR 37.4 trillion (US$2.5 billion). Furthermore, from 8 April 2020, benefit payments have become monthly instead of quarterly between April-September 2020. As reported on Jan 20, 2020, the program benefit level was back to normal. For 2021, the program reaches 10 million beneficiary families with a budget of 28,709,816,300,000. It reaches to underprivileged families are in the Social Health Integrated Data (DTKS) such as pregnant women, early childhood, elementary school children, junior high school children, high school students, elderly people 70 years and over, and people with severe disabilities. Each of them receives different payments quarterly (i.e., January, April, July and Oct): pregnant women and early childhood children each received IDR. 750 thousand, elementary school children IDR 225 thousand, junior high school children IDR 375 thousand, high school children IDR 500 thousand and elderly people 70 years and over and people with severe disabilities IDR 600 thousand. On 24 Aug 2020, Indonesian Government launched the Presidential Assistance (Banpres) Productive Micro Business (BPUM) with an aim to help micro businesses to face the Covid-19 situation for working capital so that their businesses can survive. The assistance provides is IDR 2.4 million per micro business actor or IDR 600,000/month for a duration 4 months to 12 million recipients who are not currently receiving/eligible for bank credit. This is not a loan but a grant. The disbursement of the assistance starts on 24th Aug or 25th Aug 2020. In the initial phase, this program targeted 9.1 million micro enterprises with a total budget allocation of IDR 22.01 trillion. The budget was later increased to a total budget of IDR 28.8 trillion with 12 million micro enterprises beneficiaries. As of Dec 14, 2020, BPUM disbursement realization has now reached 100 per cent, targeting 12 million micro entrepreneurs with a budget of IDR 28.8 trillion. On 30 July 2021, the government re- introduced (started) the grant with a planned coverage of 12.8 million MSMEs through BPUM and allocated a total budget of IDR 15.3 trillion. However, only IDR 1.2 million per micro business actor is provided. On 10 Aug 2021, Indonesian government introduced Social Cash Aid aimed at encouraging public spending, which means driving the economy. Social Cash Aid is distributed to as many as 9 million participants of the Basic Food Program (BPNT) who do not receive PKH, with cash worth IDR 500 thousand/KPM. This is expected to cost IDR 4.5 trillion. This aid is distributed only once. Social Cash Aid will be distributed through Himbara, especially for KPM who already have a Prosperous Family Card (KKS). Distributions are also made through the Post Office as well as direct distribution through direct cash transfer. In Indonesia, BAZNAS introduced a Cash assistance to support 26,086 households of vulnerable and informal workers with a cost of 70,200,000 expenditure. The benefit amount is transferred via post offices, bank transfers, or mobile money to Vulnerable households affected by the pandemic and those who have lost their jobs. It is reported on 9 April 2020, National Police will also implement a Safety Program similar to Pre- Employment Card Program called the Safety Program that combines social assistance and training. It targets 197,000 taxi drivers, bus or truck drivers, and bus conductors, who will be given an incentive of IDR 600,000 per month for 3 months. The allocated budget reaches IDR 360 billion. Social pensions In-kind transfers A new in-kind food assistance was introduced for Greater Jakarta (Jabodetabek) residents. The GoI allocated IDR 3.42 trillion for approximately 1.9 million households. Starting April 2020, beneficiaries received food assistance worth IDR 600,000 per household per month for 3 months, and food assistance worth IDR 300,000 per household per month until December 2020. In addition, several local governments also provide in-kind food assistance and/or cash assistance to selected residents that do not receive assistance from the Central Government. For example, the Government of Jakarta provided in-kind food assistance to another 1.1 million households worth IDR 275,000 and the West Java Government provided in-kind food assistance worth IDR 350,000 and cash assistance of IDR 150,000 per household for 1.3 million households (Cycle 1 and 2) and for 1.9 million households with reduced amount of benefit in Cycle 3 and 4. It is announced on 08 April 2020 that the Government of Indonesia has made some changes to its food assistance program, Sembako (previously called BPNT), by expanding its coverage from 15.2 million (pre-covid-19) to 20 million low-income households in the social registry, bringing the coverage of the program to just short of 30 percent of the population. The benefit level will increase Food, vouchers, others by 33% from IDR 150,000 to IDR 200,000 from April 2020 to December 2021. The total program budget is increased by about 55%, reaching IDR 43.6 trillion (from 28.08 trillion). Since Jan 4 2021, Sembako program has been extended to 18.8 million beneficiaries. As reported on 1 Nov 2021, IDR 300,000 is being distributed to its beneficiaries. On 10 Aug 2020, government of Indonesia announced Rice Social Assistance/Aid to assist 10 million KPM beneficiaries participating in Family Hope Program (PKH) with 15 kg of rice per month for a duration of 3 months. It is expected to cost IDR 5.41 trillion. The 1st Phase assistance will begin in September, and 2nd Phase is in October. The distribution of 1st Phase of Rica Social Assistance will begin in September, for allocations in August and September 2020. So that in this first distribution, each KPM will receive 30 kg of medium quality rice and in October 2020, each KPM PKH receives 15kg of rice. In Indonesia, BAZNAS provided food parcels/packages with an aim to reduce food insecurity in 34,736 vulnerable families affected by public closure regulations. Its expenditure was IDR 933,710,000. These food packages are delivered to beneficiaries’ house. School feeding In Indonesia, Cash For Work (CFW) was implemented by the BAZNAS Mustahik Economic Empowerment Institute (LPEM) from March to April 2020, with a target of 107 locations in Public works Indonesia. The realization of the distribution of funds to the mustahiq amounted to IDR 170.868 million from Zakat funds. CFW has been implemented in 3 provinces, 10 cities, 59 sub-districts, and 77 villages reaching 1,259 households (as of 19 May 2020). As part of the program informal workers (such as motorcycle taxi drivers, manual laborers, street singers, as well as self-employed workers like craftsmen, tailors) whose work and source of income has been disrupted due to the pandemic were provided with voucher in exchange for work. Similarly, people with disabilities also were given this opportunity. The CFW was used to disinfect public spaces. The payment was made through paper-based vouchers which could be exchanged at specified supermarkets chains. On April 9, 2020, the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing also runs Cash Labor-Intensive Program, targeting 530,000 workers with a total budget of approximately Rp10.2 trillion. However, it has allocated IDR 12.32 trillion. On Dec 14, 2020, the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing reported that it will receive IDR 18.42 trillion from the State Budget in 2021, which is higher than the budget for the current year (i.e., 2020). On 6 July 2021, the government through the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) stated that the Cash-Intensive Work (PKT) program has succeeded in absorbing up to 755,816 workers until the closing of June 2021. The PKT program is expected to reduce unemployment and maintain people's purchasing power as part of the National Economic Recovery (PEN) agenda due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This PKT is intended especially for people who have lost and are only focused on construction work that does not require technological support and is not high risk On April 9, 2020, it was reported that the Government’s ministry of Villages is introducing a Cash Labor-Intensive Program with a total budget of IDR 16.9 trillion. The Ministry of Villages provides Cash Labor-Intensive Program for Village, targeting 59,000 workers. On 31 March 2020, the Government of Indonesia announced to subsidize electricity bill of 24 million households (i.e., approximately 40 percent of the population) with a 450 Volt-Ampere (VA) connection and 7.2 million households with a 900VA connection will receive a 50 percent discount. It is planned to cost IDR 3.5 trillion and the duration for the program from April to June 2020. On May 8, 2020, it was reported that the government has planned to extend the duration of the subsidies for households from July to Sept 2020 with a budget of IDR 4.338 trillion with planned beneficiaries of 31.63 million. On Sept 23, 2020, it is reported that the electricity subsidy will continue until the end of the year with a 4.338 trillion covering 31.88 million people. On Jan 2, 2021, government has Utility waivers further extended the duration of the subsidy until end of March 2021. On 8 March 2021, it was announced that, between April 2020 and January 2021, the electricity stimulus has been enjoyed by 33.04 million customers at a total value of Rp14.24 trillion. On 8 March 2021, it is announced that the government will cut back on subsidies with a 50 percent and 25 percent tariff discount, which are valid for household group with a power of 450 VA and 900 VA power respectively starting from April to June 2021. On 31st March 2020, the Government of Indonesia issued IDR 1.5 trillion in mortgage subsidies for 175,000 low-income families nationwide and increased the salary ceiling for eligible recipients to Rp 8 million for all types of housing from the previous Rp 4 million for landed houses and Rp 7 million for low-cost apartments. The new provision takes effect on April 1, 2020. This stimulus will be in the form of interest rate subsidies for loan installments (SSB) and down payment subsidies (SBUM). Out of the Rp 1.5 trillion, Rp 800 billion will be used for SSB and Rp 700 billion for SBUM. It was announced on 27 Aug 2020 that the Indonesia’s Education and Culture Ministry will provide IDP 7.2 trillion in form of internet quota subsidy to support students and teachers conducting long- distance learning for the next four months (starting from Sept until end of Dec 2020). 47.3 million students and teachers have benefited from this program. This package consists of 2 internet quotas, both of which are distributed monthly. All students and teachers received a five-gigabyte quota each month for the first type of quota. For the second type the quota was allocated based on each student’s and teacher’s level of education (e.g., Early-childhood (15 GB); Elementary- and secondary-school students (30 GB); Early-childhood education, elementary and secondary teachers (30 GB) and University students and lecturer (45 GB)). The re-introduction of this program was announced in the end of Feb 2021. The second round of the program lasted from March to May 2021. This time there was only one quota for everything (except social media). Again, like previously, the size of quotas was adjusted base on the education level. The Second re-introduction was reported on Aug 14, 2021, but this time the package is expected to reach the recipients in b/w sept 2021 to Nov 2021 with a coverage of 26.8 million students, teachers and lecturers, and has a budget of IDR 2.3 trillion. Paid sick leave The GoI issued IDR 3 trillion to finance contributions to the national health insurance scheme for 30 Health insurance Social million non-salaried workers. Insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Kartu Pra-Kerja (Pre-Employment Card Program), a program that provides subsidized vouchers for unemployed workers for skilling and re-skilling has doubled in its allocated budget (from IDR 10 to 20 trillion) and will be launched in April. The program will be accessible to an estimated 5.6 million informal workers and small and micro enterprises who have been affected by COVID-19. The Labor Activation measures benefits of the Pre-Employment Card Program in 2020 are Rp. 3,550,000 consisting of training Markets assistance of Rp. 1,000,000, post-training incentive of Rp. 600,000 per month for four (4) months and job survey incentives of Rp. 50,000 per survey for three surveys or a total of Rp. 150,000 per participant. Each program participant can only join the program once and must not receive other social assistances. Incentives are paid after participants complete at least one (1) training session. The applicants of the Pre-Employment Card Program are limited to: (i) job seekers; (ii) terminated employees; and (iii) employees that require job competency improvement. Pre-Employment Card Program registration is conducted online through www.prakerja.go.id. In 2020, the program had 11 enrollment cycles. The targets of the Pre-employment Card program are victims of job cuts (layoffs), job seekers, as well as micro and small business actors (UMK) affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Originally, it was one of President Joko Widodo’s campaign promises in the 2019 election. The design and purpose of the program has then been adapted and it has then been initiated in 2020 as part of an extensive economic stimulus package to support the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. The 'Safety 2020' program rolled out by the National Police Traffic Corps (Korlantas) combines safety training with Covid-19 prevention materials and online traffic safety and tutorials. The participants of this program are bus drivers, taxis, trucks, angkot, conventional motorcycle taxis, andong, rickshaws, kernet, bajaj or bemo and rental throughout Indonesia. The assistance provided in the form of money amounted to 600 thousand per month for three months to meet household needs. Polri reallocates Rp 360 billion from its budget to realize a program that distributes through BRI debit cards. The Indonesian Ministry of Manpower (MOM) provided guidance on worker protection and business sustenance in the context of prevention and control of Covid-19 via the Minister of Manpower Circular No. M / 3 / HK.04 / III / 2020 concerning Worker Protection and Business Sustenance in the Context of Preventing and Control of Covid-19. The main idea of this is to: (1) make efforts to prevent the spread and handling of Covid-19 related cases in at work, (2) Implement wage protection for workers in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic. MoM coordinates with Heads of Manpower Offices of Provinces throughout Indonesia in order to anticipate and overcome labor problems in the regions, among others, by providing directions and guidelines both verbally through teleconferences as well as through Circular Letters and coordinating on data collection and monitoring of companies laying Labor market regulations off workers.MoM strengthens the role of labor attaches in an effort to ensure the implementation of the WHO protocol for migrant workers in the country of placement. The Indonesian Ministry of Manpower (MOM) extended work permits for foreign workers in Indonesia for certain amount of time during the pandemic. On April 8, 2020, Ida Fauziyah, the Indonesian Minister of Manpower (“MOM”), signed and issued Circular Letter No. M/4/HK.04/IV/2020 regarding Services for the Utilization of Foreign Workers in Relation to the Prevention of Covid-19 (“MOM CL 4/2020”). Through MOM CL 4/2020, the Ministry of Manpower suspends all services for new applications related to the utilization and licensing of foreign workers. MOM CL 4/2020 also allows employers to apply for work permit extensions for their foreign workers who are still in Indonesia and cannot return to their country of origin due to entry restrictions. This allows employers to continue employing their expatriate workers during the Covid-19 outbreak. Reduced work time Between September and December 2020, the GoI launched an unconditional cash transfer for workers with a salary < IDR 5,000,000 and registered on BPJS TK Target to 15.7 million workers but reached 12.4 million workers in 2020. The program is not continued in 2021. Two IDR 1,200,000 transfers were disbursed every two months. Bantuan subsidi upah or BSU wage subsidy expected to help prevent workers affected by COVID-19 from getting laid off amid the enforcement of public activity restrictions and to assist employers in maintaining their businesses. Under the BSU 2021, eight trillion Indonesian rupiahs (about US$551 thousand) will be allocated to eight million people, with each beneficiary receiving Rp1 million (about US$69) via bank transfer. To receive the aid, workers need to be Indonesian citizens, registered under the Worker Social Security Program (Jamsostek), and still active in BPJS Ketenagakerjaan. The beneficiaries will be required to pay a fee, which will be accounted for from the Rp3.5-million salary. As of October 25, 2021, 2.1 million beneficiaries had received the aid transferred directly from the Himbara bank to the worker’s account. [October 2020] Rp8 trillion was channeled to assist contract-based teachers at the Ministry of Wage subsidies Religious Affairs and Ministry of Education and Culture. [December 2020] The Ministry of Religious Affairs (dubbed “Kemenag”) together with the Committee for the COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery Communication Team (KPCPEN) and the Ministry of Finance launched a wage subsidy program for non-civil servant educators and educational personnel (“BSU PTK Non-PNS”) for PTK Non-PNS under the Kemenag’s domain. This program is similar program had been distributed to PTK Non-PNS under the Ministry of Education and Culture. Requirements to receive BSU PTK Non-PNS include: an NIK (National identification number); a bank account (Facilities to open a bank account for those who do not have one will be provided in order to receive BSU PTK Non-PNS fund); does not receive BSU Tenaga Kerja (Manpower ministry’s workers wage subsidy program) and are not recipients of Kartu Prakerja (Pre- employment card program); and earn less than Rp5 million with non-civil servant status. [August 2021] The government plans to re-disburse BSU 2021 Rp1.8 million for Honoree Teachers or NON-CIVIL SERVANTS in public or private education units. The following are the requirements of recipients who are entitled to BSU Guru Honorer and non-civil servant teachers Rp1.8 million, namely as follows: 1. Indonesian Citizen (WNI) 2. Status as a non-civil servant PTK 3. Registered and active status in The Basic Data of Education (Dapodik) or Higher Education Database (PDDikti) as of June 30, 2020 4. Not getting Wage Subsidy Assistance or salaries from the Ministry that organizes government affairs in the field of employment until October 1, 2020 5. Not as a pre-employment card recipient until October 1, 2020, 6. Have income below Rp 5 million per month as evidenced by the statement in the Statement of Absolute Responsibility (SPTJM). Between September and December 2020, the GoI launched an unconditional cash transfer for workers with a salary < IDR 5,000,000 and registered on BPJS TK Target to 15.7 million workers but reached 12.4 million workers in 2020. The program is not continued in 2021. Two IDR 1,200,000 transfers were disbursed every two months. (back to the top) Iran Cash-based transfers (November 2020) The Parliament proposed plan is in the form of 6 monthly transfers of IRR1.2 million per individual to the bottom three deciles (20 million people) and IRR0.6 million per individual for 60 million other Iranians according to the income deciles. The total cost of the plan is IRR300 trillion (US$7.1 billion). (March 2020) First round of lockdown: Iran supported around 3 million families from lowest deciles of income whose head of household is no permanent jobs or retired without pension with cash transfers up to 6 million rails (US$ 400) in 4 stages. It will be paid monthly for four months, and one additional time for Ramadan. [1,2] A single person family will receive 200,000 Tomans, a two-person family 300,000 Tomans, a three-person family 400,000 Tomans, a four-person family 500,000 Tomans and a five-person family 600,000 Tomans Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) (October 2020) Second round of lock down: 40 million people from low income, non-fixed income, under of coverage of Imam Khomeini Relief fund, and SWO schemes qualified to receive unconditional cash transfer amounting between 100,000 to 120,000 Tomans per person for 4 Social months (Dec 2020 to March 2021 Assistance (2020) More targeted social protection services – cash plus – to reach approx 42,000 households with children under the age of 18 in four high COVID-19 impacted deprived provinces in line with the endorsed UN Iran COVID Socioeconomic Response Programme (SERP) to complement the existing UBI. Soft conditionalities are intended to improve the access of these vulnerable households to health services, nutrition vouchers, food baskets and remote learning for at-risk children. Furthermore; the targeted population will benefit from psycho-social support services and skills training Social pensions In-kind transfers Procurement of hygiene kits for vulnerable children, including those without caregivers, children with disabilities and street children (Iranian and non-Iranian): Procurement is in progress and the Food, vouchers, others requested quantities will be delivered to the Ministry of Cooperative, Labour and Social Welfare to distribute between SWO and NGOs. The hygiene kits will address the needs of 51,000 children living with disabilities in 906 Rehabilitation Centres and 10,000 children without caregivers in 650 Nurseries and Child Care Centres throughout the country, and also the large number of street children scattered in the capital, whose identify and numbers are not fully known. (2020) The cash plus scheme will go hand-in-hand with existing schemes for addition of inkind support to have better access and continuation of education (e.g. tablets with educational applications, wheel chair, etc.) for children given the current school closure due to the pandemic, and nutritional cash cards to support food baskets for these poor households. School feeding Public works (2020) Iran planned for free interest 1 million Tomans loans on demand for the 21 million households Utility waivers qualified under cash subsidies (UBI) – deduction from monthly cash subsidies. For women headed households the allocation is 2 million Tommans The Social Security Organization guarantees a wage compensation of 50 percent to workers taking Paid sick leave sick leave Health insurance Pensions Social Iran planned to allocate IRR50,000 billion (USD305 million) as of 6 April to the Unemployment Insurance Fund, to aid those who have lost their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The Insurance workers of 10 economic sub-sectors subject to the Labour Law, the Social Security Act and the Unemployment benefits Unemployment Insurance Law, are eligible for the benefit for three months. Self-employed people who have insurance, such as construction workers, carpet weavers, public transportation operators and drivers, are not eligible for unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Iraq Cash-based transfers An Emergency Grant was announced on 4 April, 2020. A total of IQD300 billion will be allocated for the emergency grant, covering all governorates. On 30 April, 2020, the Minister of Planning announced that the Emergency Grant will be disbursed around mid-May, 2020. The eligibility criteria of the Emergency Grant are as follows: 1. Male applicants must be between 18 and 66 years old, and women must be between 18 and 55 years old; 2. The applicant must be registered in the unemployment registry; 3. The applicant must not have a fixed income. Registration takes place on Cash transfers the website minha.iq. Beneficiaries need valid documents to register (such as an ID and a ration (conditional and unconditional) card). Each beneficiary family will receive IQD150,000. As of 3 July, 2020, about 7 million people had received the transfer (out of 12 million considered eligible). It was indicated that 67,000 new families who were registered for the ‘emergency grant’ will be included in the list of families receiving assistance under the Social Protection Law (under discussion). (April 2020) Vertical expansion of SSN: 600,000 beneficiaries received a one-time top-up (another top-up is under discussion). Social pensions Social Assistance In-kind transfers The Iraqi Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs launched on April 7, 2020 a program named “1,000,000 Food Baskets for the Poor” to alleviate the effects of COVID-19. The aid is targeting poor households registered in the main Cash Transfer Program database. The estimated cost of each basket is about US$ 15 and 708,360 beneficiaries have received the food basket as of April 13th. Food assistance and nutrition support for 652,661 individuals including refugees and IDPs in the form of in-kind and cash transfers by WFP. The combination of both modalities came in response to Food, vouchers, others current disruption to local bank and financial service providers The NGO department in the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers provided 135 local organisations with financial, food and medical assistance and sterilisation materials. A total of 118,741 beneficiaries were supported as of 2 April 2020. On 26 April 2020, there were 1,891,976 beneficiaries (different non-standardised, in-kind grants) through NGOs in Iraq. The Council of Ministers refers to these efforts as the “National Campaign of NGOs and Volunteering Groups to Respond to COVID-19 Impact. School feeding Public works The Central Bank also encouraged the use of electronic payments to contain the transmission of the virus and instructed vendors to eliminate commissions on such payments for six months.In coincide with the move to support the e-government program, the Central Bank of Iraq announces the launch of the electronic collection project, which can contribute to strengthening government resources and collecting them in a safe and transparent environment, by relying on the infrastructure of payment systems and electronic payment platforms provided by the Central Bank and its authorized payment service providers. This project generally targets ministries and collection departments that collect their revenues through bills and fees, on top of which is the Iraqi Housing Fund.- This project will enable the Housing Fund to automate all lending processes, adopt electronic Utility waivers payment tools and cancel cash transactions, which in turn will help alleviate the burden of borrowing citizens by speeding up the completion of transactions and using payment platforms instead of coming to the headquarters of the Housing Fund. The project included a timetable to include all its branches in the governorates in the collection project until the end of 2021.- The Municipality of Baghdad and municipal departments in the provinces are directed to suspend the collection of levies and other financial dues from residents to ease the financial burden caused by the coronavirus- Some additional measures were announced in early April 2020, such as the exemption of monthly loans payments for specific groups, including farmers- Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Waiver of penalties applicable to the late payment of the February 2020 social security Social security contributions contributions, which were due by the end of March 2020. Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Ireland Cash-based transfers The Christmas Bonus is an extra payment for people getting a long-term social welfare payment. The Christmas Bonus is 100% of the normal weekly long-term social welfare payment (the minimum payment is €20). It will also be paid to people getting the COVID-Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) for at least 17 weeks. The bonus was paid with the social welfare payment the week beginning 7 December 2020, for people receiving Domiciliary Care Allowance, on 15 December 2020. The payment for the spouse/partner (the socalled Qualified Adult Allowance) for unemployed claimants was raised by €12.30 a week (from €134.70 to €147 a week). This was mainly to correct for considerably greater generosity for those receiving the PUP (and the COVID19 Enhanced Illness Payment) as against those on the regular jobseeker payments. Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) A number of social programs were vertically expanded in October 2021 in light of the ongoing economic difficulties due to COVID-19. The maximum rate of all weekly social welfare payments will increase by €5 with proportional increases for qualified adults and people on reduced rates of Social payment (January 2022). The weekly rate for a qualified child will increase by €2 from €38 to €40 Assistance for children under 12 years of age. It will increase by €3 from €45 to €48 for children aged 12 years and over. The Fuel Allowance will increase by €5 from €28 to €33 per week from 13 October 2022. The Living Alone Increase will increase by €3 from €19 to €22 (January 2022). The Working Family Payment threshold will increase by €10 across all family sizes (June 2022). Parent’s Benefit will be extended by 2 weeks from 5 weeks to 7 weeks for the parents of children born or adopted from November 2019 (July 2022). The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BTSCFA) for a child aged 4-11 will increase by €10 from €150 to €160. For children aged 12 and over, it will also increase by €10 from €275 to €285. Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding A number of social programs were vertically expanded in October 2021 in light of the ongoing economic difficulties due to COVID-19. The maximum rate of all weekly social welfare payments will increase by €5 with proportional increases for qualified adults and people on reduced rates of payment (January 2022). The weekly rate for a qualified child will increase by €2 from €38 to €40 for children under 12 years of age. It will increase by €3 from €45 to €48 for children aged 12 years and over. The Fuel Allowance will increase by €5 from €28 to €33 per week from 13 October 2022. The Living Alone Increase will increase by €3 from €19 to €22 (January 2022). The Working Family Payment threshold will increase by €10 across all family sizes (June 2022). Parent’s Benefit will be extended by 2 weeks from 5 weeks to 7 weeks for the parents of children born or adopted from November 2019 (July 2022). The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BTSCFA) for a child aged 4-11 will increase by €10 from €150 to €160. For children aged 12 and over, it will also increase by €10 from €275 to €285. Public works A series of measures to support people impacted by COVID-19 have been announced by the banking sector. These include: flexible arrangements, including a payment break for mortgages and other loans. Customers affected by COVID-19 must contact their bank to discuss the flexibility available to them, including the possibility of a payment break of up to 3 months. Non-bank mortgage lenders and credit servicing firms have also announced their support for this measure; support for buy-to-let bank customers with tenants affected by COVID-19 – customers with rental property in which the tenants are adversely impacted by COVID-19 will also be provided with flexibility including with an opportunity to seek a payment break of up to 3 months, which will allow them to exercise due levels of forbearance to their tenants; payment breaks as a result of COVID-19 will not affect credit records Legislation was enacted in March 2020 mandating a prohibition on evictions and also a freezing of rents for a period of three months. This means that landlords were not only prohibited from increasing rents during the three-month period but they may not backdate any intended rent Utility waivers increases during this time as arrears of rent due to them when the crisis passes. The banks have also said they will support buy-to-let bank customers with tenants affected by COVID-19 with an opportunity to seek a payment break of up to 3 months – so they can in turn offer forbearance to their tenants. Rent Supplement was made available in March 2020 as a short-term income support to those in the private rented sector who experienced difficulty paying their rent. In view of the difficulties created for many in the private rented sector who have lost significant employment income, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection will use the full flexibility of the scheme to provide the necessary support. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has issued a moratorium on disconnections of domestic customers for non-payment to the gas and electricity suppliers. The suppliers have arrangements in place for any domestic/residential customers in arrears which are overseen by CRU and have a number of emergency provisions to assist Pay As individuals Go customers. Rent Supplement was made available in March 2020 as a short-term income support to those in the private rented sector who experienced difficulty paying their rent. In view of the difficulties created for many in the private rented sector who have lost significant employment income, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection will use the full flexibility of the scheme to provide the necessary support. An extension of the payment period for the Winter Fuel Allowance (a means-tested payment for those on long-term social welfare benefits to help with fuel costs) by 4 weeks (meaning an additional €98 per qualifying household) was announced in March 2020. Eligible people will be paid €305 per week (as compared with the normal Illness Benefit rate of €203). This is available to employees and the self-employed who are unable to work due to: a Paid sick leave diagnosis of COVID-19 or an instruction by a doctor or the HSE to self-isolate or restrict their movements Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance [August 2020] The COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment was put in place from August 5, 2020 as a social welfare benefit and is available to employees who lost their employment on or after Unemployment benefits March 13, 2020 as a direct consequence of COVID-19. The payments range from €203 per week to €300 per week, depending on weekly earnings. The COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment scheme closed to new applications from 8 July, 2021. Social security contributions Additional €200 million investment in training, education, skills development, work placement schemes, recruitment subsidies, job search and assistance measures, to help those who have lost their jobs find a new one, retrain, or develop new skills, in particular for emerging growth sectors. The government offers a range of initiatives for reskilling and upskilling to help businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic. Skills and training supports include Enterprise Ireland's eiLearn online learning resource, LEO training webinars, Skillnet Ireland's Skills Connect, the SOLAS Skills to Advance Labor Activation measures initiative and Springboard+ courses. Markets [July 2020] As part of the Jobs Stimulus package, the government announced a new Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme which provides financial support for apprenticeship employers who take on apprentices on all national apprenticeship programmes. Apprenticeship employers are eligible for a €3,000 payment for each new apprentice who is registered between the period 01 March and 30 June 2021. €2,000 per apprentice is payable at the point of registration. A further €1,000 is payable in Quarter 3 2021 for each eligible apprentice retained on their apprenticeship. [Extended - June 2021] On June 24, the Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme for employers of apprentices was extended to 31 December 2021. [March 2020] On March 27, an amendment of the law on claiming redundancy from your employer if you have been temporarily laid off, or temporarily put on short-time work was amended for the COVID-19 emergency period. Normally, if you are laid off or put on short-time hours, you can claim redundancy from your employer after 4 weeks or more, or 6 weeks in the last 13 weeks. However, this was suspended during COVID-19. It applies from 13 March 2020 and is set to expire by the end of the emergency period (May 31, 2020). This rule has been extended until 30 June 2021. [Extended - May 2020] The Government extended the suspension of redundancy entitlements until August 10, 2020. Labor market regulations [Extended - August 2020] The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection announced the extension of the suspension of redundancy provisions until September 17, 2020. [Extended - September 2020] On September 15, the Minister for Social Protection announced the extension of the redundancy provisions until Novermber 30, 2020. [Extended - November 2020] On November 2020, the Government announced that the suspension of redundancy provisions will be further extended until March 31, 2021 [Extended - March 2021] The Goverment announced a further extension until June 30, 2021 [Extended - June 2021] As part of the Economic Recovery Plan, the Government announced a further extension of the redundancy provisions until September 30, 2021. Reduced work time [March 2020] The Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) provides a subsidy up to 85% depending on employees’ previous average net weekly pay. The TWSS operated from 26 March 2020 for 12 weeks, and then was extended until 31 August 2020. It enabled employers that were affected by the pandemic, to give significant support directly to their employees and keep employees on their payroll throughout the pandemic. Qualifying criteria includes employers from all sectors whose business activities are experiencing negative economic disruption (minimum 25% decline in turnover) unable to fully pay normal wages. Wage subsidies [September 2020] The Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) provides income support to eligible employers who are impacted by COVID-19, with respect to employees on their payroll. The scheme was introduced in September 1, 2020 as a replacement for the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS), and will continue until March 31, 2021. The number of employers benefiting from the scheme in 2020 was 39,367. [Extended - January 2021] Under the Government’s ‘Resilience and Recovery 2021 – the Path Ahead’ the scheme is extended until 30 June 2021. The scheme now requires companies to demonstrate at least a 30% reduction in their business turnover as a result of COVID-19. [Extended - June 2021] On June 1, the Minister for Finance announced the extension of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) to 31 December 2021. [Extended - October 2021] On October 12, the Minister for Finance announced the extension of the scheme until April 2022. A two-rate structure of €151.50 and €203 will apply for December, January and February, and a flat rate subsidy of €100 will apply for March and April. The extension is expected to cost the government around €1.26 billion. [July 2020] As part of the Jobs Stimulus package, the government announced a new Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme which provides financial support for apprenticeship employers who take on apprentices on all national apprenticeship programmes. Apprenticeship employers are eligible for a €3,000 payment for each new apprentice who is registered between the period 01 March and 30 June 2021. €2,000 per apprentice is payable at the point of registration. A further €1,000 is payable in Quarter 3 2021 for each eligible apprentice retained on their apprenticeship. [Extended - June 2021] On June 24, the Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme for employers of apprentices was extended to 31 December 2021. The government is providing income support payment for those who have been temporarily placed on a shorter working week. The payment is made in respect of regular salary for the days that employees are no longer working. For example, if an employee working week has been reduced from a 5 day work pattern to a 3 day work pattern, they can receive support for the other 2 days. Short Time Work Support is paid for a maximum of 234 days. The entitlement will depend on the number of social insurance contributions employees have (back to the top) Isle of Man Cash-based transfers Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) Social pensions Social In-kind transfers Assistance Food, vouchers, others School feeding Public works Utility waivers Paid sick leave Health insurance Pensions [April 2020] The Manx Earnings Replacement Allowance ('MERA') was introduced, which provides an income of £200 a week (for 12 weeks) to people who have either been laid off or made redundant from their employment, or have lost their self-employed work, since 2 March 2020. It is also for Social people who have been instructed to stay at home with their school-age child or have been self- Insurance isolating because they have been in close contact with someone who has had a positive COVID19 Unemployment benefits test or think they may have COVID-19. [Extended - June 2020] MERA was extended for an additional 12 weeks until September 20, 2020. [Extended - January 2021] On January 5, MERA was reintroduced until January 31, 2021 [Extended - March 2021] On March 3, MERA was reintroduced and will be payable to qualifying persons up to 11 April 2021. The payable amount has been increased by £30 per week, to £230. Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor Reduced work time Markets [March 2020] The Salary support scheme was introduced is to provide salary support for Wage subsidies businesses adversely affected by Coronavirus. The Scheme provides a contribution of a maximum of £280 per week per full time employee, and a maximum of £280 pro rata based on a 35 hour week for part time and zero-hours contract employees, for up to 12 weeks beginning on March 2, and until May 25, 2020. [Extended - May 2020] On May 20, the Isle of Man Government has announced a 12-week extension to the Salary Support Scheme, untill August 17. [Extended - January 2021] On January 8, the Salary Support Scheme was re-opened starting January 4, until January 31, 2021. On January 23, the scheme was extended starting February 1 to February 28, 2021. [Extended - March 2021] On March 2, the Salary Support Scheme was extended for another period, until March 29. The amount of salary support increased to £310 a week. The scheme also received a monthly extension for the months of April and May 2021. [Extended - May 2021] On May 20, the Government decided to extend the Salary Support Scheme but only for businesses in the travel and tourism sectors (also launderettes). This extension will last till January 2, 2022. (back to the top) Israel Cash-based transfers On July 15, 2020, the Israeli government announced a plan called “A Grant to Every Citizen.” It provided for a universal grant to Israeli citizen-residents -- whose annual income in 2018 did not exceed NIS 641,880 -- of 750 New Israeli Shekels (NIS), or roughly $220, per adult (over the age of 18) and 500 NIS, or roughly $150, per child, with a maximum of three children per household. By early August, the payments had been disbursed and deposited directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts. According to the Bank of Israel, the final cost of the grants was estimated at the time to be 6.5 billion NIS (0.46 percent of 2019 GDP). In practice, less than 2 percent of citizens were ineligible due to either having income above the ceiling or not having filed a tax return for 2018 in spite of being obligated to do so (the large majority of taxpayers do not have to file tax returns). Cash transfers Thus, the grant was practically universal. (conditional and unconditional) (April 2020) Grant to self-employed (NIS 15.0 billion as of 3 March 2021): A grant of 70% of twice the average monthly taxable income up to NIS 15 000, once every two months, from May 2020 to June 2021, for self-employed that experience a 40% decrease in activity. Amount (if specified): NIS 15.0 Social billion. Extended on 8 and 24 April 2020. Assistance Grants to the long-term unemployed of NIS 2,000 (i.e. to individuals who received unemployment pay for a period of at least 100 days, whether consecutive or not, between March and October 2020, on condition that their effective wage before the crisis was lower than the average daily wage in the economy). Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding Israeli bar offers free beer and shots to young people who get coronavirus vaccination Public works Tax and payment deferrals (NIS 9 billion). Payment of VAT, municipal taxes, social security contributions, utility payments, government fees have been deferred for SMEs until the end of April. Utility waivers Suspension of mortgage payments for three months. Temporary suspension of evictions from public housing and rent reductions for tenants severely affected by Covid-19. The Histadrut (General Organization of Workers) and the government have agreed on paid leave for workers in the public sector. It is an agreed pooling system of vacation leave to share with workers who need to stay away from work. It stipulates that a non-essential designated employee that is not Paid sick leave required to work during the crisis period will take a mandatory vacation at the expense of the workers’ accumulated vacation days. Employers in the public sector and the Histadrut will set up a joint vacation days fund for emergencies, which will work to prevent damages to workers' wages that do not have the sufficient accumulated vacation time. Health insurance 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. The amount of the Pensions 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. (September 2020) In Israel, neither self-employed workers nor freelancers are eligible for unemployment benefits. However, in the covid-19 context, certain groups of self-employed workers may be entitled to unemployment benefits: a. Tour guides; b. Instructors, lecturers and teachers who ceased their activity due coronavirus outbreak; c. Artists who ceased their activities due to Social coronavirus outbreak. Insurance [March 2020] various reliefs were set for the unemployed, which ended on June 30 2021: -expand eligibility for employees who will be placed on 14-day unpaid leave -changes in the calculation of the amount of unemployment benefits Unemployment benefits -add eligibility for those who have completed their unemployment days in january or february 2020 -extending the payment period for those who have completed the days of unemployment who were entitled to them (including those whose unemployment year has ended) -shorten the qualification period to 6 months -receiving unemployment benefits in parallel with additional allowances (without a reduction from the allowance) -payment for the first days of unemployment at the end of 4 months -confirmation of eligibility for those who have not yet registered with the employment office -automatic extension of eligibility in case of extension of unpayment -"unemployment benefits" for maternity, adoptive parents, designated parents and foster parents [July 2021] Easing eligibility for unemployment benefits starting in July 2021 (extension of eligibility for 45-year-olds, shortening the qualification period, the amount of unemployment benefits, payment in a row at the end of 4 months, payment in parallel with additional allowances). [July 2021] Adaptation grant for the unemployed over the age of 67 (extension of eligibility for those who received an adjustment grant in june 2021, up to another 3 months) Tax and payment deferrals (NIS 9 billion). Payment of VAT, municipal taxes, social security contributions, utility payments, government fees have been deferred for SMEs until the end of April 2020. Social security contributions Tax and payment deferrals (NIS 9 billion). Payment of VAT, municipal taxes, social security contributions, utility payments, government fees have been deferred for SMEs until the end of April. Activation measures Labor market regulations Reduced work time [September 2020] As part of the plan to expand economic safety net to deal with nationwide Labor lockdown, some employers will receive employee retention grants in the amount of 5,000 new Markets shekels ($1,460) for each employee they kept to encourage employment and prevent mass layoffs. The amount of the grant will depending on how much the business has been hurt and the share of Wage subsidies employees retained in September and October 2020. [June 2020] The Israeli government agreed to grant employers who met certain qualifying criteria NIS 7,500 for each employee they recruited back to work from unpaid leave. (back to the top) Italy Cash-based transfers The Decreto di Rilancio - “Relaunch decree” - a stimulus package of €55B signed on May 19th 2020 introduced a temporary means tested cash transfer, Reddito di Emergenza (REM), Emergency Income, for those vulnerable households not protected by any other social assistance measure. The amount varies between €400 to €840 per month, depending on an equivalence scale. There have been four rounds of REM since its launch, the last of which started in April 2021. This involved a total budget of €954.6 million, €172.5 million, €452 million, €1.5 billion on each round, respectively. To summarize, throughout the first three rounds of REM, each household could have accessed up to a maximum of 5 monthly instalments of REM in a period of 8 months (May 2020 - December 2020). With the latest re-financing they could be eligible for further 3 months, bringing it to a total of maximum 8 monthly instalments in a period of 13 months. The Relaunch Decree introduced a flat-rate allowance to protect domestic workers and carers. The allowance was paid in April and May 2020. Domestic workers and carers were entitled to a €500 monthly benefit. The INPS reports that 215,000 domestic workers and carers received this bonus. Social Cash transfers Assistance Workers with income less than €40,000 (US$ 44,000) per year were entitled to a nontaxable, one- (conditional and unconditional) off benefit of €100 (US$ 110) for March 2020 if their job required the worker to go to the regular workplace. Workers who carried out their job remotely were not entitled to the bonus.- The Relaunch Decree extended the one-off €600 (US$ 660) bonus to self-employed and professional workers, including agricultural, tourism, cultural sector workers by one additional month for April 2020. In May 2020, the bonus increases to €1,000 for those self-professional workers who could demonstrate a 30% reduction in income during March-April 2020 with respect to the same period of last year. The Cure Italy Decree introduced a monthly lump-sum allowance for some categories of intermittent and seasonal workers registered with the INPS. Apart from employees in agriculture, who received the benefit in March-April 2020 only, all other targeted categories received this allowance in March, April, and May 2020. Moreover, excluding those employed in agriculture, three further monthly installments were introduced (one month each) by the August Decree, the Reliefs Decree and the “Reliefs quater Decree” (Decree No 157, issued on 30 November 2020) whereas the Support Decree introduced (March 2021) a further one-time allowance for the categories covered by the Reliefs Decree. The amount of the flat-rate benefit varied across the different professional categories. All categories received a €600 monthly benefit in March and April 2020. Since May, the monthly amount for seasonal workers in tourism increased to €1,000, whereas it remained at €600 for seasonal and intermittent employees in other industries. Moreover, all intermittent, occasional, and seasonal workers benefited from an additional €2,400 lump-sum payment in April 2021. (March 2020) The “Cura Italia” (Cure Italy) stimulus – a package of Euro 25B – includes Euro 13.5B to support families and workers. It offers funds to private-sector workers to pay for babysitters via a childcare voucher of up to Euro 600 for workers with children below the age of 12 who decide not to take parental leave. The voucher can reach up to Euro 1,000 for workers in the health sector. The Relaunch decree includes specific support families and workers. It offers funds to private-sector workers to pay for babysitters via a childcare voucher of up to €1200 (US$ 1320) for workers with children below the age of 12 who decide not to take parental leave. The voucher can reach up to €2,000 (US$ 2,200) for workers in the health sector sector. Vouchers can also be used towards summer camps. (March 2020) Two novelties concerned the Reddito di cittadinanza (RdC), Italy's flagship social assistance program, during the pandemic: i) conditionality rules about job-search activities by beneficiaries were temporarily suspended until July 2020; and ii) the government introduced a top- up supplement for RdC recipients. The topup supplement is paid to households whose members belong to the categories of workers protected through the extraordinary allowances described in Sections 2.5.3- 2.5.5 (e.g. self-employed and seasonal workers), where the RdC amount is lower than the amount of these allowances. An increase in the number of RdC recipients was reported in 2020 due to the growing number of those in poverty as a consequence of the effect of the pandemic on household incomes. According to the latest INPS data, the number of beneficiaries then greatly increased after the outbreak of the crisis up to a maximum of 1,255,152 beneficiary households in September 2020. Social pensions In-kind transfers On March 29th 2020, the National Civil Protection transferred €400 million to 7,904 municipalities to purchase food vouchers and basic food necessities based on population and income criteria. Mayors are free to decide how to purchase products and how to select beneficiaries. Priority should be given to households that are not beneficiaries of other social assistance programs Food, vouchers, others In March 2021 further financing of €155M was approved by the government to renew the food vouchers for low-income households following the same distribution mechanisms of the original ones. School feeding Public works The Cure Italy Decree increased the resources, and extended the operation, of the national “solidarity fund” in order to temporarily suspend the payment of mortgage instalments for new categories of workers buying their first home. The suspension of payment of mortgage instalments is granted for a maximum duration of: six months in cases where working time is suspended or reduced by 30-150 consecutive working days; 12 months for 151-302 consecutive working days; and 18 months for more than 303 consecutive working days. The solidarity fund covers 50% of the interest accrued during the suspension period. Access was extended to self-employed workers for nine months, from 17 March to 17 December 2020. By contrast, for employees the measure has been extended from 17 March until 31 December 2021. The Cure Italy Decree suspended the execution of eviction orders, including both residential and non- residential buildings. The suspension was originally introduced from 17 March to 30 June 2020. The term of the suspension was later extended by subsequent legislative interventions to 30 June 2021. All tenants are potential beneficiaries of this intervention. No estimate of evictions avoided through this intervention is available (in 2019, in better economic conditions, the total number of approved arrears evictions was 48,543). Utility waivers Law No 77 issued on 17 July 2020 substantially increased, for 2020, the resources of the national fund to support access to rental housing (i.e. the fund allowing local authorities to grant contributions to low-income households to lessen the burden of rent costs on household income). The Budget Law for 2021 (Art. 234 of Law No 178 of 30 December 2020) further increased the resources of the fund for the whole of 2021. It is up to the municipalities to define the eligibility conditions as well as the amount and the duration of the support to tenants, identifying their requirements by means of special notices. The government introduced the suspension of VAT and other tax payments in March 2020. Law No 176 of 18 December 2020 introduced a contribution for owners of residential real estate units who decide to reduce the rent for the contracts in place on 29 October 2020, with the aim of addressing tenants’ economic difficulties and consequently reduce the risk of evictions. The contribution will reduce, in 2021, the rent for the contracts already in place on 29 October 2020 by 50%, up to a maximum of €1,200, within the limit of the resources allocated to this measure (100 million EUR for 2021). The reduction is targeted at home-owners of properties that constitute the tenant's main residence and are located in a town with “high housing voltage” – that is, the 714 municipalities, including all the provincial capitals, listed in an old provision (Resolution No 87 of 13 November 2003) of the Inter-ministerial Committee for Economic Planning (CIPE). Parents of children younger than 12 were allowed to take leave for up to 30 (combined) days starting from March 5th 2020 until July 2020, while receiving 50% of the salary paid by the government. Paid leave up to the maximum of 12 days a month (instead of 3 days) for workers with care duties in respect of persons with disabilities. Paid sick leave Paid leave up to the maximum of 12 days a month (instead of 3 days) for workers with care duties in respect elderly/non autonomous family members. Parents with kids in remote learning due to school closures or that were obliged to quarantine were entitled to extra family/sick leave for as long as the school premises are closed or the quarantine period is in place. Health insurance Pensions [March 2020] On March 17, and as part of the "Cura Italia" Decree, the Government decided to extend the deadline of NASpI and DIS-COLL unemployment benefits applications by 60 days, from Social 68 to 128 days from the date of involuntary termination of the relevant employment relationship. Insurance This extension only applies to NASpI and DIS-COLL applications for involuntary terminations occurring between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2020. [Extended - May 2020] On May 19, and as part of the "Rilancio" Decree, the Government extended the NASpI and DIS-COLL treatment, expiring between 1 March 2020 and 30 April 2020, for a Unemployment benefits further two months from the original expiry date, provided that the beneficiary does not receive any additional allowances according to the Decree "Cura Italia" or the “Rilancio” Decree for self-employed workers. [Extended - August 2020] On August 14, and as part of the "Agosto" Decree, the Government extended NASpI and DIS-COLL for a further two months, under the same conditions. [Extended - May 2021] On May 25, as part of the "Sostegni bis" decree, the Government announced the suspension of payment reductions (which start from the 4th month of payment) until 31 December 2021. [August 2020] On August 14, and as part of the "Agosto" Decree, the Government provided an exemption from payment of social security contributions to employers who used salary support schemes in the months of May and June 2020 (part of Cura Italia Decree) and decided not to apply Social security contributions for the further 18 weeks period of salary support. The exemption is granted for a maximum of 4 months, to be used by 31 December 2020, calculated at twice the amount of hours of salary support the employer have already benefited from during the months of May and June 2020. Employers who will be granted total exemption from social security contributions will not be able to dismiss employees for justified objective reasons for the entire period during which they will benefit from the above relief. [Extended - December 2020] On December 24, and as part of the "Ristori" Decree, the exemption from paying social security contributions was extended for an additional period of 4 weeks, to be used by December 31, 2020. [Extended - January 2021] On January 1, and as part of the Budget Law for year 2021, the exemption from paying social security contributions was extended for an additional maximum period of 8 weeks, to be used by March 31, 2021. [August 2020] On August 14, and as part of the "Agosto" Decree, the Government provided an exemption from social security charges to employers who hire employees on an open- ended/permanent contract (including the transformation of a fixed-term employment contract into an open-ended one), until 31 December 2020. The exemption is granted for a maximum of 6 months starting from the hiring date and up to the maximum amount of EUR 8.060,00 per year. [August 2020] On August 14, and as part of the "Agosto" Decree, the Government provided employers having production units in regions considered economically depressed and with high unemployment rates, will have the possibility to benefit from a 30% reduction of social security charges, calculated on the overall amount due between 1 October and 31 December 2020. [August 2020] On August 14, and as part of the "Agosto" Decree, the Government provided employers having production units in the regions of Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia Romagna, who suspended or reduced their business activity as a result of the enforcement of restrictive measures related to COVID-19, can apply for social shock absorbers, for a maximum of 4 weeks, to cover periods of suspension / reduction of work that occurred between 23 February, and 30 April 2020. Applications must be filed by 15 October 2020. Postponement of social security contributions payment for taxpayers who carry out business activities with revenues or fees not exceeding EUR 2 million. Activation measures Labor [March 2020] On March 17, and as part of the Cura Italia Decree, the Government announced that Markets employers are prohibited from dismissing their employees for justifiable reasons, for a period of 60 Labor market regulations days, regardless of the number of workers. Employers are also not allowed to initiate collected dimissal procedures. [Extended - May 2020] On May 19, and as part of the "Rilancio" Decree, the Government announced the extension of dimissal ban until August 17, 2020. [Extended - August 2020] On August 14, and as part of the "Agosto" Decree, the Government extended the duration of the dimissal ban for a mobile term corresponding to the end of the 18 weeks of wage supplementation or until the end of the period in which the social security contribution relief benefit is used. The following cases are also excluded from the extension of the ban on dismissal: (i) dismissals due to closure of business (cessazione definitiva), (ii) dimissals due to union company agreements, and dismissal due to bankruptcy (fallimento). [Extended - December 2020] On December 24, and as part of "Ristori" Decree, the Government extended the ban on dismissal until January 31, 2021, regardless whether wage subsidies were requested or not. [Extended - March 2021] On March 23, as part of the Sostegni Decree, the dismissal ban was extended until end of March 2021 to prevent discrimination/social exclusion. The Sostegni decree extends a general firing freeze until June 30, 2021. After this date, the government announced a more selective approach, keeping the freeze in place only for some sectors. [Extended - May 2021] On May 25, and as part of the Sostegni-bis Decree, the Government regualted the dismissal ban so that it ends on June 30, for all employers, and remains up to October 31, for employers benefits from special supplementary salary schemes. For employers using CIGO or GIGS salary schemes, the ban will remain for the duration of the policy and in any case, end before December 31, 2021 [March 2020] On March 17, and as part of the "Cura Italia" Decree, an ad hoc protocol was developed which requires employers to take some enhanced occupational safety and health (OSH) measures in ordera to counter and contain the spread of COVID-19 in workplaces. These OSH measures was the result of an agreement by social partners with the mediation of the Prime Minister which was adopted on 14 March 2020. This agreement contains national guidelines on the implementation of enhanced occupational health and safety measures that comply with the WHO’s requirements. [May 2020] On May 19, the "Rilancio" Decree sets out, by way of derogation from the ordinary provisions relating to the extension and renewal of fixed-term contracts, the possibility to renew or extend until 30 August 2020 all fixed-term contracts already in place as at 23 February 2020, even when the grounds provided for by law are not met. [August 2020] On August 14, the "Agosto" Decree provided for the possibility, as an exception to the ordinary rules on extensions and renewals of fixed-term contracts, to renew or extend until 31 December 2020 all fixed-term employment contracts, for a maximum period of 12 months and for one time only, even in the absence of the reasons provided for by law. The Decree also repealed the provision containing the automatic extension of fixed-term contracts introduced by the law converting the "Rilancio" Decree. [March 2021] on March 23, the "Sostegni" Decree provided that until 31 December 2021, it is possible to renew or extend fixed-term employment contracts, without mentioning business related reasons, once and for a maximum period of 12 months. In any case the maximum duration of 24 months for fixed-term employment must always be complied with. [May 2020] On May 19, and as part of the "Rilancio" Decree, parents who are employed in the private sector with at least one child younger than 14 years are entitled to agile working if in the household there is no other parent benefiting from income support measures in case of suspension or interruption of the work activity or other non-working parent; and if the agile working mode is suitable for the type of work of the relevant employee. [Extended - July 2020] On July 20, and as part of Law Decree no.83, the right of parents with at least one child under the age of 14 to perform agile working was extended until September 14, 2020. [Extended - August 2020] On August 14, and as part of the "Agosto" Decree, the parent's right for agile work was extended until December 31, 2020 and for the entire duration of said mandatory quarantine period. The employed parent is entitled to perform his/her working duties through agile work, or in case the agile work is not suitable due to the specific type of work, and, in any case, as an alternative to agile work, benefit from a special leave for the entire or part of the child’s quarantine period with payment of an allowance equal to 50% of the salary. [Extended - December 2020] On December 24, and as part of "Ristori" Decree, the parents provisions were amended as follows: (i) the age of the child whose mandatory quarantine period grants the parent the right to agile working is increased from 14 to 16 years old; and (ii) the right to Reduced work time agile working is extended to cases where the cohabiting child’s in-person didactic activities have been suspended, if the child is younger than 16 years old. [Extended - March 2021] On March 13, and as part of the Decree Law no. 30, the Government extended parents' entitlement to agile work until June 30, during periods where teaching is suspended, for the duration of a COVID-19 infection or quarantine of a child. [Extended - August 2021] On August 6, and as part of the Decree Law no. 111, the Government extended until December 31, 2021. [March 2020] On March 8, and as part of the Decree of the President of the Council of Ministers, the smart/agile work modality will be applied for the duration of the state of emergency by employers to any employment relationship. The decree eased certain restrictions including the requirement that parties consent to this work system, and introduced simplified mandatory communications procedures to labor authorities. These changes have been reiterated in several emergency measures that followed, including "Cura Italia" and "Rilancio" Decrees. [Extended - July 2020] As part of the Law Decree no.83/2020 on July 20, and Decree of the Prime Minister on July 29, the state of emergency was extended until October 15, 2020. This entails the extension of the right of employers to implement agile working without having individual agreements with employees and the simplified communication process, until October 15, 2020, afterwhich, the agile/smart work arrangements shall be undertake in line with Law no. 81/2017. [April 2020] The right of agile/smart working for fragile workers in public and private sectors was introduced as part of the "Cura Italia" Decree, converted with amendment into Law no. 27 of April 24, 2020. This right for fragile workers to perform agile/smart work was also reinforced in the conversion of "Agosto" Decree into law in October 2020. The law highlights that employees in conddition of risk arising from immunodepression and oncological pathologies or risk due to the conduct of life-saving therapies, including workers with serious disabilities, will regularly perform agile work. [Extended - March 2021] On March 23, and as part of the "Sostegni" Decree, fragile workers will carry out their duties through remote work, from March 1, until June 30, 2021. [Extended - July 2021] On July 23, the Decree-Law no. 105 extneded the right of fragile workers to smart working from July 1 until October 31, 2021. [Extended - September 2021] On September 24, the Law no. 133 extended the right of fragile workers to perform work in an agile/smart way, until December 31, 2021. To discourage layoffs during the crisis, employees of companies that have interrupted their activities were entitled to receive a benefit in the amount of 80% of the salary paid by the government. The measure was valid for up to nine weeks and no longer than August 2020. This measure included all economic sectors, except for domestic work, and enterprises, regardless their size of the latter. For those firms that exhausted the nine weeks, four more weeks were available from September 1st until October 31st 2020. [March 2020] On March 9, the Government announced that companies benefiting from CIGO and ordinary allowance (ASO) which are measures aimed at reducing the personnel cost for employers in case of suspension/reduction of the company’s activities due to exceptional circumstances (e.g. the COVID-19 health emergency), will now be exempted from consultation with trade unions and Wage subsidies compliance with certain terms. CIGO, ordinary allowance, and derogated CIG (CIGD) benefits may be provided for up to a maximum of 9 weeks starting February 23, 2020. [Extended - May 2020] On May 19, and as part of the "Rilancio" Decree, the Government announced the extension of CIGO, ordinary allowance, and derogated CIG (CIGD) by a further 5 weeks in the same period between February 23 to August 31, 2020. This only applies to employers who benefited from the initial 9 weeks. In addition, employers benefited from the available 14 week support period (initial 9 weeks plus 5 week extension) are entitled to request an additional 4 weeks, starting September 1, 2020. The obligation to carry out the trade union information and consultation procedure (exempted in Cura Italia Law) has been reintroduced. [Extended - August 2020] On August 14, and as part of the "Agosto" Decree, the Government announced that employers who suspended or reduced their activity due to COVID-19, may apply for a maximum duration of 9 weeks, increased by additional 9 weeks. The 18 week period is in addition to the 18 weeks perviously authorised under the "Relancio" Decree and related conversion law. [Extended - December 2020] On December 24, and as part of "Ristori", the CIGO, ordinary allowance and derogated CIG (CIGD) were extended for an additional maximum period of 6 weeks, which can be used between November 16, 2020 and January 31, 2021. [Extended - March 2021] On March 19, the Government approved the Decree Law "Sostegni" that includes an extension of CIGO's duration (without additional payments) by an additional 13 weeks starting April 1, until June 30, 2021. The aforementioned 13 weeks are in addition to the 12 weeks provided for by the 2021 Budget Law, for a total of 25 weeks. The duration of CIGD and ASO was extended by 28 weeks (without additional payments) between April 1 and December 31, 2021. These measures are also in addition to those already provided for by the 2021 Budget Law, for a total of 40 weeks. [Extended - July 2021] On July 23, the Government passed into law the Decree "Sostegni-bis" which extends CIGO for an additional 17 weeks, from July 1 until October 31, 2021, for employers within textile, leather, fur, and similar industries. (back to the top) Jamaica Cash-based transfers The Program of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) payments will be paid earlier than scheduled. The April 2020 payment was made prior to the April 15, 2020, payment date. The May and June 2020 payment cycles commenced on May 15 and June 22, 2020. PATH families with children enrolled in primary and secondary schools are receiving a top-up of J$150 per day while children in ECD are receiving J$100 per day for school feeding while school is closed. A total or 23 school days were paid for this benefit in May. 152,999 student beneficiaries and children within Early Childhood Institutions (ECIs) received the School Feeding Stipend in May 2020 Persons enrolled in PATH will receive a ‘COVID-19 PATH grant’ which will add another payment for the April-June payment period under the CARE program. PATH beneficiaries will therefore receive three payments instead of two payments for this payment period. Total beneficiaries 360,000 Cash transfers individuals Social (conditional and unconditional) Assistance The COVID-19 Allocation of Resources for Employees (CARE) program’s Compassionate Grant of J$10,000 (US$70) is available to anyone in need (e.g., tertiary students, unemployed, informally employed, elderly, pensioners, etc.) who completes the required application form, is not formally employed, has not received, and does not intend to apply to any other cash benefit under CARE. Through CARE Program, a budget of JMD$150 M was provided to the Ministry of Local Government to assist the homeless, those in shelters and the elderly in infirmaries The government created a separate window within the CARE program to ensure persons with disabilities, who might face additional hurdles to accessing relief, are able to do so. This concerned a budget of $40 million (USD 275,000). This is a one-off temporary grant for persons with disabilities aged 18-65 who have not already benefited from the CARE program. Implementation started in July 2020. Social pensions In-kind transfers The Ministry of Labor and Social Security through its Central Foods Warehouse is delivering relief Food, vouchers, others packages (food and other relief items) to persons in quarantine and to the elderly. Around 152,999 primary and secondary school students benefited from school feeding stipend. As such, under the food support plan, Nutrition Products Limited will prepare snacks comprising baked products, fruit juices, milk, and water for students on PATH at the primary and secondary levels. A limited number has been prepared for today, Monday, March 16, 2020, while the distribution points School feeding are finalized. Principals will be asked to suggest distribution points for schools, which will be utilized over the next two weeks. At the same time, the Ministry is looking at collaborating with selected food suppliers, supermarkets, and other major areas to distribute food packages at specific drop off points in each community. Public works The Covid-19 Student Loan Relief will provide a deferral of student loan principal and interest payments for 3 months (until July 2020) for loans outstanding to the Student Loan Bureau (SLB). Utility waivers The National Water Commission (NWC) granted a 30% discount on outstanding balances for residential customers more than 90 days in arrears. The initiative involved the period May 6th to July 31st and convened 31,000 estimated beneficiaries. Also, the NWC offered a waiver on reconnection fees to those customers who were disconnected. Paid sick leave Health insurance The National Insurance Scheme (NIS) pensioners will receive their two fortnightly payments in one payment. Pensions Beginning October 1, workers in the tourism sector were able to register for the Tourism Workers’ Pension Scheme. The Scheme is a defined contributory plan supported by legislation and will require Social mandatory contributions by workers and employers. It covers all workers in the tourism sector aged Insurance 18 to 59, whether permanent, contractual, or self-employed. Under the Government’s COVID Allocation of Resources for Employees (CARE) Program, a direct transfer will be made to workers who lost their jobs. Supporting Employees with Transfer of Cash (SET Cash) – which will provide temporary cash transfer to individuals where it can be verified that Unemployment benefits they lost their employment since March 10, (the date of the first COVID19 case in Jamaica). Individuals who apply and qualify will receive J$9,000 (US$63) per fortnight, paid monthly from the month of their application through to June 2020. Extension of two months July – Sep 2020. Social security contributions The Ministry of Tourism implemented a free online training initiative on April 22th as part of the Labor Activation measures Government’s thrust to ensure the continued development of employees in the sector, who were laid Markets off as a result of the closure of hotels during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. The courses, which were offered by the Jamaica Centre for Tourism Innovation (JCTI), were run until late July. The initiative included the following trainings: laundry attendant, gift room attendant, kitchen steward/porter, public area sanitation, hospitality team leader, certified banquet server, certified restaurant server (55 participants), Servsafe training in food safety (2,930 participants), certified hospitality supervisor (19 participants), introduction to Spanish (220 participants), and disc jock (DJ) certification. Labor market regulations Reduced work time Several incentives are planned to mitigate employment losses, including direct transfers to businesses to maintain employees. *update* The Government announced a COVID-19 Allocation of Resources for Employees (CARE) Wage subsidies program, which includes Business Employee Support and Transfer of Cash (BEST Cash) – which will provide temporary cash transfer to businesses in targeted sectors based on the number of workers they keep employed (back to the top) Japan Cash-based transfers On 7 April 2020, The Japanese government as part of its emergency economic measure package, has announced an additional child allowance of 10,000 yen per child on top of the (regular) monthly 10K per child allowance, tax exempt. Japan will give 100,000 yen (US$ 930) to every citizen – delivered to the head of the household to which the person belongs. The cost is expected to be around 2% of GDP (12,880,293 million yen). On April 30, 2020, some municipalities in Japan started providing these one-off payments. As of 25th September 2020, 12.66 trillion yen (out of budget of 12.9 trillion yen) has been paid. An application form will be mailed to everyone that is eligible, and you can also apply online through the government website for "My Number" card holders. In-person applications will be limited to special cases in order to reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus. Anyone who is on the basic resident register as of April 27 and submits an application is eligible for the transfer. That covers about 127 million people, including foreign nationals who have legally resided in the country for more than three months. Homeless people are also eligible, but they will have to become registered with a city or town. Social Assistance Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) On June 12, 2020, the second supplementary budget for FY2020, Government of Japan has allocated 136.5 billion to provide additional payments to low-income single parent households. Here 50,000 yen per household Government of Japan has provided ¥50,000 each to single-parent households receiving child-rearing allowances under an extraordinary benefit program financed by its second supplementary budget for fiscal 2020 that was enacted in June. An additional ¥30,000 was provided for each child after the first. On 19 May 2020, the Japanese government has announced to provide cash assistance to students who lost their part time job, and all or part of their revenue. On the same day, the application process has also started. It was designed for some of the 430,000 students in the nation. This aid will amount up to ¥200,000 for those from low-income households that are exempt from residence tax and ¥100,000 for others. The Cabinet has decided to allocate the budget allocated ¥53.1 billion. Foreign students are also entitled to this program. This aid will come on top of the ¥100,000 relief fund already offered by the Japanese government. On March 10, 2020, Japanese government, as part of their Second Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Emergency Response Package, announced that self-employed people (performing subcontract work) who are unable to work due to absence of childcare facility or school closure will be eligible to receive a daily amount of 4,100 Yen when they must care of their child. On 27 May 2020, the government announced that it would increase the maximum subsidy amount to JPY 7,500 per day. It is reported on June 5, 2020, that Japanese Government will provide a grant of max ¥330,000 per month for furloughed SME’s employees that have received no leaving allowance. Tokyo Metropolitan Gov., Japan, is planning to offer discount coupons in Nov., 2021. Town of Miyashiro, Saitama Prefecture, in Japan, passed a supplementary budget that included a plan to distribute 1,000 yen coupons to all its 30,000 residents eligible for vaccination Social pensions In-kind transfers On April 30, 2020, Japanese government, as part of the First Supplementary Budget for FY2020, has approved 79.2 billion Yen to provide preventive measures against the spread of infection (such as distributing masks to kindergartens, elementary schools, nursing homes, and other facilities) and also allocated 23.3 billion Yen for distributing fabric masks to all households. On Aug 21, 2021, the Gunma Prefectural Government in Japan has launched a vaccination incentive targeting young people aged in their 20s and 30s, offering a vehicle and travel coupons as prizes in a lottery for those who have received their second COVID-19 vaccine shot by the end of September Food, vouchers, others 2021. Hiroshima Prefecture, in Japan, in order to increase the vaccination ration from 63% to 80% as of 10 Oct 2021, On 12 Oct 2021 offered a car by local automaker Mazda Corp and also provided grift certificates. On the same note, Gunma Prefecture, in August 2021 offered fully vaccinated people b/w age 20 and 40 a chance to win a Subaru Corp. sport utility vehicle. The lottery also included hotel vouchers worth up to 50k Yen to 350 people as a prize. This lottery was open to everyone who had received their second shot before Sept 30, 2021. Other Prefectures, in Japan, like Tochigi are offering bikes, beef and rice to its residents age b/w 18 and 39 who are fully vaccinated. This lottery is open until the end of Nov. 2021. Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward, Japan, has asked two drug firms headquartered in the ward (Earth Corp. and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co.) to distribute free bath powder and bottles of soft drinks to older people who got vaccinated. On Mar 18, 2020, the city of Osaka, Japan will offer free lunches for all students at government-run elementary and junior high schools (from April 2020) as part of its economic measures to ease the burden on parents in the wake of the spread of COVID-19. The program would save parents between School feeding 50,000 yen ($470) and 60,000 yen per child each year. The city estimates the annual cost of covering all 165,000 students at 7.7 billion yen, with funding for fiscal 2020 starting April from a reserve fund. The city plans to continue the program beyond the next fiscal year and discuss details such as how to secure funding for fiscal 2021 and beyond On December 21, 2020, as part of the budget for FY21-22, Government is planning for Securing public work projects stably worth ¥6,069.5bn. In these projects, the prevention and mitigation of disaster risk and national resilience will be promoted, such as flood control measures for the entire Public works basin and measures against aging using new technologies. Further equalizing the construction period of public work projects by expanding the use of multi-year debt obligations (two-year and zero). In principle, 3D digitization of designs for large-scale civil engineering works under the direct control will be implemented to promote improvement of productivity in the construction industry. On April 20, 2020, Japanese Government announced that it will be supporting those who have lost their jobs or have closed their businesses for two years or less since the date they did so, or those whose incomes have decreased due to temporary retirement and so on, whose situations are quite similar to those who have lost their jobs, on condition that they are acting for job hunting. The government will directly pay the rent amount or a part of it to the owners of the rented facilities for a certain period in order to secure the place to live and job for them under economic needy. It will be paid for 3 months and if certain requirements are met, every 3 months up to 9 months will be applied. This scheme was first introduced in April 2015, but since 2020, it has been amended Utility waivers significantly in order to ease conditions following the COVID-19 crisis. Earlier one had to register through Hello work to avail this benefit but since April 30, 2020, independent support centers have been opened to make the process easier. As of Feb 22, 2021, at least 125,874 households in Japan received housing support over the nine months up to December 2020. It is possible to extend re- payment for house rental for those who completed payment until September 2021. (Applicable to the application of February 2020.) On 24 April 2020, as part of its efforts for encouraging electricity and gas utilities to take flexible measures involving consumers’ payment of electricity or gas bills, e.g., providing a grace period for such payment, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) granted approval for extending the ongoing special treatments involving the wheeling service provisions and other clauses. Special Grace of Tax Payment (Special grace) which was established following enactment and enforcement of the "Act on Extraordinary Exception on National Tax Related Laws to Address the Impact of the Novel Coronavirus Disease" on April 30, 2020, has ended on February 1, 2021. Grace system for national taxes is that taxpayers will be granted grace of tax payment for up to one year by applying to the tax office if taxpayers are in special circumstances such as they are likely to face difficulty maintaining standard of living by paying the national tax in a lump sum, or they have lost their assets due to disasters. Methods of tax payment are followings:(1) defer payment for one year; or (2) make installment payment during the grace period depending on the taxpayer's financial resources. However, if it is recognized you had unavoidable reasons why you could not apply for Special grace for the taxes which were due by February 1, 2021, by their due date, you may apply for Special grace after the due date. In the case Grace of tax payment is granted, (1) You will be granted the grace for one year in principle. (It may be extended for a further one year, depending on circumstances.) (2) Delinquent tax (interest on principal tax) during the grace period will be reduced*. * In 2021, the rate of delinquent tax will be reduced from 8.8% per annum to 1.0% per annum. (3) Seizure of assets or asset conversion (sale of assets) will be suspended. On March 10, 2020, Japan government, as part of the Second Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Emergency Response Package, announced that the Special loans from emergency small funds for individuals. The number of households that are eligible for loans under this system will be expanded to include non-low-income households (i.e., horizontal expansion). Special loans such as emergency small amount funds will be provided to households that are struggling for their living expenses as a result of temporary stoppage of work or unemployment. For people facing temporary stoppage of work: The upper limit of the loan has been from 100,000 yen to 200,000 yen depending on the profession, with no interest and with possible exemption (i.e., vertical expansion, as the upper limit during pre-covid days was just 100,000 yen). The deferral period for repayment is 1 year, which is an expansion of the previous period of 2 months; and the repayment deadline is 2 years, which is an expansion of the previous period of 1 year. Similarly, following are the conditions for people who have become unemployed. Loan upper limit is JPY 150,000/month and 200,000/month (for one and two or more respectively) and the loan is provided for a duration up to 3 months. Therefore, the upper limit is JPY 450,000 – 600,000 yen. The deferral period has increased to 12 months from 6 months (before covid-19) and the repayment deadline is 10 years. No interest rate is charged. Earlier during pre-covid-19 days for a 0% interest, a guarantor was required and in the absence of guarantor the individual was charged 1.5 % interest. On June 12, 2020, as part of the second supplementary budget for FY2020 allocated 204.8 bn Yen for providing individual loans. The City of Shizuka, Japan, has announced that it will subsidize taxi rides for older people to and from vaccination sites to the tune of 2000 Yen for each person Subsidy for employers who allow female pregnant employees to take paid leave Extension of the support fund and allowance for the leave without pay until December Paid sick leave Support for parents work leaves: Establish a new subsidy system that covers employees, no matter permanent or non-permanent (subsidy rate: 10/10, up to 8,330 yen a day) Access to paid leave. Applied paid-sick-leave system to patients of COVID-19 and those who have noticeable symptoms of COVID-19 such as fever. Social Health insurance Insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits [April 2020] The payment of social security premiums was deferred without collateral and late payment penalties. [June 2020] This measure was extended if businesses faced difficulties in paying social security contributions due to a decline in sales. Social security contributions [June 2020] A reduction/exemption of social security insurance (e.g. national health care insurance, long-term care insurance, pension) was announced for businesses which were facing an income decline. Activation measures Labor market regulations [July 2020] The government requested companies to ensure that 70 percent or more employees work from home and to avoid large-scale gatherings. Reduced work time [March 2021] The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare updated its guidelines regarding teleworking and provided details on the implementation of work-from-home arrangements. [April 2020] The government announced in March that all business owners would become eligible for Labor employment adjustment subsidies which enabled businesses to put workers on temporary leave Markets while keeping them employed. The coverage was expanded to include non-regular workers (i.e., employees who work less than 20 hours per week). From April 2020 to June 2020, subsidy rates were raised from 2/3 to 9/10 for SMEs and 1/2 to 3/4 for large enterprises (on the condition of Wage subsidies avoiding dismissals) and the firms were given up to ¥8,330 per day for each worker who missed work. [June 2020] The scheme was allocated ¥451.9 billion in the Second Supplementary Budget. The government also announced an increase of the subsidy from ¥8,330 to ¥15,000 per person per day. The subsidy rates were also increased to 75% for large enterprises and 100% for SMEs. [August 2020] The government decided to extend the program for 3 months. [November 2020] The program was extended until the end of February 2021. [March 2021] The scheme was extended to 30th April, 2021. [April 2021] The scheme was extended till the end of June 2021. [August 2021] As of 13th August, 2021, the government had approved four million applications for over ¥4 trillion. (back to the top) Jersey Cash-based transfers The COVID- 19 Related Emergency Support Scheme (CRESS) was launched on April 1st, 2020, to provide weekly payments to cover basic costs, depending on the individual’s relationship status and whether they have children. Initially, this cash transfer was £150 per week for single people and £250 per week for couples who have been working for at least six months but lost their employment income. A child supplement of £50 per child was also introduced. Those who worked for less than six months received an amount of £70 per week. This program was extended until August 31st, 2020, with a total budget of £540,500 and 450 beneficiaries. On 10 July 2020, Government of Jersey, as part of the support package, announced that it will provide vouchers/cards to be spent locally. In September all adults and children – an estimated Cash transfers 107,800 Islanders - will receive £100 to spend in the local economy. However, on Sept 9, 2020, it (conditional and unconditional) was announced that 105,000 Spend Local cards will be distributed to Islanders over the next Social three days (Wednesday 9, Thursday 10 and Friday 11 September). This measure will cost Assistance approximately £11 million. This voucher/pre-paid card is expected to expire by 30 Nov 2020. On 10 July 2020, Government of Jersey, as part of the support package, announced direct payments to low-income households in which about 13,000 Islanders from low-income households will receive a £100 payment by the end of July 2020. This measure is targeted at those Islanders who need it most. Payments will be made to working-age Income Support claimants (6,300 adults and 3,400 children) and pensioners on Income Support and Pension Plus (3,300 Islanders). Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding Public works The government established that those in struggle related to mortgage payments can contact their banks directly to request a mortgage payment ‘holiday,’ charged with interest. It was advised not to stop their direct debit or standing order, but to agree lender first. On Dec 8, 2020, Local General Practitioners have worked with the Government on a new health Utility waivers scheme to provide subsidized fixed costs for General Practice visits for up to 12,000 people. The Health Access Scheme means that those who are receiving Income Support or Pension Plus are able to receive the care they need at reduced rates with children in income support households receiving free surgery appointments. The new scheme will start on Friday 11th December and letters will be sent to eligible families and individuals over the next few days. There is no need to apply. Paid sick leave Health insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits [September 2020] Employers most affected by the public health workplace restrictions can defer the payment of Social Security contributions. After the deferral, payment plans can be offered for up to three years to give extra flexibility to those most affected. Eligibility criteria is: • businesses that are required to close for part of a month as a result of the public health measures • food and/or beverage wholesalers that derive more than 75% of their income from businesses required to close The deferment is implemented until 2023, with an overall estimated cost of £12 million from Social 2021 to 2023. Insurance Self-employed individuals most affected by the public health workplace restrictions can defer Social security contributions the payment of Social Security contributions. After the deferral, payment plans can be offered for up to three years to give extra flexibility to those most affected. Eligibility criteria is: • businesses that are required to close for part of a month as a result of the public health measures • food and/or beverage wholesalers that derive more 75% of their income from businesses required to close The deferment is implemented until 2023. As of July 2020, this policy was funded by the Support Package, involving a planned budget of £26 million Activation measures Labor market regulations Reduced work time [March 2020] The Government Co-Funded Payroll Scheme is a short-term emergency measure introduced to protect the most vulnerable employers and employees in the early stages of the Coronavirus disruption in Jersey. Initially, the program delivered eligible employers up to £200 per week per employee until 31 March 2020 (Phase 1). The program changed several times. [Extension - April 2020] The measure was extended until August 2020. Some changes were introduced to the program: the subsidy payable was 80% of the lower of the worker’s gross wage Labor paid in the month or £2,000 a month, with a maximum subsidy of £1,600 per worker per month. Markets [Extension - September 2020] The measure was extended until March 2021. During Phase 3, the Wage subsidies percentage applied to worker's wage ranged from 60% in September 2020 (£1,200) to 40% in December 2020 (£800). [Extension - March 2021] The measure was extended until April 4. Phase 4, established higher benefits: a maximum subsidy of 80% of £2,000 per worker (i.e. a maximum payment of £1,600) and 95% of £2,500 per worker (i.e. a maximum payment of £2,250) for businesses that are required to close or wholesalers whose 75% of their income comes from selling food and/or beverages and were required to close. [Extension - May 2021] The measure was extended until June 2021 - Phase 5. [Extension - July 2021] The measure was extended until October 2021 - Phase 6. According to the government's website, as of September 2021, the measure involved an actual expenditure of £273,7 million (back to the top) Jordan Cash-based transfers (2020) The government has launched a program to provide cash support to poor and vulnerable households affected by COVID-19 outbreak. Prior to COVID, NAF was already providing regular cash transfers (CTs) to 146,000 households: 45,000 households benefit from the Takaful CT program (described below) and 101,000 households benefit from NAF monthly CT programs. The GOJ will add 10,000 new Takaful beneficiaries who were already planned for 2020. The Program added to those efforts by providing: (i) temporary (six month) CTs to 200,000 additional vulnerable households; and (ii) temporary (six month) benefit top-ups for existing NAF beneficiaries whose benefits are below a certain threshold. The Program will cost approximately US$277 million and will be largely financed by the proposed WB-financed project. The number of households benefiting from the overall Program will be about 293,000. (Jan 2021) An additional (estimated) 25,000-35,000 households are currently being targeted in Q1 2021 to be enrolled by Q2 2021 in the Takaful (1) program.- On 16 April 2020, the Minister of Social Protection announced a social protection programme to support daily wage workers to be carried out by the NAF. Social • The programme is financed via donations collected from citizens and the private sector through the Assistance Cash transfers newly formed ‘Emergency Response Fund—Himat Watan’; (conditional and unconditional) • The benefit amount consists of JOD70 per month for 2-member households and JOD136 per month for households consisting of 3 members or more paid for 3 months. It will be delivered through e-wallets; • Applications for the programme are made through the pre-existing bread support cash assistance application website/Takmeely Platform; • As of 3 June 2020, 230,000 households have benefitted, and an additional 50,000 are expected to receive aid. • The National Unified Registry is used to verify applicants´ information currently the fund has JD27 million- Until 14 April 2020, 150,000 families received cash and in-kind aid provided by the Zakat Fund, for a total value of approximately JOD2 million. These are a combination of old and new beneficiaries. Priority is being given to daily wage workers.- The ‘Hajati’ Cash Transfer program, specifically tailored to Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanian families, was expanded to cover 18,000 additional vulnerable children. A database maintained by UNICEF Jordan with information on 38,000 of the poorest and most vulnerable households was used to identify households not receiving Hajati but who were in urgent need of financial support.- In 2020, Jordan took another step, endorsing the Regulation No. (93) of 2020 on Maternity Social Protection under the Social Security Law. The regulation enables working mothers to return to work while receiving childcare subsidy for their children either if they attend a childcare facility or if they stay at home. It also allows for registered childcare centres to receive direct cash benefits to cover 50% of their operational costs.- For 2021, the government launched the Recovery Takaful 3 Program, which also aims to support the daily wage workers with cash assistance, and plans to cover 100,000 households. The registration process started mid-December 2020 and lasted for one month. Registration was available both face-to-face and online, and more than 300,000 families applied for assistance. Within Q1 2021, potential eligible households will have their data validated and will afterwards be visited for verification. The first payment is expected in March 2021 for the 100,000 beneficiary households.- In 2020, Jordan took another step, endorsing the Regulation No. (93) of 2020 on Maternity Social Protection under the Social Security Law. The regulation enables working mothers to return to work while receiving childcare subsidy for their children either if they attend a childcare facility or if they stay at home. It also allows for registered childcare centres to receive direct cash benefits to cover 50% of their operational costs. A total of 20,500 of the most vulnerable Palestine refugees residing in Jordan (Jerash camp) that do not hold Jordanian citizenship (targeting within this group the elderly, female-headed households and families with children under the age of five years) will receive a one-time cash assistance of JDS50- NAF started the registration of the Bread Subsidy Cash Compensation Program, which targets up to 80% of the population with a small amount of money annually. Payments will occur over April- November 2020. Similar mode of registration as the Takaful Program is being used. The bread subsidy registration database will be used for a temporary emergency program to support households that were affected by the COVID-19 with JD70 (about $100) every two weeks.- Social pensions In-kind transfers Until 14 April 2020, 80,000 families received cash and in-kind assistance provided by Zakat Fund Food, vouchers, others with a total value of approximately JOD2 million NAF beneficiary households received water, gas and basic medicines. On March 31, 2021, the government announced a COVID stimulus package with a total value of JD 448 million. The package includes measures to help underprivileged families with food vouchers during Ramadan to buy foodstuffs from the civil and military consumer corporations. In February 2021, food coupons (with a value of JD100 per coupon) were distributed to 30,000 underprivileged beneficiary families In-kind support, financed by the Social Security Corporation (SSC) and the charity NGOs, is being provided to about 189,000 households in the form of food baskets - worth between JOD 25-50 In-kind distribution of bread (universal) will occur at reduced subsidized price (JD1 per 3 kg, instead of JD1.5 – US$ 1.41 vs US$ 2.11). The Ministry of Local Affairs is coordinating distribution from local bakeries. Bread is delivered door to door by buses that patrol localities, escorted by police officers to deter crowding. NAF beneficiaries will receive the bread for free with the support from municipalities. School feeding In Jordan, the government launched a COVID stimulus package including measures to employ youth Public works in programs such as vaccination campaigns. The government has set limits on commodity prices for fruits, vegetables and other basic food supplies Utility waivers Fines imposed on delayed payments of property tax will be cancelled while taxpayers will also be relieved from fines on outstanding balances they owe to the tax department if they pay off the dues before July 1, 2021. Ministry of Labor announced a two-week paid leave for all public sector workers in 2020. This will Paid sick leave not be deducted from the normal allocation of sick leave The Government and Ministry of Health is covering the cost of treatment for COVID-19 patients in Health insurance government hospitals Social Pensions Insurance (March 2020)T he Jordanian Social Security Corporation (SSC) announced that workers on unpaid leave can apply for disbursement of unemployment benefits, provided they meet the relevant Unemployment benefits conditions and work in certain sectors, such as tourism, transportation and trade [April 2020] The Government launched the program "Musaned 1" which provides unemployment insurance for insured employees who have stopped working due to COVID-19. Employees receive unemployment insurance consisting of 50% of their salary in amounts between JOD150-350 for three months. This benefit is only available for employees who paid their social security contributions for the past 36 months. [April 2020] On April 16, as part of Defence Order No. 9 of 2020, the government announced "Musaned 2" which allowed Jordanian/non-Jordanian SSC members to retrieve a maximum of JOD450 from their unemployment insurance savings to be received in three monthly payments. [June 2020] The Social Security Corporation reduced the minimum permitted disbursal to JOD90 instead of JOD150. [March 2020] The Defence Order No. 1 of 2020 gave the authority to Social Security Corporation to allow enterprises to suspend old age contribution for 3 months starting March 1, 2020 until May 31 2020 while maintaining coverage for maternity, unemployment, death, and occupational health.- [March 2020] On March 19 and as part of Defence Order No. 1, the Government announced that entities that owe contributions to Social Security Corporation will not accrue interest or be penalized, and they will be allowed to pay their contributions on installments until end 2023- Tamkeen Ektisadi 2, which is part of Defence Order No. 14 was issued on 15 June 2020, allows both Jordanian and non-Jordanian SSC members, in the public and private sectors, with a monthly Social security contributions income of less than JOD 700, with a 5% advance payment on their insured income, in the form of a one-off payment and up to a maximum of JOD 200 per person.- [March 2020] On March 18, the Government provided private sector entities the option to temporarily defer the payment of the old age component of all or some of their employees' social security contributions from March 1, 2020 for up to three months. This effectively decreases the total social security contributions from 21.75% to 5.25%, with the employer's share decreasing from 7.5% to 1%. [June 2020] On June 15 and as part of Defence Order No. 14, the Government announced Tamkeen Ektisadi 1 program, which allows for the partial payment of old age component of the social security contribution of their employees, till December 2020. This reduces the total social security contributions paid from 21.75% to 13.5% for private sector workers, with the employer's share decreasing from 7.5% to 4.25%. [Extended - October 2020] On October 5, the Social Security Corporation announced the extension of the program until May 31, 2021.- [March 2020] The Defence Order No. 1 of 2020 gave the authority to Social Security Corporation to allow enterprises to suspend old age contribution for 3 months starting March 1, 2020 until May 31 2020 while maintaining coverage for maternity, unemployment, death, and occupational health.- [March 2020] On March 18, the Government provided private sector entities the option to temporarily defer the payment of the old age component of all or some of their employees' social security contributions from March 1, 2020 for up to three months. This effectively decreases the total social security contributions from 21.75% to 5.25%, with the employer's share decreasing from 7.5% to 1%. [June 2020] On June 15 and as part of Defence Order No. 14, the Government announced Tamkeen Ektisadi 1 program, which allows for the partial payment of old age component of the social security contribution of their employees, till December 2020. This reduces the total social security contributions paid from 21.75% to 13.5% for private sector workers, with the employer's share decreasing from 7.5% to 4.25%. [Extended - October 2020] On October 5, the Social Security Corporation announced the extension of the program until May 31, 2021.- [January 2021] The launch of Tawkeed program to ensure that sectors and economic activities keep operating and apply work procedure protocols and preventive measures to halt the spread of COVID- Activation measures 19. The program provides training opportunities in collaboration with the private sector to train and qualify individuals wishing to work as health protection observers, who will inform the companies' management about any violations in safety and health protection measures. [March 2020] On March 17, the minister of labor anounced a two weak paid leave for public and private sector employees (except for some essential sectors) with employers not allowed to deduct Labor the leave period from the employees' vacation balance. Markets Labor market regulations [January 2021] The launch of Tawkeed program to ensure that sectors and economic activities keep operating and apply work procedure protocols and preventive measures to halt the spread of COVID- 19. The program provides companies with health inspectors who monitors and ensures the implementation of health measures. Reduced work time Wage subsidies [April 2020] The Government launched the program "Tadamon 1" for employees at companies that had to reduce wages by 50%. Employees receive an unemployment allowance consisting of 50% of their salaries for three months, in amounts between JOD165-500. The employer will pay 20 per cent, with a maximum of JD250. The support is conditional for companies registered within the Social Security Corporation (SSC) and employees whose contributions have been paid for the previous 12 months. [April 2020] The Government launched the program "Tadamon 2" which targets uninsured businesses not registered with the SSC, and those whose contributions lasted for less than a year. Employees receive an unemployment allowance of JOD150 per month for three months. [April 2020] On April 16, the government announced Musaned 3 which permitted Jordanian/non- Jordanian SSC members and voluntary members with income less than JD500 to receive a 5% advance on their insured income at a maximum of JD450 paid across three months. [Extended - June 2020] On June 22, the Social Security Corporation (SSC) announced their decision to adjust the conditions of Musaned 3 to include those whose income is less than JD1000, instead of JD500. [Extended - March 2021] on March 17, the Social Security Corporation (SSC) announced that previous SSC members and unemployed, or voluntary members, can benefit from Musaned 3 [June 2020] On June 15 and as part of Defense Order No. 14, the government announced Himayah programme which provides employees of businesses in tourism and transportation sectors (registered with the Social Security Corporation) with a wage subsidy of 50% of their salary in the amount between JOD 220 and JOD 400 per month. The program expires by the end of 2020. [Extended - October 2020] The Social Security Corporation (SSC) announced its decision to include restaurants and coffee shops in the Himayah program. This was to expire at the end of 2020 but was then extended till May 2021. [June 2020] On June 15, a measure called Tamkeen 2 allowed Jordanian SSC members in the private sector with income less than JOD700 to receive a one-time lump sum payment of 5% of their total income at a maximum of JOD200 to be paid back later by the employee without interests. This benefitted at least 364,000 workers. [Extended - August 2020] On August 5, the Social Security Corporation (SSC) announced their decision to allow public sector employees to benefit from Tamkeen 2 [Extended - Decemeber 2020] On December 28, the Social Security Corporation (SSC) announced their decision to increase the benefit to a one-time lump sum payment of 8% of their total income, with a maximum of JOD500 instead of JOD200 for the sectors that are unauthorized to work or were severely impacted by COVID-19. The maximum salary has also been increased to JOD1000, instead of JOD700. [Extended - April 2021] On April 12, the Social Security Corporation (SSC) announced their decision to the maximum payment to JOD350 to Jordanians and JOD200 to non-Jordanians, given that their salary doesn't exceed JOD1500. [December 2020] On December 15, the Government announced (Defence Order No. 24) Estidama program with a total value of JOD200 million which provides wage subsidies for six months from December 2020 up until May 2021. Employees working for companies that are unauthorized to operate due to COVID-19 regulations will receive 50% of their salary with a minimum of JOD220 and maximum of JOD500 fully covered by the program, while employees working for companies severly impacted by the pandemic will receive 75% of their salaries (37.5% contributed by the program and 37.5% by the employer) with a minimum of JOD220 and maximum of JOD500 fully covered by the program. [Extended - April 2021] On April 12, the prime minister announced the extension of Estidama program till December 2021 with an additional JOD50 million allocated for the program. [September 2021] On September 21, the prime minister announced that employees in Estidama program will now receive 100% (instead of 75%) of their salary (60% contributed by the program and 40% covered by the employer) with a maximum of JOD800 per month. [Extended - October 2021] On October 21, the Government announced the extension of Estidama+ program till June 2022. Estidama+ program covers 85% of the employee's salary (80% covered by the program with a maximum of JOD 800, and 20% by the employer) [April 2021] The Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship will launch a project with a total cost of JOD20 million, to support fresh graduates who graduated during the last three years in digital and IT companies. The government will subsidise 50% of wages, with maximum of JOD200 for a period of six months, till December 2021. (back to the top) Kazakhstan Cash-based transfers Monthly payments of US$100 were provided for up to almost 4 million people who lost income as a result of COVID-19 for three months in spring-summer 2020 during the lockdown period and for one month afterwards. The benefit amount was equivalent to minimum wage (42,000 tenge or US$110). One-off payments to medical workers infected with COVID-19 in the amount of 2 milllion tenge (US$ 4.7K) to 9,300 individuals as of April 2021. Cash transfers One-off payments to families of medical workers deceased from COVID-19 were paid out in the (conditional and unconditional) amount of 10 million tenge (US$ 23.5K) to 186 households as of April 2021. In order to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection, comply with the quarantine measures and exclude direct contact between specialists of the employment centres and applicants for targeted social assistance (TSA), the TSA was automatically prolonged. In Q2 of 2020, the TSA was prolonged for 560 thousand recipients with the simultaneous increase in its value; in Q3, for 627 thousand recipients, and in Q4 for 614.3 thousand recipients. In the first quarter of 2021, 524 thousand had Social their TSA automatically extended. Assistance Social pensions In-kind transfers In-kind support in the form of free grocery packages is planned for large families with children, persons with disability and other vulnerable families totalling around 1 million people in 2020. Food, vouchers, others As part of the TSA, the work has been underway to provide preschool children from low-income families with a guaranteed social package (GSP). In 2020, more than 218 thousand preschool children were provided with food sets on a monthly basis and hygiene products on a quarterly basis. School feeding As part of the 2020-2021 KZT 1.8 trillion Employment Roadmap (ERM), 6,107 infrastructure projects for repairing and constructing social facilities, engineering and transportation infrastructure, irrigation systems, and housing and communal services, along with the landscaping of settlements. Public works This initiative employed 150,000 people. Employees who have arrived from other settlements for infrastructure projects under the ERM receive additional lump-sum material assistance (“lifting”) in the amount of two minimum wages determined by the law on the republican budget for the corresponding financial year. At least half of the workers will be hired through employment centers. Priority will be given to the unemployed youth. The government planned to employ 1.22 million people by the end of 2020 and extended the measure in 2021, devoting around 300 billion KZT to the initiative. Reimbursement of utilities expenses for Apr and May in amount of KZT15,000 will be provided for some socially vulnerable groups of population. Electricity and telecommunications: citizens, who were transferred to remote work, may receive compensation for the electricity and telecommunications bills. Utilities in Almaty: the residents can defer utilities payments, incl. elevator and waste disposal, for Mar and Apr till the end of 2020 with no fines or penalties. Utility waivers VAT reduced from 12% to 8% for essential food products until Oct 2020 Banks have requested to allow loan repayments deferrals until mid-June and refrain from charging penalties for borrowers affected by the emergency. Loan deferrals were at the discretion of banks and participating banks issued a 90-day debt moratorium, which expired in June 2020. Paid sick leave Health insurance Free healthcare for all until June, 2020. Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Kenya Cash-based transfers (April 2020) 1,094,238 Inua Jamii beneficiaries will start receiving Ksh8,000 (US$ 80) each from the state to cushion them against the effects of the coronavirus. At the queue at the payment centers, the beneficiaries will be required to maintain 1.5 meters of social distance. In addition, 8,750 new beneficiary households (not yet in receipt of Inua Jamii transfers) will be identified through the Nyumba Kumi system (a community policing system) and independently verified by the Kenya Red Cross Society. 3,000,000 new households’ beneficiaries will be added under NSNP/KSEIP. Upto Kshs 2 Billion (USD 20M) recovered from corruption proceeds will be used to support the most vulnerable especially the urban poor. (April 2020) The Ministry of Sports, Culture & Heritage is availing an additional support of Kshs 100 Social Million (USD 1M) from an existing sports fund to artists , actors and musicians during the period of Assistance Cash transfers the COVID-19 pandemic. Artists, musicians, performers and other self-employed individuals in the (conditional and unconditional) creative industry could participate in a work-for-pay scheme under which they were required to produce works that would entertain and educate Kenyans about COVID-19. Various programme lines with individual application criteria and funding amounts were available to applicants from different creative sectors. The programme was overseen by the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage and implemented through various industry associations and bodies. Applications for most programme lines closed in June 2020 and project implementation is underway. Early in the crisis, the Kenyan government announced a one-off top up of Ksh 8,000 (USD 74) to existing recipients of the Cash Transfer for Persons with Severe Disabilities (PwSD-CT). The first payments were made in April 2020. Based on a national listing exercise by the National Council for Persons with Disabilities during June 2020, the Government of Kenya announced a short-term ad-hoc cash transfer of Ksh 2000/month (USD 18) for 33,000 persons with disabilities for a period of 3 months from June to August 2020. Appropriation of an additional KShs. 10 Billion (USD 100M) to the elderly, orphans and other vulnerable members of the society through cash transfers by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection to cushion them from the adverse economic effects of COVID-19 pandemic (May 2020) Professional athletes, including Kenyan Premier League footballers, national team athletes in various disciplines, paralympic athletes and technical staff could apply for a monthly stipend paid via mobile money for three months. Beneficiaries were identified in collaboration with sports federations and payments started in June 2020. (July 2021) The Government of Kenya has released Kshs. 276,288,000 for payment to beneficiaries enrolled in the Persons with Severe Disabilities Cash Transfer (PWSD CT) Programme under the Inua Jamii Programme. A total of 34,536 beneficiaries will each be paid Kshs 8,000 being payment for March-April and May-June 2021 payment cycles. In addition, 246 Persons with severe disabilities registered in the NICHE programme in Kitui, Kilifi, Marsabit, Turkana and West Pokot counties will also be paid during the period. (July 2021) The Government of Kenya has released KSH 8,758,200,000 for payment to beneficiaries enrolled in the Inua Jamii Cash Transfer Programme. The programme targets oprhans and vulnerable children, older persons, and persons with severe disabilities. The payment will be for those already enrolled in the programme and have their accounts successfully submitted to the Consolidated Cash Transfer Program Management Information System. (July 2021) Beneficiaries of the Inua Jamii Programme who are also enrolled in the Nutrition Improvement Through Cash and Health Education Programme (NICHE) will receive an additional amount of up to 4000 KSH per household. This NICHE complementary programme targets households with children under 2, pregnant and lactating mothers who are already enrolled in the Inua Jamii Cash Transfer Programme from Marsabit, Turkana, Kitui, Kwale, and West Pokot counties. WFP continued to complement the Government’s response through its support to the Social Protection Sector and its urban response in Nairobi and Mombasa counties targeting 378,000 people with cash and nutrition support. WFP will conclude its response in May 2021 after which it will transition into an urban strategy aimed at creating opportunities for urban livelihoods and providing nutritional support to the urban poor. WFP continues to deliver food assistance to over 400,000 refugees residing in Dadaab, Kakuma and Kalobeyei camps through a hybrid of in-kind and cash-based transfers Six-month funding to support food security and expand cash transfers to Nairobi informal settlements & Jua Kali associations from July to December 2020. The Royal Danish Embassy in Nairobi signed a DKK 20 Million (KES 310 million) grant to provide cash transfers to 40,000 vulnerable Kenyans in Mombasa and Nairobi informal settlements. The cash transfers will be disbursed monthly, for three months, via MPESA to Kenyans who have lost their income sources due to Covid-19 and who are at risk of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Shikilia is directing donors interested in providing funds for cash transfers to give to GiveDirectly, a NGO which has a decade’s experience in efficiently providing cash grants to low-income households in Kenya. GiveDirectly is a registered non-profit in Kenya and the United States, with external audits completed annually in both countries (more financial data here). GiveDirectly has worked with the Shikilia organizing committee team to agree on the targeting and transfer sizing of this cash program. The first recipients for this program were enrolled and received cash transfers in April, with thousands already enrolled. A 6-months cash transfers to families receiving children released from residential children institutions i.e. Statutory Children Institutions (SCI) and Charitable Children Institutions (CCI). An additional support to the existing cash transfers under Inua Jamii programme with a cash transfer top-up as part of the Joint devolution programme targeting most vulnerable in Garissa, Kajiado, Kilifi, Kakamega and Migori. More than 1.3 million vulnerable households receive Sh2,000 per month under the National Safety Net Programme (NSNP) from an annual budget of Sh30 billion. NSNP was launched in 2013 to manage four, public-funded cash transfer programmes for senior citizens, orphans and vulnerable children, the severely disabled, and those susceptible to hunger. The four programs are: Persons With Severe Disabilities Cash Transfer, Older Persons Cash Transfer, Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children Cash(CT- OVC) and the Hunger Safety Net Cash Transfer. Social pensions 300,000 new households’ beneficiaries will be added under the social pensions program. In-kind transfers (May 2021) Garissa county government completed a three-day exercise of distributing assorted food items to 2000 vulnerable families in Garissa Township Sub County. Each of the 2000 households will each receive 12kg of maize flour, 12kg of wheat flour and 3 litres of cooking oil. Food, vouchers, others (April 2021) At least 100,000 needy households in Mombasa benefited from a food donation that is meant to cater for them in a period of one month. The Jaffer Foundation in conjunction with Grain Bulk Handlers Limited has given out food donations worth Sh. 110 million to help needy Muslims fasting during the month of Ramadan which took place amid the Covid-19 pandemic. (April 2021) Over 1000 families in Elgeyo Marakwet benefited from food donations worth Sh5.2 million from the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Days Saints. WFP continued to complement the Government’s response through its support to the Social Protection Sector and its urban response in Nairobi and Mombasa counties targeting 378,000 people with cash and nutrition support. WFP will conclude its response in May 2021 after which it will transition into an urban strategy aimed at creating opportunities for urban livelihoods and providing nutritional support to the urban poor. WFP continues to deliver food assistance to over 400,000 refugees residing in Dadaab, Kakuma and Kalobeyei camps through a hybrid of in-kind and cash-based transfers. School feeding (May 2020) (May 2020) As part of the “Kazi Mtaani” initiative, 10,600 youths (18-35) living in Nairobi’s slums (Mathare, Kibera, Mukuru and Korogocho) have been enlisted for street cleaning, fumigation, disinfection, garbage collection, bush clearance and drainage unclogging services, among others. Kazi Mtaani (Jobs in the Neighborhood) is a public works program reaching 26,000 unemployed youth residing in 27 informal settlements of Nairobi, Mombasa, Kiambu, Nakuru, Kisumu, Kilifi, Kwale and Mandera. Daily wage is about $6/day delivered via Mpesa (first phase ran from April 29, 2020 to June 2, 2020). The second phase of Kazi Mtaani expanded the program, starting in July 2020, to 1,200 informal settlements in all 47 of Kenya’s counties. The expanded program employs 283,210 people and ran for a total of six-and-a-half months. The program did not initially provide workers Public works with facemasks or personal equipment like gloves, boots or overalls, relying on existing equipment available to local governments. However, after persistent calls by youth for better support, the Ministry of Health provided Kazi Mtaani participants with facemasks and gloves in August. (April 2020) The Ministry of Sports, Culture & Heritage is availing an additional support of Kshs 100 Million (USD 1M) from an existing sports fund to artists , actors and musicians during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Artists, musicians, performers and other self-employed individuals in the creative industry could participate in a work-for-pay scheme under which they were required to produce works that would entertain and educate Kenyans about COVID-19. Various programme lines with individual application criteria and funding amounts were available to applicants from different creative sectors. The programme was overseen by the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage and implemented through various industry associations and bodies. Applications for most programme lines closed in June 2020 and project implementation is underway. Local workers were hired to validate the World Settlement Footprint 2019 (WSF-2019), a large geospatial dataset generated with AI by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) which identifies built- up areas in 2019 at a global scale. Workers were hired to develop and test a simple microtasking workflow to perform slum mapping and collect data on COVID-19 hotspots, with the intention of potentially scaling the refined workflow to other data collection themes, such as solid waste identification, green spaces, etc. The central bank has also encouraged banks to extend flexibility to borrowers’ loan terms based on pandemic-related circumstances On 17 March, a central bank order for banks to waive bank fees for individuals who move money Utility waivers between their bank account and mobile wallet came into effect. (September 2021) Kwale County Governor Salim Mvurya has disbursed bursaries worth Sh.15.7 million to needy students in the region. Governor Mvurya said 1,200 secondary and university students from Mwereni and Tiwi wards received the fees bursary from the county government’s coffers. He urged needy parents to take advantage of the bursary kitty to educate their children and secure their future. Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor [March 2020] The government called upon employers to consider alternative working arrangements Markets where possible including teleworking and paid leave, and to avoid, to the extent possible, termination Reduced work time of employment. [July 2021] This policy was extended due to a rise in COVID-19 cases in the country. Most recently, on the 30th of July, 2021, the government directed all employers, including the public and private sector, government offices, businesses and companies to permit their employee to work from home until further notice unless they were engaged in critical or essential services. Wage subsidies (back to the top) Kiribati Cash-based transfers From 20th March 2020, Kiribati government announced financial support for private citizens who are not supported by any institutions and are stranded abroad. The financial support is a standard Cash transfers daily rate of AUD$30 applicable to eligible nationals irrespective of the country you are stranded in. (conditional and unconditional) The daily rate is for meal allowance. Accommodation costs will be settled directly to the service provider. Social Assistance Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding Public works Utility waivers Paid sick leave Health insurance Pensions Social An economic relief package approved which included unemployment assistance via partial income Unemployment benefits Insurance substitution. A reduction in social security contributions for both employers and employees was announced. Social security contributions Reduction in social security contributions for both employers and employees Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Korea, Rep. Cash-based transfers On April 1, 2020, South Korean Government as announced childcare coupons for 2 million households with 2.63 million children who received childcare at the end of March are eligible for this program. Each voucher is worth KRW 400,000 per child to households with children aged less than 7 years to help address challenges caused by COVID-19 outbreak. As reflected on the supplementary budget of COVID-19 passed on 17 March 2020. These were paid in the form of e-vouchers, local e- currency (mobile or card), paper vouchers (local community voucher). The voucher is expected to be paid by April 2020. On 30 April 2020, Government of South Korea, as part of the 2nd emergency supplementary budget, passed/announced that Korean households in the bottom 70 percent income bracket will receive the government’s emergency relief payments of up to 1.0 million won. A total of 14.78 million households to become recipients. However, payments to vary according to the household members: 0.4 million won (single-person households), 0.6 million won (two-person households), 0.8 Social million won (three-person households), 1.0 million won (four-person households). The payments to be Cash transfers made in online and offline gift certificates issued by local governments. A total of 14.3 trillion won Assistance (conditional and unconditional) will be spent on the relief program, including 1.2 trillion won worth of local government funds. Government of South Korea provides income support to those who are not eligible for employment insurance-- self- employers, freelancers in lieu of employment retention/unemployment benefits (but only those in a low-wage bracket). The government decided to offer universal emergency relief payments to roughly 21.71 million households through the universal program (this an extension of emergency relief announced earlier to reach the bottom 70 percent income bracket). A total 14.3 trillion won ($11.66 billion). The government plans to provide 1 million won to households with four or more members, 800,000 won to three-person households, 600,000 won to two-person households and 400,000 won to single- person households. Some 2.8 million households that belong to vulnerable groups, such as beneficiaries of national basic livelihood security and disability pensions, started receiving funds first beginning next week, the rest of the nation’s households will get relief in the form of credit or debit card points, regional gift certificates or prepaid cards. The aid will be granted upon request via online and offline platforms. The government first handed out virus-related relief funds totaling 14.3 trillion won to all households from May 4 to Aug. 24 to help people cope with the economic impact of the pandemic. A second round was handed out selectively and in phases mostly to the self-employed and small business owners from last September. Third phase has been approved in December On March 2, 2021, Government of South Korea as part of the fourth round of relief package, announced that Emergency relief checks will be offered to about 800,000 people vulnerable to job loss, including company-owned taxi drivers and freelancers. It is reported on 2 Feb 2021 that all the residents of Gyeonggi Province are eligible to receive 100,000 won each as part of the provincial government's second round of coronavirus relief payments to help locals cope with the economic fallout from the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Gyeonggi, which surrounds Seoul, is home to nearly 14 million people, including some 580,000 foreign nationals. Regardless of income, age, or occupation, Korean citizens and foreigners registered with a local address as of January 24, 2021 qualify to get the cash. The provincial government is currently receiving online applications for the relief funds, as well as offering special home visit application services, until February 28. In person applications can be submitted starting. March 1, 2021 until April 30, 2021, while foreign residents can apply both in person and online throughout the month of April. The 100,000 won payment will be directly deposited into the applicant's credit card account or issued in the form of a local currency card and must be spent within a three-month period. On 10 Sept 2020, Government of South Korea, as part of the Forth supplementary budget, announced expanded childcare assistance covering elementary school-age children. The government aims to begin payments from Sept 2020. 1.1 trillion won to support a total of 5.32 million households with children staying at home due to the closing of schools and daycare centers. On March 18, 2020, Seoul government, South Korea, announced the emergency livelihood assistance measures to support vulnerable groups that are having trouble meeting their basic needs and will provide 300,000-500,000 won (US$233.39-388.98) to households making less than the median income in order to stimulate the local economy. The median monthly income is 1,757,000 won (US$1,367) for a single-person household, 2,991,000 won (US$2,327) for a two-person household, 3,870,000 won (US$3,011) for a three-person household and 4,749,000 won (US$3,696) for a four- person household. The amount of the emergency livelihood assistance will depend on the number of people in the household, with single- and two-person households receiving 300,000 won (US$233), three- and four-person households receiving 400,000 won (US$311), and households with five or more people receiving 500,000 won (US$389). The funds will be disbursed only once via community gift certificates or prepaid cards, which will only be valid through June 2020. The city expects that 1,177,000 households will receive benefits through this program. Citizens can apply at a local community center or Seoul’s online welfare portal starting on Mar. 30, 2021, with benefits going out three or four days after their income has been verified. In order to prevent “double dipping,” families who are receiving support from the revised supplementary budget passed by the National Assembly on Mar. 17 and recipients of unemployment benefits, emergency welfare, and the youth allowance will not be eligible for this one-time payment. Social pensions In-kind transfers South Korean government announce that 2.8 trillion won ($2.51 billion) are provided via four-month- worth purchase vouchers to households receiving child and social assistance. On Feb 28, 2020, South Korean government announced that 7 million people will receive masks in Daegu City and Cheongdo County. On Feb 28, 2020, South Korean government announced that it will issue discount coupons to be used for purchasing cultural events and farm products, as well as for tourism expenses and paychecks to promote consumption. On Oct 18, 2020, Government plans to resume distribution of a series of discount coupons this week to spur consumption in the live performance, film, and sports industries hit-hard by the coronavirus pandemic. However, accommodation, travel and restaurant Food, vouchers, others businesses were not included in the 85 billion won discount scheme, as virus concerns linger. South Korea originally planned to distribute the coupons in August but suspended the plan due to a resurgence in virus cases, mostly traced to a conservative church in northern Seoul. On Oct 26, 2021, plans to resume discount coupon programs aimed at boosting domestic demand as the country is preparing to move into a phase of "living with COVID-19" in early November, 2021. The country has suspended the coupon programs in six sectors, including sports, accommodations, tourism, and cultural performances, due to the resurgence of virus cases. Only online use of some discount coupons, such as food delivery and agricultural products, has been allowed. government will permit the use of consumption coupons at offline places starting next month. People can also receive 10,000 won ($8.60) in refund when they make more than four orders of food worth at least 20,000 won each via food delivery apps and a visit to restaurants. On 18 May 2020, due to school closure, Seoul has decided to provide 100,000 Won of food voucher to every student. The duration of the program is from May until July 2020. Out of the 100,000 won, School feeding 60,000 won is provided as a mobile voucher (30,000 won for rice and remaining 30,000 won for ingredients) and 40,000 is in NH mall points. Please note, mobile coupons can be used until the of June and NH Mall points can be used until the end of July 2020. Create on-line, digital public jobs (10,000 jobs for maximum 6 months). Public works Generate open air public works for low-income households (30,000 jobs for maximum 6 months). On 30 March 2020, Government of South Korea, as part of the 3rd Emergency Economic Council Meeting, announced that it will also provide a 1.3 trillion Won (this also includes measure for small business) worth of electricity bill payment deferral to 1,570,000 low-income households for three months from April to June 2020. On Feb 28, 2020, South Korean government announced that it will provide 10 percent refund for the purchases of high energy-efficiency home appliances. The government has spent 150 billion won ($138 million) in March to subsidize up to 200,000 won off purchase of electronic home appliances. The budget was raised to 450 billion won in June. The government of South Korea announced 50% Tax Deduction for Rent Reductions. For individual property landlords, who reduce rent receivable from small business owner lessees during the period January 2020 to June 2021, an amount equal to 50% of the reduction in rent is deductible. The government of South Korea announced VAT exemption for “simplified taxpayers” (RSTA §108- 5)—Liability to pay VAT is exempted for simplified VAT taxable persons whose annual turnover is between KRW 30M – 48M, until the end of 2020. Utility waivers The government of South Korea announced that for entertainment expenses incurred during the period January to December 2020, the deductible amount limit is temporarily increased (0.35% up to KRW 10bn, 0.25% from KRW 10bn up to KRW 50bn, and 0.06% for amounts exceeding KRW 50bn). On Dec 17, 2020, it is reported that government of South Korea lowered the interest rate for low- income household loan programs from 4.5 percent to 2-3 percent. On 10 Sept 2020, Government of South Korea, as part of the Forth supplementary budget, announced 0.9 trillion won to support/ subsidize mobile bill payment by providing government plan to give 20,000 won ($17) for all Koreans aged 13 and older. On Feb 28, 2020, South Korean government announced that it will provide a 70 percent individual consumption tax cut for car purchases. On 22 June 2021, South Korea is extending a temporary 30 percent cut in individual consumption tax on passenger vehicles for another six months until the end of December 2021. Maximum benefit from the tax cut has been set at 1 million won ($882). The incentive was in place for six months from July last year to stimulate consumption amid Covid-19 outbreak and was extended twice. On Oct 8, 2021, the government of South Korea announced that it will waive fines and suspend re- entry restrictions for fully vaccinated illegal stayers choosing to voluntarily depart from South Korea between Oct 8, 2021 and Dec. 31 this year. The government had imposed a fine of up to 30 million won ($25,140) depending on the period of illegal stay for illegal aliens who voluntarily leave the country. Those who refuse to pay the fine are prohibited from reentering the country for at least one year to a maximum of 10 years. Parent employees get up to 5 days of leave along with childcare support (see above). This measure is limited to those without receiving paid family emergency leave from their firms. Paid sick leave W84billion to subsidize employers’ cost for paid leaves offered to those infected. Health insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits The government will expand the social security contribution reliefs for firms as it will offer 3-month payment deferrals and 30 percent contribution cuts. The deferrals and cuts will be applied to contributions for March and on. "The government will expand the social security contribution reliefs as it will offer 3-month payment deferrals and 30 percent contribution cuts. The deferrals and cuts will be applied to contributions for Social March and on. Insurance 1) National HealthCare contributions - Current reliefs: Give 50 percent cut in contributions for three months to those in the bottom 20 percent income bracket and bottom 50 percent in hard-hit areas (A total of 5,460,000 Social security contributions beneficiaries) - Expand to bottom 40 percent and give them 30 percent reduction for three months (Additional beneficiaries of 4,880,000) 2) National Pension contributions The government will adopt a long installment payment plan rather than a payment exemption, for citizens are to receive their pension benefits according to the contributions they made. - Temporarily expand the eligibility for the contribution relief - Allow up to 60-month installment payment 3) Unemployment insurance contributions - Give a three-month payment deferral to small businesses with less than 30 employees: 6,120,000 employees and 2,280,000 businesses, around 44 percent of the total unemployment insurance holders, to receive the payment deferral" Further vocational training for job seekers (an increase of training allowance, lowering co-payment rates, lifting the income threshold for job-seeker package, continued provision of training through on-line). As of April 22nd, 2020, the government newly established “Emergency Employment Stability Subsidy” to support small business owners who suffered a drastic drop in sales, non-standard contract employees and freelancers who lost their work - home-study teachers, institution instructors, those working in the theater and film industry - and SME workers on unpaid leave by granting 500,000 won a month for three months. In addition to the subsidy, the government offers job-search support programs and vocational training programs to ensure the job security of these workers. Activation measures Job Search Promotion Subsidy of 500,000 won a month for up to 3 months is provided to those who earn less than 60% of the median income among those aged below 69 and participating in the ""Employment Success Package Program"". Participants who need to receive the subsidy should fill out a written plan that includes more than two job-seeking activities a month, and the government provides the allowance after confirming the results of job-seeking activities described in the plan. Labor Until now, the scope of job-seeking activities was limited to cases when workers change their Markets occupation, but it is now expanded to any activities that enhance workers' expertise in the field or secure stable income in order to provide support to a wider range of workers. As the requirement for the subsidy being relaxed, non-standard contract employees and freelancers who were in the blind spot of employment safety net are now eligible for the subsidy. Flexibility in the system introduced: (i) extend the employment contract by 50 days for those whose employment terms are approaching; (ii) support replacement of new EPS workers who cannot leave their home countries, (iii) operate EPS-related business through one-stop service, and (iv) extend the job search period for EPS job changers. Labor market regulations [January 2021] Extend the young adult employment quota (3 percent of the newly hired) and increase new hires in public institutions. [February 2020] Amid the spread of COVID-19, the government temporarily simplified procedures for employers to apply for the subsidy to promote the use of flexible work arrangements and help Reduced work time contain the spread of COVID-19. The “flexible work arrangement subsidy” is designed to provide assistance to cover labor costs for SME employers who introduce commuting with time difference, work from home, remote work or selective work hours. The subsidy amount depends on the number of those flexible work arrangements employees take. More specifically, employers will be paid 50,000 won per employee taking flexible work arrangements once or twice a week and 100,000 won per employee taking them three times a week or more up to a year per employee in aggregate. Increased by W400 billion, to KRW500 billion: This emergency measure introduced a further increase in employment retention subsidies from 66% of wages to 90% for 3 months, April to June (while maintaining the cap of $66/employee/day). Large firms are subject to the 66% threshold. [April 2020] Emergency livelihood aid: Wage subsidies to those with unpaid leaves in targeted industries (e.g., tourism) to help retain employment. Special Regional Employment Support Aid' will be given to 100,000 workers, at the rate of KRW 500,000 a month. [April 2020] The government's ‘Emergency Welfare Aid’ has been expanded to include workers on unpaid leave, workers on leave of absence and the dependent self-employed whose livelihoods have been disrupted by COVID-19. Starting April 6th, recipients of Emergency Welfare Aid will get an average subsidy of KRW 650,000 a month, depending on the number of their household members. Increased by 250% of existing indirect employment-cost subsidies (to W400,000 per worker) in the event an employee reduces work hours for COVID-19-related family care, coupled with relaxing eligibility criteria (e.g., the minimum employment duration from 6 months to 1 month). Wage subsidies [March 2020] Business support including wage support ₩610 billion. [March 2020] Support for job seekers including wage support ₩630 billion. [February 2020] On April 24th the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) gave public notice of the unpaid leave subsidy program that provides a maximum employment retention subsidy of 7.2 million won directly to workers for up to 180 days if the employer retains employment by putting them on unpaid leave during a temporary shutdown or layoff. An employment retention subsidy will also be provided to employers who have to adjust employment inevitably due to business deterioration, but instead take employment retention measures involving job-sharing arrangements, such as adjusting working hours and reorganizing shift work. In addition, if an employer carries out a plan to develop and improve the vocational skills of workers during an employment retention period, he/she will be paid a subsidy to cover the costs (up to 100,000 won per worker per month).This subsidy is given to employers who are faced with inevitable restructuring due to business slowdown but instead of laying off employees, took measures to retain their employees such as temporary business suspension or having employees take leave. In response to the growing need to strengthen government support to keep people in employment as many businesses continue to struggle amid the COVID-19 crisis, the government decided to raise the amount of subsidy for employee retention for six months from February 1st to July 31st." "The Korean government provides subsidy for employers who shorten weekly contractual work hours to 15 to 35 hours up to one year. The subsidy covers indirect labor costs, reduced earning allowance and cost of recruiting substitute workers. Due to the spread of COVID-19, growing number of workers experience difficulty taking care of their children and want to reduce their working hours. As such, the government is actively promoting workers to shorten their work hours as they wish and significantly increased the subsidy temporarily, from March 1 st to June 30th, to help businesses cope with their employees' shortened work hours. More specifically, subsidy for indirect labor costs granted to SMEs was raised from 200 to 400 thousand won per employee. The subsidy providedto a worker for shortening their weekly work hours, which is also provided to large businesses, has been increased. The subsidy for a worker shortening weekly work hours to 15 to 25 hours has been increased to 600 thousand won, from previous 400 thousand won. A worker shortening weekly work hours to 25 to 35 hours can receive increased earning allowance subsidy of 400 thousand won, from previous 240 thousand won. In addition, the subsidy provided to SMEs that need to hire substitute workers due to their employees' reduction of working hours has also increased to a maximum of 800 thousand won from previous 600 thousand won.The period of work requirement to be eligible for the subsidy has also been reduced from six months to one month, enabling more workers to benefit from the policy. In addition, the requirement for the period of shortening working hours has been reduced from more than two weeks to less than two weeks, expanding the range of workers and employers who can benefit from the policy. As burdens of both employers and workers increase in the spread of COVID-19, the government is expanding the amount of subsidy of "Job Stability Funds Program." As COVID-19 continues, the government expanded job stability fund program so that businesses with less than ten employees can receive additional subsidies of up to 70 thousand won per employee per month, and businesses with more than ten employees up to 40 thousand won per employee per month. [April 2020] On March 10th 2020, four industries whose employment is certain to worsen - travel, tourism and lodging, tourist transportation and performance industries - were designated as "Special Employment Support Sectors." As COVID-19 continued and more sectors struggled, four more industries - aircraft ground handling, duty free and travel retail, exhibition and international convention, airport bus sectors - were additionally designated to be eligible for special employment support on April 27th. Employers and workers in the "Special Employment Support Sectors" can enjoy increased support for six months from March 16th to September 15th. More specifically, support for employers taking employee retention measures is strengthened in the above-mentioned sectors. For example, the amount of employee retention subsidy and maximum amount of eligible subsidy have been increased. In addition, the deadline for employment insurance contribution has been deferred. "[March 2020] The government implements ""Special Support Program For Regional Employment"" with 17 local governments to support the livelihood of workers including those on unpaid leave, dependent self-employees, and freelancers. This package focuses on alleviating the difficulties caused by job insecurity and income loss of workers who are in the blind spot of employment safety net in local communities. In particular, as the impact of COVID-19 varies depending on regions and given that local governments are the ones who are well aware of the employment situation of the region, customized support measures led by local governments have been put in place. This package provides monthly subsidy of up to 500,000 won for two months to workers on unpaid leave. Currently, the government provides priority support to small-scale business owners and also offers intensive support to designated industries most particularly affected by COVID-19. In addition, dependent self-employees, and freelancers, who are highly likely to lose income as it is difficult to carry out face-to-face services due to COVID-19, are provided with monthly livelihood stabilization subsidy of up to 500,000 won for two months. " (back to the top) Kosovo Cash-based transfers The emergency fiscal package (measure 15) provided for three payments (corresponding to the minimum wage for young workers) for families in need with no income from work or social transfers. The purpose of the measure was to provide minimum protection for families in need with no income but still not eligible for SAS benefits; the scheme might also have offered some protection for families depending on informal sector jobs which may have been lost during the pandemic. Payment was equal to EUR 130 per person and was meant for April, May and June 2020. While payments started in May 2020, they were fully completed in December 2020 (including resolved complaints). The initial budget was EUR 3 million but then it was increased to around EUR 9 million. The government’s emergency fiscal package (measure 1) provided for a doubling of the payments issued to beneficiaries of the Social Assistance Scheme. The government returned to the same approach in the third quarter of 2020 and first quarter of 2021. The measure amounting to seven million six hundred fifty thousand (€7,650,000.00) Euros. The initial SAS double payments were issued for April and May 2020. The government issued further double SAS payments for October, November and December 2020. Similar payments were issued in January, February and March 2021 and are planned for the rest of 2021. The new administration increased SAS benefits by 30 percent from April 2021 onward and planned to provide more inclusion to marginalized groups. Early payment of farming grants and subsidies (for 1,702 farmers) is planned. Social Cash transfers Assistance (conditional and unconditional) Businesses and their employees were supported with a one-off payment of 290 EUR per worker for all employers still actively paying taxes. The one-off payments were distributed mostly during October 2020 to all employers. Additional payments for more employers were to be issued in January 2021. Measure 3.1 of the June 2021 Economic Recovery Package will support by a monetary amount all the families that have lost their head of the family by COVID-19, knowing that that for many families the loss of most loved ones might have represented the only source of income. The total amount allocated for this measure equals 4 million EUR. Measure 3.3 of the June 2021 Economic Recovery Plan provides for an expansion of the Social Assistance Scheme. The pandemic has shown that the current system is not properly designed and leaves out of the scheme many families in need. In cooperation with the World Bank, the government will begin a reform of the social assistance scheme, with the aim of expanding it to include more families. The total amount of the project is expected to be around 47 million euros. Measure 3.5 of the June 2021 Economic Recovery Package will commence the support scheme for jobless women after childbirth. Within this scheme, all women after childbirth who don’t work will benefit from a support at the level of minimal wage for 6 consecutive months. The emergency fiscal package (measure 2) launched a top-up to all other general tax-financed minimum social transfers that are practically tied to the food poverty threshold. The purpose was to strengthen the minimum social protection floor that the government provides. €30 was added to all social transfers of under €100 financed by general taxation for April, May and June 2020. Funds were allocated for the same additions for January, February and March 2021. The measure was to continue for the rest of 2021, but since April it has not issued more than €100 in total– which means the schemes issuing amounts close to €100 will receive smaller top-ups than before. Social pensions In-kind transfers For 6 consecutive months in 2021-2022, in cooperation with UNDP and EU funding, 7,500 of Kosovo's most needy families will be served a food coupon amounted to 60-70 euro, depending on Food, vouchers, others the size of the family. The support will be expanded for another 3000 families from non-majority communities, with the IOM support. School feeding Public works Deferrals for VAT Deferral of public utilities payments until end of April 2020 Removal of VAT on imports of wheat and flour On May 18th, 2020, the Ministry of Finance and Transfers announced that all interest on unpaid property taxes would be suspended until 2021. The Central Bank of Kosovo (CBK) allowed for suspension of individual loan payments and loan Utility waivers restructuring for individuals who, due to the situation created by COVID-19 and the decline of their income levels, were allowed to suspend the payment of loan instalments and enter into loan restructuring. Loan suspension and restructuring will not be recorded as a bad loan in the CBK registry and no penalties will be imposed by the banks on the borrowers. Loan suspension lasted from March 16th, 2020 to June 16th, 2020; restructuring lasted from June 16th to the end of September 2020. The Law on Economic Recovery (Article 15) initiated subsidies for energy consumption that originates from renewable resources for all consumers. Households were subsidised by €0.0061 per kWh of energy consumption, for the part of the energy originating from renewable resources. The subsidies (€16 million) were paid directly to energy producers. The program lasted from January 1st to May 31st, 2021.- The Law on Economic Recovery of December 2020 provided that all taxpayers who have not made timely tax payments relating to the period January 1st to December 31st, 2020, will be relieved from payment of accrued interest, should they pay all (base) tax liabilities by December 2020.- Measure 3.6. of the June 2021 Economic Recovery Package aims to address family liquidity by subsidizing consumption loans up to 3000 euros. This will enable families to close balances of credit cards that have very high interests, and at same time to prepare for autumn having necessary liquidity on covering seasonal expenditures.- Paid sick leave Health insurance Pensions The Government announced on April 21, 2021, that further top ups to the basic pensions. Unemployment benefits [April 2020] As part of the Emergency Fiscal Package, financial support was provided for business organization under financial distress due to the downfall of their business activities that resulted from the public health emergency situation by covering the value of pension contributions with regard to the measures foreseen for April and May, amounting to eight million (€ 8,000,000.00) Euros Early payment of pensions (Euro 35M monthly). Social As part of its efforts to provide relief to individuals affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Kosovo Insurance 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. (Other measures of the Social security contributions law include €200 million [US$245.4 million] in aid to busi- nesses, payments of €300 (US$368.13) a month from October 2020 to December 2020 to workers who lost their jobs, and reductions in the value-added tax on raw materials.) As part of the economic recovery plan for the second half of this year and 2021, 5-percent of pension contributions that business pay for workers will be covered under efforts to reduce tax burden. [April 2020] As part of the Emergency Fiscal Package, financial support was provided for business organization under financial distress due to the downfall of their business activities that resulted from the public health emergency situation by covering the value of pension contributions with regard to the measures foreseen for April and May, amounting to eight million (€ 8,000,000.00) Euros Activation measures [March 2020] All public enterprises and private companies that perform public transport of passengers (buses, vans, taxis), are obliged to perform regular disinfection. In addition, they are required to work with halving their capacity (up to 50%) in terms of the number of passengers they carry to allow the necessary space for each passenger. Labor market regulations [December 2020] Passenger road transport operators are allowed to work, utilizing the full capacity of the seats, provided that staff and passengers wear the mask at all times. Transport operators cannot have more passengers on the bus than they own seats. [July 2020] To control the spread of the virus, there was a reduction of employees in the administration only to essential staff and should create conditions for performing work tasks from Reduced work time home, halving the number of persons in each office in accordance with the manual. The employer is obliged to, in cooperation with the employees, define jobs that can do work from home. [April 2020] As part of the Emergency Fiscal Package, financial support is provided for business Labor organizations under financial distress due to the downfall of their business activities that resulted Markets from the public health emergency situation. Expenditures for the monthly salaries of employees in the amount of one hundred seventy (€170) Euros for April and May will be covered by the Government. The estimated budget amounts to forty-one million (€41,000,000.00) Euros [April 2020] As part of the Emergency Fiscal Package, financial support in the amount of six million (€6,000,000.00) Euros will be provided to business organisations registering employees with Wage subsidies employment contracts of at least one (1) year during the period of emergency public health situation. The benefit will include an amount starting from one hundred and thirty (€130) euros for the next two months after registration. As part of the economic recovery plan for the second half of this year and 2021, employment support measures include: (i) Wage subsidy for workers in pandemic-affected businesses Salary subsidy for new workers hired by businesses based on a plan that identifies sectors and categories of workers most in need (back to the top) Kuwait Cash-based transfers (March 2020) Between 16 March and 10 April, the Kuwaiti Zakat House/Fund provided financial aid to 4,124 families (total value: KWD980,000). The first phase (16-19 March) targeted widows, divorced women, orphans, and the elderly. The second phase (31 March-9 April) targeted low-income families with no fixed income or whose income was affected by the crisis. The Zakat House sent text messages to all registered families to update their private data through the attached link and enter their bank account numbers so that the Zakat House could transfer the value of the aid. Families who do not have accounts in local banks were encouraged to open accounts and then register through the Zakat House website in anticipation of any new precautionary measures that the State may take to limit the spread of the emerging COVID-19 pandemic Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) (March 2020) The ‘Fazaa El-Kuwait’ programme, based on public and private donations and implementation through NGOs/charities/volunteer teams, has been set up. It includes cash transfers and in-kind grants. As of 30 May 2020, KWD5,230,110 were distributed via cash assistance to impacted families through rent payments, general cash assistance and distribution of shopping Social cards: 331,273 food baskets, 495,123 meals and 405,682 hand sanitizers were distributed Assistance Minister of Social Affairs and Minister of State for Economic Affairs announced on 19 July 2020 the launch of the application: Kuwaitis without salaries to aid citizens who could no longer be paid due to the effect of the Covid-19 outbreak. Social pensions In-kind transfers (March 2020) The ‘Fazaa El-Kuwait’ programme, based on public and private donations and implementation through NGOs/charities/volunteer teams, has been set up. It includes cash transfers and in-kind grants. As of 30 May 2020, KWD5,230,110 were distributed via cash assistance to impacted families through rent payments, general cash assistance and distribution of shopping cards: 331,273 food baskets, 495,123 meals and 405,682 hand sanitizers were distributed Food, vouchers, others Three-months’ worth of support/meals for people living in nursing homes and who need social care. Workers in these nursing homes also receive food support. (March 2020) General Authority for Disability Affairs—The ‘Friends of PwD’ team distributed 1,200 food baskets to persons with full disabilities The Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society distributed on 26 June 2020, 1,500 food parcels and 1,500 milk cartons to workers and residents in Al-Jahra Governorate, in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior and the Governorate as part of its continued efforts to support incomes due to the Covid-19 outbreak. School feeding Public works Utility waivers Kuwaiti Civil Service Commission (CSC) has told all government agencies to ban employees placed under quarantine from starting work and stressed that salaries (March-April, April-May salaries) for Paid sick leave Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti staff will continue to be paid during any period of quarantine. Their absence from work will not impact their employment status. The duration is equivalent to the quarantine period. Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Postponing the deduction of the replacement part of the retirement pension according to Article (77) of the Law for a period of (6) months Payment of the retirement pension on the assumption that Social security contributions what the law permits is not disbursed in advance for cases that have benefited from the provision of Article (112) bis of the Social Security Law for a period of (6) months, provided that the legal instrument necessary to implement this decision is specified Activation measures Labor market regulations Reduced work time Labor Markets Kuwaiti Civil Service Commission (CSC) has told all government agencies to ban employees placed Wage subsidies under quarantine from starting work and stressed that salaries (March-April, April-May salaries) for Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti staff will continue to be paid during any period of quarantine. Their absence from work will not impact their employment status. The duration is equivalent to the quarantine period. (back to the top) Kyrgyz Republic Cash-based transfers Automatic extension of the standard one-year enrollment term for beneficiaries of poverty-targeted cash transfer, the term of which was due to finish during the quarantine period. Low-income families with children do not need to report on their income and visit district social protection offices. Categorical cash transfers to persons with disabilities (children and adults) were prolonged automatically if their term finishes in the time of quarantine. Financial assistance is provided to 490,000 individuals of low-income families in the form of humanitarian assistance in the fight against coronavirus. Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) Relaxing one asset-related filter which does not respond to transient poverty and prevents entering the poverty-targeted cash transfer program for families with children One-off payments to medical workers infected with COVID-19 in the amount of Kyrgyz Som Social 200,000 ($ 2,700) Assistance One-off payments to families of medical workers deceased from COVID-19 in the amount of Kyrgyz Som 1 mln (US$ 13,500) Social pensions In-kind transfers The government prepared a second and a third package of economic measures of about $540 million (7 percent of GDP), including support food security program to the vulnerable groups Provision of the food kit/set to supplement cash transfers to low income families with children, children and adults with disabilities. In Bishkek city, food, medical supplies and financial assistance Food, vouchers, others are provided to low-income families in the form of humanitarian assistance in the fight against coronavirus. 2.7 tons of flour, 460 liters of vegetable oil and more than 2 tons of food (pasta, rice, sugar, etc.) were distributed. Municipal Territorial Departments together with economic entities and shopping centers delivered food to 60 large, disabled and low-income families in the territory of the Municipal Territorial Administration. Food was distributed as assistance to people with disabilities in 17, 19, 20, 21 municipal territorial administrations. In the city of Osh. Low-income families in Osh received food, medical supplies and financial assistance. 26.0 tons of flour, 1,100 liters of vegetable oil and more than 2 tons of other food products (pasta, rice, sugar) were distributed. The government allocated 4459,5 tons of flour for food insecure citizens. The government allocated 200 million soms for the purchase of food for families from socially vulnerable groups Provision of food kit/set to supplement low income families with children and children and adults with disabilities. In Bishkek city, Municipal Territorial Departments together with economic entities and shopping centres delivered food to 60 large, disabled and low-income families in the territory of the Municipal Territorial Administration School feeding The Swiss Government allocated CHF 2.5 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), in support of the vulnerable people severely affected by the socio-economic impact of the pandemic in Kyrgyzstan. The funds will be used to support 80,000 people living in poverty. They will receive cash assistance in urban areas, with a possibility to participate in creating community assets Public works and skills trainings for better job prospects and enhanced income opportunities. This approach will ensure that not only assistance is extended to the people whose livelihoods were impacted by the Pandemic adverse effects, but also give appropriate tools to make them better prepared and resilient to the future stresses. The government moved to suspend rent charges for municipal property use in relation to affected tenants. Deferral of utilities service charges and fees (electricity, water and gas), bankruptcy moratorium until January 1st 2021. Utility waivers To mitigate the impact on the economy, the authorities have approved the first package of anti- crisis plan economic measures of $15 million (0.2 percent of GDP) including the postponement of tax payments, time-bound exemptions of property and land taxes, and temporary price controls on 11 essential food items. Banks were instructed to provide grace periods and installment plans for the payment of tax debt caused by force majeure circumstances, without a bank guarantee in cases of damage to taxpayers. To avoid the risk of coronavirus infection, the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic decided to Social Paid sick leave send on paid labor leave medical workers over 65, pregnant women and employees with small Insurance children Health insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits [March 2020] On March 31, the government approved a group of measures that included providing deferrals and installments for the payment of arrears on social contributions and extend the Social security contributions deadline for submitting reports on social contributions until July 1, 2020. [July 2020] On July 24, the Prime Minister signed a decree on the extension of the deadlines for reporting social contributions until October 1, 2020. The authorities will safeguard health spending at around budgeted levels and create space for increasing health and other spending. In collaboration with international organizations, the Activation measures authorities have recently adopted a health sector contingency plan, with an estimated cost of $16 million (0.2 percent of GDP) to provide training for health-care workers. [March 2020] On March 30, the government imposed a restriction on-site inspections until January 1, 2021, to reduce the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. [March 2020] On March 24, the President signed a decree for the introduction of a state of emergency in the Kyrgyz Republic. Part of the measures is a prohibition on the dismissal of workers and employees, except for good reasons, and amend the Labour Code accordingly. Labor Labor market regulations Markets [July 2020] On July 7, the government announced the increase of nurses and health workers' salaries by 25-30% [March 2020] On March 30, the government imposed a restriction on-site inspections until January 1, 2021, to reduce the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. [March 2020] On March 24, the President signed a decree for the introduction of a state of emergency in the Kyrgyz Republic. Part of the measures is a request for employers to change their Reduced work time work plans and establish a special mode of operation, to ensure the continuation of their economic activities. Wage subsidies (back to the top) Lao PDR Cash-based transfers On 21 February 2021, Government announced that up to 17,000 garment workers in Lao PDR affected by the COVID-19 pandemic are to each receive two months’ emergency income support worth 900,000 LAK (approximately US$100). Eligible beneficiaries, of whom 85 per cent are women, will receive the cash transfers by the end of March. This emergency program will ‘piggyback’ on LSSO’s existing delivery systems, helping reduce administration costs and speed up delivery, whilst easing the financial strain on the national unemployment insurance scheme. New payment methods will also be piloted by LSSO, with electronic payments made via a local mobile network operator, increasing financial inclusion for garment sector workers, especially those without bank accounts. As of December 2021, the program supported 80% (nearly 21,000 workers) of total garment sector in the (26,000 workers) (June 2020) The Government of Luxembourg has granted 1 million EUR to support people in disadvantaged villages in Laos to cope with the economic and health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The support is channeled through the Local Development Program – LAO/030, which is Social working with 150 000 people in 229 poor target villages in the four provinces of Bokeo, Cash transfers Bolikhamxay, Khammouane, and Vientiane. The total value of support to Vientiane Province is Assistance (conditional and unconditional) 163,947 EUR, benefitting 30,800 people from 41 villages. The officers and staff of the Department of Planning and Investment, District Planning Offices, the Village Development Committees, with the village authorities managed the distribution with the support of the LAO/030 staff from LuxDev., Government of Luxembourg. On 12 August 2021, the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (MOLSW), the Attapeu Department of Labor and Social Welfare’ and the Star Fintech Company (subsidiary of Star Telecom) has commenced the first cash transfer to beneficiaries under the Mother and Early Childhood Grant (MECG) initiative in Sanamxay district, Attapeu province. There are a total of 982 beneficiaries in 46 villages of Sanamxay districts enrolled under the MECG, which is a cash transfer pilot for pregnant women and young children aimed at improving the uptake of vaccinations and access to antenatal and postnatal as well as child protection services, including 529 pregnant women and 453 children under six months of age. The payment so far was made via a cash-to-door approach reaching 26 villages and 192 beneficiaries, which accounted for about 30 per cent of the payment. This first payment will be completed in the coming weeks and payment through the electronic payment app “U-Money” will commence thereafter. Beneficiaries of the initiative will directly receive a monthly benefit of 150,000 LAK, made in bi-monthly payments of 300,000 LAK, via U-Money and cash-to- door approach provided by Star Fintech. The process also relies on a computerized Management Information System (MIS) to ensure accurate targeting and timely cash payments. The MECG pilot is part of the United Nation’s Joint-Program (UNJP) entitled “Leaving no one behind: Establishing the basis for social protection floors in Lao PDR”, a joint initiative between UNICEF, the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF). On June 30 2021, the government has approved a budget of 1.5 billion kip to disburse cash allowances for the poorest and provide other subsidies for almost 6,000 low-income earners and informal sector workers who have lost income due to the pandemic and suffer extreme financial hardship. Social pensions In-kind transfers (June 2020) In partnership with World Vision, WFP provided food to returning migrant workers in the largest quarantine center in Savannakhet province. In total, 9,870 meals were provided to 1,007 returning migrants. This food assistance supports those affected by the Government’s quarantine measures aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19. As part of the COVID-19 response, WFP is providing unconditional food assistance to returning migrant labourers in six quarantine centres in Lao PDR through implementing partners World Vision International and the Swiss Red Cross. In September, WFP provided over 82,671 nutritious meals and basic dignity kits to 5,589 beneficiaries (2,738 women and girls) at US$ 138,695. WFP continued to distribute food to returning migrant labourers in seven quarantine centres in Lao PDR through partnerships with World Vision International and the Swiss Red Cross. During November, WFP provided over 32,089 nutritious meals to a total of 2,674 beneficiaries (1,310 women) at a total commodity voucher cost of US$ Food, vouchers, others 57,631. As part of the COVID-19 response, WFP is providing food assistance to returning migrant labourers in six COVID-19 quarantine centres in Lao PDR through partnerships with World Vision International and the Swiss Red Cross. During October, WFP provided over 56,877 nutritious meals to a total of 3,380 beneficiaries (1,652 women) at a total cost of USD 108,148. (June 2020) The Government of Luxembourg has granted 1 million EUR to support people in disadvantaged villages in Laos to cope with the economic and health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The support is channelled through the Local Development Programme – LAO/030, which is working with 150 000 people in 229 poor target villages in the four provinces of Bokeo, Bolikhamxay, Khammouane and Vientiane. Households with rice insufficiency received 60 kilograms of rice, the destitute households received 80 kg of rice plus an additional 400,000 Lao Kip (about 40 EUR), and households supporting members with disabilities were provided with 80 kg of rice. The support also included hygiene kits for the total village population, and an emergency fund that will be used for isolation and for hospitalization in case COVID cases are identified later. The total value of support to Vientiane Province is 163,947 EUR, benefitting 30,800 people from 41 villages. The officers and staff of the Department of Planning and Investment, District Planning Offices, the Village Development Committees, with the village authorities managed the distribution with the support of the LAO/030 staff from LuxDev. Take-home rations to 88,700 students across 940 schools - a total of 943mt of grains, oil, and fish School feeding are distributed. Public works A new electricity tariff, to ensure supply of electricity, is in effect from May 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. Consumers using less than 150 kWh per month will be charged 355 kip per kWh. Consumers using 150 kWh or more will be charged two different rates. For 150-461 kWh a month, the first 150 kWh will cost 355 kip per kWh with the remainder charged at 710 kip per kWh. Electricity customers using more than 462 kWh a month will be charged 710 kip per kWh for the entire bill. 30 April 2021, Electricite du Laos (EDL) is to provide a 3% discount on electricity rates to residential consumers in provinces under lockdown. It also decided to postpone the deadline for the payment of water supply bills from May to July 2021. On April 10, 2020, the Laos government issued tax relief measures to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. The employees’ income tax is exempted for both civil servants and employees of the private sector with income less than LAK5 million per month for 3 months, Until Utility waivers June 2020. On 20 May 2021, government re-introduced the tax exemption for both civil servants and employees of the private sector with income less than LAK5 million per month (April Until June 2021). On May 20, 2021, the Laos government issued tax relief measures to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. It extended the deadline to pay road tax until 30 June 2021. Vientiane Water Supply Enterprise will reduce its rates from May to July 2020 for household customers by five percent with the change coming into effect next month. On 20 May 2021, government has decided to provide discount on supplies of water, and also postponement of the deadline for the payment of water supply bills from May to July 2021 Paid sick leave Social Health insurance Insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor market regulations Reduced work time [September 2020] To provide prompt financial assistance to cover the daily living costs of workers who had their work suspended or workdays reduced during the COVID-19 lockdown, the Labor government has agreed to provide unemployment allowance to such workers. Members of business- Markets related social insurance schemes will be able to receive compensation from the National Social Wage subsidies Security Fund (NSSF) of Lao PDR. The policy does not cover people who are members of the state social insurance organization because the government pays them a monthly salary. Affected businesses forced to close during the COVID-19 outbreak measures such as hotels, restaurants, and tour companies, along with factories that stopped work, can request financial assistance for temporarily unemployed staff from the NSSF under the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare of Lao PDR. (Back to the top) Latvia Cash-based transfers On 24th March 2020, PM of Latvia announced on Latvian Radio that about 4,500 health care workers will receive a 20 percent bonus payment. This extra pay will apply to State Emergency Medical Service, specialists at the Disease Prevention and Control Center, epidemiologists who carry out tests, people who make calls about the test results, lab employees, admissions office employees at hospitals, and employees of the Latvian Infectiology Center. The government will grant €8m in bonuses to medical personnel working through the Covid-19 outbreak. The bonuses will last for 3 months, and medics will be able to cash the money out starting early April. The bonuses will be granted as thanks for medics who've worked in an intense capacity for a month now, said the Prime Minister. Extra pay of up to ranging from 20-50% of the monthly wage will be granted under the scheme. Later on, 2 December 2020, during the approval of the state budget for 2021, Latvia’s government decided to increase the lowest wages of healthcare workers by 25%, as confirmed by Healthcare Ministry. It is planned to allocate EUR 183,005,047 for the increase of wages of healthcare workers in 2021 and onward. This will provide the option to increase the lowest wages of Social healthcare workers in inpatient and outpatient sectors, as well as family doctors and residents by Cash transfers 25%. Generally, this means that the lowest wage of certified doctors will increase by EUR 302 (from Assistance (conditional and unconditional) EUR 1,187 in 2020 to EUR 1,489 in 2021) and the lowest wage of certified nurses. The childcare allowance was approved by the Latvian parliament on 18 February 2021 and on March 18, 2021, the State Social Insurance Agency (VSAA) carried out the first money transfer of childcare allowance of €500 aid per child, said Welfare Ministry. The second transfer is scheduled for March 19, 2021, while the third is scheduled for March 22 (or 23), 2021. The beneficiaries will receive the money in their accounts no later than three working days after the date of the transfer. The €500 aid will be paid to a total of 363,320 children and it will cost 182 million Euros. Transfer dates for each child may vary because the payout will take place gradually in accordance the child's year of birth, starting with the oldest children. As previously reported, EUR 500 will be paid for each child under 15 years of age, those children aged 15 to 20 who are studying and dependent, and children who will be born until April 6, 2021. April 6, 2021 is the day the state of emergency in Latvia is currently set to expire. This one-off financial support will be covered by the contingency budget program. The payment will be made automatically by State Social Insurance Agency (VSAA) without any applications. The payment will not be subject to tax or deductions Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding On 28 July 2021, Ministry of welfare announced paid temporary public work, which is a measure for unemployed persons to acquire and maintain work skills by performing socially beneficial work. The requirement is that unemployed persons without unemployment benefit; have been registered with SEA for at least 6 months OR have been registered as unemployed for less than six months but have been without employment for at least 12 months, he/she can apply for the measure in the Local Employment Office. Unemployed person is employed subsequently or with intervals up to four months within a 12-month period; the unemployed person may participate repeatedly. For Public works performing temporary public work the unemployed person receives a monthly remuneration of EUR 200.00. Mandatory State social insurance contributions are made for the unemployed person involved in the measure in accordance with the normative acts on mandatory State social insurance contributions and State social insurance special budget. The support funds are co-financed by the European Social Fund to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 crisis and is now planning to implement temporary public work. Utility waivers The government funded sick leave from the second day of illness for adults who were ill or injured, needed to isolate, returned from abroad. This also included those who work in educational, medical, or social care institutions with contact with people; those who took care of sick children; or those who qualified for a sick leave certificate based on other criteria. Quarantined workers are entitled to receive paid sick-leave, also in case of care for quarantined children below 14 years or children with disabilities below 18 years. Paid sick leave Social The government covered 75% of the costs of outbreak-induced sick leaves or workers’ downtime for Insurance up to EUR 700 per month, from March 14th to May 14th 2020 if the employer was not able to secure work for the employee because of COVID-19. The government funded sick leave from the second day of illness for adults who were ill or injured, needed to isolate, returned from abroad. This also included those who work in educational, medical, or social care institutions with contact with people; those who took care of sick children; or those who qualified for a sick leave certificate based on other criteria. Health insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Relaxed overtime regulation: Overtime work has been extended up to 60 hours per week in the Labor market regulations public health sector and other specified public services. Reduced work time [March 2020] The government has introduced an “allowance for idle time”, which consists of Labor granting a subsidy to employees suspended from working during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Markets allowance for the idle time was determined in the amount of 75% of the average monthly gross work remuneration, capped at €700 per month. To apply, employer must show a decrease in revenue. Wage subsidies From 25 March 2020 to 31 July 2020, 52,828 employees were benefited, involving an actual expenditure of €51,5 million. [Extension - September 2020] In September 2020, COVID-19 spread rate rose sharply and, from 9 November 2020 the state of emergency was declared again, and different restrictions, as well as support measures, re-introduced. (back to the top) Lebanon Cash-based transfers Lebanon's Parliament ratified an LBP600 billion (USD75 million at current unofficial exchange rates) aid package for low-income families to go to the Emergency National Social Solidarity Programme, providing a monthly cash assistance of LBP400,000 (about USD100, now 50 USD) to up to 200,000 families for 7 months until December. As of the end of 2020, 3 transfers had been made to between 150,00 and 170,000 households. People with disabilities, victims of landmines and explosions, parents of public-school children are included, as well as non-food voucher households in the NPTP (around 28,000 households). The cash delivery was overseen by the Army. Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) (Janurary 2021) Conditional cash transfer; top-up for students (NPTP beneficiaries with children between 13 - 18 years currently enrolled in public schools) at risk of drop-out provided monthly and yearly (conditional CT) carried out by the WB (2021) Cash Transfer for Basic Income Support through the National Poverty Targeting Programme; Social expansion of the monthly food assistance through an electronic prepaid card provided by the Assistance National Poverty Targeting Programme (unconditional CT) Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding Public works On 24 March, the Lebanese PM directed the government to extend grace periods and delay the collection of water, electricity, and telephone service bills until the end of the emergency/lockdown period. The cabinet approved an urgent draft law to waive taxes for six months. The ministry of finance announced the extension of all deadlines related to payment of taxes and fees. Utility waivers (June 2020) The central bank has stabilized wheat, medicine and fuel prices by providing importers with hard currency at the largely-defunct official rate of 1,507 per dollar. It’s also given a preferential exchange rate to importers of 300 basic food and household products, allowing them to buy dollars at 3,900 pounds each. The cabinet approved an urgent draft law to waive taxes for six months. The ministry of finance announced the extension of all deadlines related to payment of taxes and fees Paid sick leave should be granted to medical employees working in hospitals (nurses, contractors) covering the entire isolation period. Decree 136/1983 on work-related injuries and emergencies will apply to all such workers whom contract the Covid-19 disease. This decree stipulates the Paid sick leave responsibilities of the employers in case of occupational injuries with corresponding compensation and indemnity, as well as workers’ entitlements. This decision enters into effect retroactively for all cases starting February 1, 2020. Health insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits According to Law No. 6, of 5 March 2020, concerning facilitations in paying social security contributions, the below apply (among others): • Reduction of 100 per cent of social security contributions until 31 December 2020, and reduction of 85 per cent for unpaid contributions related to the period from 1/1/2001 until Social 31/12/2019 if payments started before 5 May 2020 Insurance • The unpaid contributions for the abovementioned period (1/1/2001 until 31/12/2019) shall be paid on instalments for up to 5 years with a 5 per cent interest rate (other conditions apply) • The unpaid contributions will be exempted from additional interest rates specified in law 144 of 31 July 2019, if payment started before 5 May 2020 • Employers may request rescheduling for their unpaid contributions, except for the above- Social security contributions mentioned period (conditions apply); • Persons who already paid interest on delayed contributions may receive refunds for the interest percentage [February 2021] The National Social Security Fund issued a decision to suspend all the deadlines stipulated in the Social Security Law, including all transactions related to submitting applications, payment of contributions, bonds, settlements, etc., as of 14/1/2021 and until the end of the lockdown. Accordingly, employers can now pay their December 2020 contributions without increases or fines, while preserving the rights of the insured people to submit their papers. Activation measures Labor market regulations Labor Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Lesotho Cash-based transfers The government has provided top ups of M870/quarter to all existing PA households (around 12,600 in both urban and rural areas) for 2 quarters. Increase the cash benefit amount for existing beneficiaries, especially child grant support. Identify and add new vulnerable people – children, elderly (60-70yrs), people living with disabilities and informal sector operators. The project is expected to benefit close to 200,000 social grant beneficiaries (April 2020) A once off payment of 800 LSL given to factory workers. (April 2020) Pay stipend to affected Basotho students abroad (China, Cuba, India etc) for three Cash transfers months. (conditional and unconditional) (May 2020) Under the Public Assistance Program, cash transfers (LSL831 per month)were provided Social to 10,000 newly destitute families (Jul–Sep 2020) and 45,000 persons aged 60–69 (May–Jul 2020). Assistance (May 2020) Cash support to beneficiaries in privately-owned care facilities housing (1,335 children, 23 elderly persons, and 651 persons with disabilities) (May–Jul 2020). (October 2020) WFP assisted 34,000 severely food insecure people living in urban areas of the five worst affected districts by expanding the government’s Public Assistance Programme. Each household will receive €47 (M831) per month via MPESA, a mobile money platform. This cash assistance will give them a choice to purchase what they need most at local markets. Social pensions In-kind transfers (July 2020) Food parcels were provided for vulnerable households (up to 100) across community councils (Jul–Sep 2020). Food, vouchers, others (June 2020) Food stamps were given to vulnerable Basotho living in South Africa (9,000–12,000) (Jun 2020). Food and/or cash transfers (LSL831 per month) to acutely vulnerable households (72,626) with livelihoods affected by poor planting and COVID-19 mitigation measures. (May 2020) Under School Feeding Program, take-home rations for early childhood care and development and primary school-going vulnerable children (72,200) (May–Jul 2020) School feeding (September 2020) The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomed the Japanese Government contribution of JPY 250 Million (equivalent to about US$ 2.3 Million) that enabled WFP to strengthen food assistance to some 94,000 primary school and 60,000 pre-primary school learners, through the Government of Lesotho’s national school feeding programme. Public works (March 2020) CBL: Commercial banks will grant three months credit payment holiday to clients, as well as reduced transaction fees and charges. (August 2020) The Government of Lesotho introduced a 60% subsidy on all agricultural seeds. Anyone in Lesotho could purchase the subsidized seeds, which were sold in government- run central stores only. (April 2020) Businesses and individuals working in sectors of the economy that were affected by Utility waivers lockdown measures were eligible for tax payment deferrals covering the first and second quarter of 2020. The scheme was launched by the Lesotho Revenue Authority in April 2020 and covers Company Income Tax, PAYE/ income tax for workers, and VAT. Payment of these taxes can be deferred and effected through individual payment plans. To promote the use of digital payments, transaction fees on person-to-person payments, merchant payments, and transfers from bank accounts to digital wallets, were waived. In addition, transaction and account balance limits were raised. Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor Labor market regulations Markets Reduced work time [April 2020] On April 13, the Government of Lesotho announced an industrial worker wage subsidy Wage subsidies program. The subsidy of LSL 800 for three months (April - June) will benefit around 50,000 industrial workers. (back to the top) Liberia Cash-based transfers For COVID-19 support to vulnerable households, the Government of Liberia used the existing Social Cash Transfer (SCT) program under the Liberia Social Safety Nets Project to provide immediate relief in Greater Monrovia. The program is called the SCT-COVID, and it was completed as of October 2021. SCT-COVID benefited 14,855 households or 65,362 individuals (using 4.4 average household size as per the enrolment data) in 11 communities. Women were the primary beneficiaries in over 70 percent of all beneficiary households. The beneficiaries received full payments via mobile money. The Social Cash Transfer (SCT) program, a partnership between the World Bank and the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection of Liberia, will scale-up from 3,500 to 12,000 extreme poor households in Liberia’s four most food insecure counties (Maryland, Grand Kru, River Gee and Bomi) Cash transfers via mobile money to assist in the COVID-19 economic recovery. The expected beneficiaries are as (conditional and unconditional) follows: 3,500 rural extreme poor households (current); additional 9,000 rural extreme poor households (planned). Social Assistance The USAID Unconditional Cash Transfer Activity (UCT) will provide 85,000 Liberians the equivalent of US$50 in Liberian currency (approximately 7,750 Liberian Dollars) per month for three months to improve food security, start or expand income-generating activities, and protect their livelihoods. Targeted beneficiaries include Liberians disproportionately affected by the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as those previously affected by the Ebola epidemic. The focus of the distributions will be owners of micro and small businesses, small traders, market women, small farmers, and members of other vulnerable groups who live in the six counties in which USAID does most of its development work in Liberia: Bong, Grand Bassa, Lofa, Margibi, Montserrado, and Nimba.. Social pensions In-kind transfers The government is appropriating the amount of US$25 million to support food distribution to households in designated affected counties for the period of 60 days. Food, vouchers, others An Executive Order issued Tuesday, April 27, 2020 directs the NFAA to introduce food stamp and free meals for various categories of people, such as physically challenged persons, single and vulnerable parents including young children, pregnant women and lactating mothers, the aged, sick and malnourished children. Others include the young girl without parental guidance and support. The Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) has instituted several policy measures to ease the negative impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the Liberian economy. The measures include suspension for three months, all charges on the Automated Clearing House (ACH), Direct Credit (DC) and Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS); as well as one month suspension on all Mobile Money Operators School feeding (MMOs) charges to customers for money transfers. Commercial banks and operators are required to suspend all charges to customers related to these Electronic Payment Channels so as to reduce the cost of clearing, payments and transfers for individuals and businesses. Transfer limits have also been reviewed. Public works The Government is planning to take up the electricity bill of households in the affected counties for the duration of the STAY-AT-HOME. Cost of this measure is US$4 million. The Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) has instituted several policy measures, such as suspension for three months, all charges on the Automated Clearing House (ACH), Direct Credit (DC) and Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS); as well as one month suspension on all Mobile Money Operators (MMOs) charges to customers for money transfers. Commercial banks and operators are required to suspend all charges to customers related to these Electronic Payment Channels to reduce the cost Utility waivers of clearing, payments and transfers for individuals and businesses. Transfer limits have also been reviewed. The payback conditions of the Market Women and Small Informal Petty Traders Bank Loan Programme were relaxed to alleviate the impact of the pandemic on the daily earnings of vulnerable groups. The President of the Republic, H.E. Dr. George Manneh Weah, has suspended import tariff on rice, Liberia's staple. Paid sick leave All non-essential employees of government have been granted paid leave until further notice. Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Activation measures Labor [April 2020] To reduce the impact of the COVID-29 outbreak, a COVID-19 preparedness guide for Markets Labor market regulations workplaces and workers in Liberia has been provided. This includes the closure of all non-essential businesses and government offices. [April 2020] Social distancing protocols have been put in place in Liberia and directives for businesses and organisations to limit customers in the service areas based on the type of services provided is being enforced. For instance, Motorcycle taxi drivers were asked to take only 1 passenger at a time, and the taxi to take 2 passengers in the back to provide space for COVID-19 passengers to observe as much social distancing as possible. [April 2020] To improve and enforce workplace safety for all, social distancing protocols have been put in place and businesses and organisations are directed to limit customers in the service areas based on the type of services provided. [May 2020] To control the spread and reduce the impact of COVID-19 outbreak, the government through its Ministry of Labour has provided preparedness guide for workplaces and workers in Liberia based on the Decent Work Act. Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Libya Cash-based transfers Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) Social pensions In-kind transfers Around, 64,630 vulnerable IDPs and non-displaced individuals (in Alkufra, Aljufra, Alqatroun, Alshati, Bani Waleed, Benghazi, Ghat, Aljabal Algharbi, Misrata, Nalut, Sebha, South Azawia, Tarhouna, Tawergha, Traghan, Ubari, Wadi Araba) were reached through monthly in-kind food assistance. Food, vouchers, others (March 2020) Emergency one-off in-kind assistance provided by the Zakat Fund to its existing Social beneficiaries as well new ones, including poor families and IDPs Assistance (March 2020) Home delivery; WFP and the Ministry of Education are working to deliver meals to children who used to benefit from the school feeding program Food Assistance and nutrition support for 90,000 people. Providing one 2-kg box of mineral and School feeding vitamin-fortified date bars to 18,379 students aged 6 to 14 and their families in 58 schools in southern Libya, WFP and the Ministry of Education are using the take-home ration initiative to support children while they take distance learning. The ration secures 30 percent of the daily nutrition needs of the children and five of their family members for a five-day period. Public works (April 2020) To prevent food prices from increasing, the Minister of Economic has adopted a Utility waivers regulation controlling the prices of 16 food items such as fruits, vegetables, and meat. The regulation will be revised every 3 months Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions Labor Activation measures Markets Labor market regulations Reduced work time Wage subsidies (Back to the top) Liechtenstein Cash-based transfers Cash transfers (conditional and unconditional) Social pensions Social In-kind transfers Assistance Food, vouchers, others School feeding Public works Utility waivers If employees are unable to work for a longer and unpredictable period of time due to official orders and home office is not possible, employers will be compensated for continued wage payments with the COVID-19 daily allowance. For employees, the COVID-19 daily allowance is 100% of the previous AHV-liable wages, including regular ancillary payments, if they are completely unable to work. The maximum amount of the creditable salary is CHF 148,200 per year and CHF 406 per calendar day. If the wage is subject to Paid sick leave strong fluctuations, a reasonable average wage per day is used. The COVID-19 daily allowance is paid from the third day of the officially ordered measure or Social exemption, but no earlier than April 1, 2020 (employees) or November 1, 2020 (self-employed Insurance persons). Employees who are particularly at risk (section 2.1 letter c) and people in 24-hour care (section 2.1 letter e) are entitled to the earliest from January 18, 2021. The COVID-19 daily allowance ends when the measure expires or the exemption, but no later than June 30, 2021. Health insurance Pensions [April 2020] To mitigate the economic consequences of the coronavirus (COVID-19), unemployment Unemployment benefits benefits will be provided to workers who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic Social security contributions Activation measures Labor Labor market regulations Markets [June 2020] Employers are required to take further measures according to the STOP principle Reduced work time (substitution, technical measures, organizational measures, personal protective equipment), namely the possibility of home office, physical separation, separate teams, regular ventilation or the wearing of face masks. [April 2020] As part of a larger economic stimuls package, the government of Liechtenstein has provided financing for short-time work through unemployment insurance to prevent an increase in unemployment. With short-time work, working hours are shortened for a limited period if there is a significant loss of work. The basics of Corona short-time work apply to companies and employers affected by the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The entitlement to Corona-related short- Wage subsidies time work compensation applies until the end of June 2021. This is intended to create planning security for the companies concerned. [Extension- September 2021] The government decided on September 22, 2021 that the deadline for the period for short-time work due to the coronavirus should be extended beyond September 30, 2021 until December 31, 2021. (back to the top) Lithuania Cash-based transfers The universal child benefit of 60 euros has been increased to 100 euros for a period of six months after the end of the national quarantine for families who lost income during the quarantine. Payments of EUR 257 per month (the minimum consumption requirement for 2020) to affected self-employed who paid social insurance contributions for at least 3 months during the last 12 months prior to the declaration of emergency and, due to emergency, cannot further carry out their activities. Furthermore, the social protection of artists is enhanced., On 16 March 2020, Lithuanian Government introduced payments of EUR 257 per month (the minimum consumption requirement for 2020) to affected self-employed who paid social insurance contributions for at least 3 months during the last 12 months prior to the declaration of emergency and, due to emergency, cannot further carry out their activities. Furthermore, the social protection of artists is enhanced. On 5 Jan 2021, it was reported that the self-employed will continue receiving the benefit, but the benefit amount has been increased to EUR 260/month during quarantine and emergency. Social Cash transfers On 21 April 2020, Republic of Lithuania announced that it will issue special coupons to passengers Assistance (conditional and unconditional) who were prevented from taking trips they had paid for due to the introduction of quarantine measures. The coupons entitle to taking a trip at a later time. This is aimed at protecting tourism businesses from bankruptcies and insolvencies and retaining jobs. The new provisions provide for the possibility for tour operators experiencing difficulties as a result of emergencies to offer tourists an alternative, i.e., coupons, the value of which must be at least equal to the amount of money paid for the tour that did not take place. The coupon can be used to pay for a future trip or part of a trip that starts no later than 12 months after the restrictions cease to apply. If the tourist does not use the coupon within 12 months, the tour operator will be obliged to return the money paid by the tourist within 14 days from the expiry of the coupon. If the person does not agree to accept the coupon, the money for the missed tour should be returned to him/her no later than within 14 days from the date of termination of the arranged tour contract. As of 24 Jan 2021, it was reported that there were 9,000 unused coupons issued to tourists which is worth €2.9 million. On 25 March 2021, Government of Lithuania approved Grants for the self-employed affected by COVID-19 and it provides self-employed with a lump-sum subsidies. The aim is to support self- employed persons (who carry out activities on the basis of individual activity certificates or business certificates) who have been affected by restrictions imposed in Lithuania during the COVID-19 pandemic. The subsidy provided to the self-employed is between £100 to £10,926 depending. The applications duration is from 29 March 2021 to 1 June 2021. On 9 June 2020, Government of Lithuania has announced that a lump-sum payments will be provided to families with children or foster children and to abandoned children which will be effective from 12 June 2020. The Law aims at reducing the negative economic and social effects of the state of emergency and quarantine and boosting the economy. The lump-sum payments will be available to all children who receive child benefit in Lithuania (i.e., a universal child benefit payable in respect of all children under 18). The lump-sum benefit will be €120 or €200, depending on the amount of child benefit the family receives: for families receiving €60 (normal amount), the lump-sum payment will be €120 and for those receiving child benefit in the amount of €100 (payable for disabled children, low-income families, and large families), the lump-sum payment will be €200. The lump sum will be paid by 31 July 2020, but for children who become entitled to the child benefit after 1 July 2020, the lump sum will be paid together with the child’s first instalment. The lump-sum payments will be also available for children who will become entitled to the child money by 31 December 2020. It is reported that 507,000 children or 330,000 families will get a one-off payment of 120 euros, whereas 134,000 children or 60,000 families could claim 200 euros. The law is valid until February 25, 2022. The lumpsum is paid from state budget. On 7 May 2020, Republic of Lithuania announced that Lump-Sum Benefits for Recipients of Social Insurance Pensions and Social Assistance Benefits will come into force from 15 May 2020 and the law is valid until 31 December, 2020. It will provide a lump-sum benefit of €200 to elderly people, disabled people, survivors, and orphans. The people who have registered under the following mentioned categories will automatically receive the payment in Aug 2020: social insurance old-age pension (early old-age pension, old-age pension for disabled persons); social insurance work incapacity (disability) pension; social insurance survivors’ pension; social insurance orphans’ pension; loss of breadwinner’s pension; social assistance old-age pension; retirement pension; compensation for special working conditions; social assistance disability pension; other pensions. It is reported that the lump-sum benefits will be paid to 910,000 residents of the country and will require approx. €182 million of funds. In May 2020, Lithuania approved new monthly payment for unemployed people under job Seekers’ allowance. It started functioning in June and is planned to be in place until 31 December 2020. It amounts to €200/month (i.e., one third of the minimum monthly wage). The maximum duration of the allowance is six months. In addition, a supplement of 7% of the minimum monthly wage (€42.5) is paid as a top-up to those eligible for unemployment insurance benefits. The total cost of the new allowance was estimated at €265 million, making up about 30% of the total COVID-19- related package of measures approved back in May for the second half of 2020. By mid-November, the jobseekers’ allowance has been paid for a period of four and a half months with a total bill of €108.11 million. However, the sum should go up as the number of registered unemployed is exceeding expectations: it was around 266,000 or 15.4% of the working-age population in the middle of November. This is 3.6 percentage points higher than the number of registered unemployed before the introduction of the allowance, and 6.1 percentage points higher than the situation in mid- March. It is also substantially above the official seasonally adjusted unemployment level as defined by Eurostat, which was 10.4% (around 155,000 people) in October in Lithuania. Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others School feeding Public works It is reported on March 16, 2020 that Lithuanian government will provide a state guarantee to extend the deferred period from 3 to 6 months for mortgage payments (excluding interest) for those who have lost their jobs. It is reported on March 16, 2020 that Government of Lithuania allowed deferment or payment in instalments of electricity and natural gas bills from UAB Ignitis, and to recommended to municipalities to allow deferment or payment in instalments of utilities and heat energy. Possibility for all the customers to defer or arrange the payments in instalments for used electricity and gas has been offered by the main provider of electricity and gas in Lithuania (state owned company). On 11 Aug 2021, Government of Lithuania announced that self-employed persons affected by Utility waivers COVID-19 restrictions can apply for partial reimbursement of the rent of premises and the costs of running the premises. The measure aims at reducing financial burdens on self-employed persons affected by COVID-19 and thus helping them to preserve their businesses. The maximum amount of compensation that can be granted is 70% of the fixed costs relating to the renting of and running the premises up to a maximum of €20,000. Eligible costs include those related to the renting of and running the premises, such as rent payments, water, heat, electricity supply charges, elevator costs, costs of cleaning and storage of premises, handling of building and environment, costs of building renovations and repairs of equipment, etc. Subsidies granted by the government shall cover for fixed costs incurred during the period 1 November 2020 until 30 April 2021. The deadline for the applications is 15 October 2021.This program is expected to cost €14 million, and it will be allocated from the state budget. On 23 June 2020, Government of Lithuania increased the threshold for Non-taxable amount of income from €4200 (before the law was passed) to €4800 (after the law was passed). The Law stipulates that the maximum annual Tax Exemption Amount of Income shall be €4,800 (€400 per month) in Lithuania, if the person’s annual income does not exceed the minimum monthly wage (MMW). Prior to the entry into force of the Law, the annual TEAI in Lithuania was €4,200 (€350 per month). For persons whose monthly income related to employment relationships or relations in their essence corresponding to employment relationships exceeds the MMW effective on 1 January of the current calendar year, the applicable monthly TEAI shall be calculated according to a special formula. This law will be in effect from July 1, 2020 and valid until 31 December 2020. Sickness benefits were increased for employees who became infected during the performance of their duties. If health care professionals, officials or other employees are infected with the COVID-19 virus, they are offered a maximum sickness benefit of 100% of the neto average wage (or 77.58% bruto of the average wage). Sickness benefits are granted for persons who take care of children, elderly people, disabled Paid sick leave individuals (who are not allowed to attend daycare centers, nurseries, schools, etc.) - 65,94% of their bruto salary; persons with chronic diseases who are affected by the virus-mitigation measures taken Social by government - 62,02% of their bruto salary. It will be issued for up to 60 days, but no longer than Insurance the end of quarantine or emergency. Possibility for all the customers to defer or arrange the payments in instalments for used electricity and gas has been offered by the main provider of electricity and gas in Lithuania (state owned company). Health insurance Pensions [March 2020] On March 16, the Government announced that persons who have participated in Unemployment benefits vocational training which was suspended due to the declared emergency and quarantine will receive a training grant equivalent to 0.39 of the minimum monthly salary. Social security contributions [May 2020] On May 16, the parliament approved a welfare package which includes job seekers' allowances of EUR 200. All people registered with the Užimtumo Tarnyba (Employment Services) Activation measures would be entitled to job seekers’ allowance for up to six months. The measures would also apply to students registered at the Employment Services. The government has allocated EUR 265 million for Labor the purpose and estimates that the measure could benefit around 200,000 people. Markets Labor market regulations Reduced work time [March 2020] On March 16, the Government decided to allocate funds for the self-employed who Wage subsidies have paid social security contributions with the amount of EUR 257/month for up to 3 months when they are unable to carry out their activities due to quarantine. [March 2020] On March 16, the Government announced that it will contribute to the maintenance of jobs with subsidies in case of downtime or partial downtime, the amount of which can be chosen by the employer: 90% from the employee's calculated salary, but not more than EUR 607 gross, or 70% from the employee's calculated salary, but not more than EUR 910.5 gross. Employers who have benefited from subsidies will have to maintain at least 50% of jobs for at least 3 months from the end of the payment of the grant. The Government is planning to allocate EUR 500 million for this measure. (back to the top) Luxembourg Cash-based transfers On May 20, 2020, Luxembourg government had drawn up a specific measure for those parents who have to look after their child (ren) under 13 years of age, so that they will be able to benefit from leave for family reasons. The employee under this measure benefits from the full salary paid from the National health Fund (CNS). The State is envisioning a total expenditure of around € 280 million. This is applicable from 25 May 2020 to 15 July 2020. On 2 April 2021, the government has extended the policy from Jan 22, 2021 until July 17, 2021 On May 20, 2020, the Luxembourg government amended the cost-of-living allowance (allocation de la vie chère - AVC) in order to grant beneficiaries, double the planned amounts for the year 2020. The purpose of this amendment is to provide targeted support to low-income individuals who have been particularly affected by the Covid-19 crisis. For example, people working in sectors with incomes equal to or only slightly higher than the social minimum wage have been heavily affected by short-time work. Cash transfers The amounts of the AVC will be set as follows for 2020 (previous amounts are in brackets): (conditional and unconditional) Social EUR 2,640 for a single person (EUR 1,320). Assistance EUR 3,300 for a household of 2 persons (EUR 1,650). EUR 3,960 for a household of 3 persons (EUR 1,980). EUR 4,620 for a household of 4 persons (EUR 2,310). EUR 5,280 for a household of 5 or more persons (EUR 2,640). On Dec 18, 2020, The Luxembourg government has also decided to partially extend the tourism fund to support and revive the associative tourism sector. Non-profit associations and tourist offices, which professionally manage a tourist infrastructure and ensure a minimum level of activity, will thus be able to benefit from an extension of the participation in the remuneration costs. The amount of this aid is 1,250 euros per employee. This support measure extends over a period of four months from December 2020 to March 2021. Social pensions In-kind transfers On April 10, 2020, it is reported that the Luxembourg Red Cross and Caritas Luxembourg announce Food, vouchers, others that they are extending access to their social grocery stores, the ""Croix-Rouge Buttek"" and the ""Caritas Buttek"", to people and families in precarious situations or experiencing temporary financial difficulties linked to the Coronavirus sanitary crisis. ""Caritas Buttek"" and ""Croix-Rouge Buttek"" social grocery stores offer people affected by poverty food and hygiene products at prices up to 70% cheaper than on the market. In these difficult times, it is important for both partners to expand their joint assistance. Individuals and families who are not yet registered with the social office and who do not yet benefit from food aid, as long as they are living in Luxembourg and are suffering financial consequences linked to the health crisis. School feeding Public works On 18 Dec 2020, the Luxembourg government has decided to extend the validity of the accommodation vouchers of 50 euros made available by the General Directorate of Tourism to all residents over the age of sixteen as well as to frontier workers. Vouchers that have not yet been used will now be valid until April 18, 2021. Following the recommendation to limit social interactions and after the implementation of additional restrictions in the Horeca sector, an extension of the validity of vouchers hosting has proven to be useful. It is noted that 94,413 accommodation vouchers have been used since mid-July, which corresponds to a payment of 4,720,650 euros for this sector. Utility waivers On average, 507 vouchers were used per weekday and 975 vouchers per weekend day. The vouchers have been validated with 260 different accommodation structures. On 20 May 2020, the Luxembourg government decided on a temporary freeze on all rent increases for all residential leases until the end of 2020. On Nov 13, 2020, it is reported that, however, given the significant increase in the risk of infection, this temporary freeze on rent increases has been extended for 6 months, i.e., until 30 June 2021. Family leave cannot be denied. Simplified procedures for requests for special leave for family reasons due to school closures with public financial support (€226 million, 0.4 percent of 2019 GDP). Full coverage by National Health Fund (CNS) of the remuneration only in case of sickness. The normal mechanism for continuation of remuneration in case of sickness leave is waived and CNS takes over remuneration of sick employees as from the first day of sickness Social Paid sick leave Insurance Flexible leave arrangement for parents of children infected or in quarantine. Self-employed can take family leave if affiliated to the Mutualité des Employeurs, the employers' mutual insurance scheme, as a self-employed person. (€1bn, 1.6 percent of GDP) Payment of an advance on extraordinary family leave. Advance partial reimbursement of salaries that employers must continue to pay to the parents concerned Health insurance Pensions [April 2020] Access and rights to unemployment benefits for workers who lost their job due to the Covid-19 pandemic is extended by the duration of the state of crisis. The compensation for the unemployed, which normally cannot exceed the duration of 12 months at most (24 months at most in the event of an extension) is extended by a period equal to the duration of the state of crisis. In addition, the government also simplified registration and access to unemployment benefits for Unemployment benefits workers who lost their job due to the Covid-19 pandemic. [March 2020] To support workers, a partial unemployment support is provided for employees in the cultural sector. If agreed, the Employment Fund can pay 80% of the normal wage (capped at 250% of the minimum social wage for an unqualified employee) for a maximum of 1,022 hours per employee. [April 2020] Postponement of social-security contribution payments for the first half of the year from April 1, 2020 Social security contributions Increased flexibility in the payment of social security contributions Activation measures [July 2020] To support companies that do not yet have the authorization to reopen, a recovery and solidarity fund for companies will be set up for a period of 6 months starting on July 1 to offer companies in the hotel and catering sectors, events (including in the cultural field), the tourism, and physical cultivation centers direct monthly aid of 1,250 euros per employee in post and 250 euros per employee on short-time work. To benefit from the aid, companies must decide to resume their activities and must have suffered a loss of at least 25% of turnover. The maximum amount companies with less than 10 employees can receive monthly is 10,000 euros, 50,000 euros for Labor Labor market regulations companies with less than 50 employees, and 100,000 euros for companies with more than 50 Markets employees. [Extension- June 2021] For September and October 2021, the subsidy will amount to 1,000 euros per self-employed person and per employee in activity during the month for which the aid is requested. The subsidy for employees with full partial unemployment will remain unchanged at 250 euros. The amount of aid cannot exceed 20,000 euros for a microenterprise, 100,000 euros for small businesses, and 200,000 euros for a medium and large business. [April 2020] The labor inspections have issued guidelines to protect the health and safety of Reduced work time employees at the workplace. These include in particular implementing telework, regularly disinfecting the offices and surfaces, limiting the holding of meetings favoring video conferencing and prohibiting unnecessary travel. Employers of workers at risk have to provide particular protection for them (e.g., isolating them from other colleagues are encouraging telework). [June 2020] To ensure greater predictability for cross-border workers, agreements have been concluded with France and Belgium to allow cross-border workers from these countries to telework without suffering from financial tax disadvantages during the Covid-19 crisis. [Extension- September 2021] Extension of the Belgian-Luxembourg agreement until December 31, 2021. [Extension- September 2021] The Luxembourg- France agreement have extended until November 15, 2021 [March 2020] On 27 March 2020, the government announced that enterprises, whose operation is deemed to be “essential”, can ask an extension of daily working hours up to 12 hours per day (60 hours/week). In order to do so they need a favorable opinion of the staff or the agreement of two representative trade unions. The Contrat de Durée Déterminée (CDD) for students in essential services can be extended from 15 to 40 hours per week. [November 2020] The government authorized temporarily an increase in working time for professionals in the health sector to maximum 12 hours/day and 60 hours/week, to ensure the functioning of essential and indispensable services, primarily those provided by the health sector and the aid and care sector . In addition, the “CDD-Students” employment contract can now be reduced from 15 hours to 40 hours per week. [Extension- October 2020] On 29 October 2020 this exemption on working hours was extended to 31 December 2020. [March 2020] To avoid redundancies, companies in all economic sectors that are directly related to the coronavirus are eligible State support. During the period of partial unemployment, the State covers the compensation allowance up to 80% of wages . Reimbursement is limited to 250% of the social minimum wage for unqualified persons aged 18 or over. This compensation allowance may not be less than the amount of the minimum social wage for unskilled employees. Any difference between the amount of the compensation allowance and the unqualified minimum social wage will be covered by the Employment Fund. The reduction in working time may not exceed 1,022 hours per Wage subsidies calendar year and per employee working full time. For employees working part-time, the 1,022 hours are prorated. The partial unemployment scheme for cases of force majeure linked to the coronavirus crisis is from March 18, 2020 (start of the health crisis) until June 30, 2020. [Extension-June 2021] From July 1, 2021, access to partial unemployment will be defined, where appropriate, according to cyclical or structural unemployment, for cases of force majeure or for economic dependence. [February 2021] Self-employed workers who are currently forced to suspend their activities due to the health crisis would be able to benefit from the month of March, in addition to the various aids already paid by the State to support them, with a replacement income. The amount of this replacement income should be calculated in principle according to the partial unemployment model (income equivalent to 80% of the salary cannot be lower than the social minimum wage and capped at 2.5 times the social minimum wage). [July 2020] Due to the increased absences of workers during the pandemic and the employers’ obligation to continue pay in the event of workers incapacity to work (Lohnfortzahlung), costs for the employer mutual obligation have increased. To better support employers and the self-employed, the Employers’ Mutual Insurance scheme (Mutualité des employeurs) will reimburse the full amount (from 80 to 100%) for periods of incapacity for work corresponding to a quarantine or isolation measure. The measure is applied retroactively from 1 July 2020. [May 2020] Support to SMEs in retail sector and the care sector are available for a three-month period and consist of a payment of 1000 EUR per employee in June 2020, 750 EUR in July 2020 and 500 EUR in August 2020(with a ceiling of 50 000 EUR per month). This measure will be limited to SMEs with less than 250 employees. (back to the top) Macao, SAR China Cash-based transfers Introducing benefit for workers and/or dependents: Financial assistance to employees and freelancers On 8 April 2020, government announced measures for Self-employed residents (Tour Guides, Tricycle Riders, Taxi Drivers, Market stall owners, Street Vendors, Fishermen, Water Taxi Drivers), holders of required license or supporting documents (e.g., taxi driver identification card, tricycle rickshaw registration document, hawker license) during the period of January 1, 2009, to March 31, 2020, will be entitled to a one-off subsidy of MOP 10,000: On 15 March 2021, government announced that the annual wealth partaking scheme (in form of voucher) will be handed out earlier in April this year, with the usual MOP10,000 (US$1,250) allocated to each permanent resident and MOP 6,000 to each non-permanent resident, representing a total Cash transfers of MOP 7 million. (conditional and unconditional) Social Assistance In March 2021, government announced a new plan which will transfer MOP$5,000 (US$625) of “start-up” money into residents’ e-payment apps on their mobile phones or to their Macau Pass. Anyone using their e-vouchers via these apps or Macau Pass will also enjoy a 25% discount on all purchases. This is not applicable for non-resident workers or students. [April 2020] On April 8, it was announced that eligible local employees will receive a monthly subsidy of MOP5,000 for a period of three months. The initiative is intended to help employees with three months of income. The program is expected to cost the government MOP 3.8 billion. The subsidy does not cover non-resident work permit holders, public workers, local workers covered by a 2018 professional tax return plan previously announced, and local workers who recorded annual earnings over MOP720,000. Social pensions In-kind transfers On 12 February 2020, to boost local demand and benefit SMEs in various sector, the government Food, vouchers, others announced to issue its first consumption e-voucher via smart card operator Macau Pass with a value of MOP 3,000. The e-voucher can be used on restaurants, retail services, daily necessities or department stores. The card must be spent within three months period from May 1 to July 31 and subject to a daily spending limit of MOP 300. To receive the Macau Pass, residents must register on the website of the Macau Monetary Authority (AMCM) from March 18 to April 8. Residents can collect the card from April 14 to April 30, at the chosen venue out of 32 government premises and 130 local bank branches. On April 8 2020, government provided its second e-voucher to Residents and asked them to register for it with a value of MOP 5,000 to be spent between August and December. On 12 April 2021, government announced the third e-coupons worth MOP$8,000 (US$1,000) to all local residents, aiming to boost the economy and stabilize local employment in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The stimulus plan will inject around MOP$5.88 billion (US$735 million) into the local market between June 2021 and December 2021 in order to raise domestic demand. On February 12, 2020 government announced to provide health voucher worth 600-pataca (or MOP 600) to each Macao permanent resident, to be spent on an aspect of their personal health. Government, in April 2021, announced to re-introduce electronic medical voucher of MOP 600 and would be available to use from May 1. The validity period of each voucher will last until April 30th, 2023 (i.e., for a period of 2 years). As approved by the Executive Council, the medical vouchers will continue to be issued electronically. The government expects to spend MOP 428 million on the latest round of medical e-vouchers, as reported by the Macau Post Daily. The e-vouchers are only valid for consultations and treatments offered by health professionals in the private sector not subsidized by the government. They are also fully or partly transferable to their beneficiaries’ spouse, parents and children who are permanent residents. School feeding Public works Government on 12 February 2020 announced to subsidise all electricity and water for the housing units of Macao residents for a period of 3 months. The estimated cost is MOP 295 million, or 0.07% of GDP. The subsidy scheme covers the electricity fees of the billing months of March, April and May. For the electricity subsidy, a total of more than 260,000 customers will benefit from the scheme, Utility waivers covering 98.6% of total customers. Beneficiaries under the residential customer category are the ones currently enjoying the MOP 200 “Government Subsidy” Scheme per month. As the subsidy period is calculated based on “billing month”, each customer has a different subsidy starting date each month, which means that it does not consistently commence on the first day of each month. The subsidized bills will be issued between 23 March and 18 June, 2020. Similarly, subsidy on water contract during the billing period of May and June subject to a limit of MOP 6,000. Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions [April 2020] On April 8, the Government announced that unemployed local residents who join Government re-training scheme will be entitled to a subsidy of MOP6,656. Upon completion of training, they will be offered 10,000 vacancies through employment-matching services. The re- training scheme costs MOP250 million Activation measures [April 2020] On April 8, it was announced that employed local residents who are looking to improve Labor their skills and who are recommended by their employer can apply to the Government re-training Markets scheme, and will be eligible for a MOP5,000 subsidy, upon completion of the training. The trainees will also be offered 50,000 vacancies. The Government allocated MOP316 million as a budget for the program. Labor market regulations Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Madagascar Cash-based transfers The government implemented the Tosika Fameno (UCT) (“complementary support”) between April and September 2020. The programme is an unconditional cash transfers of 100,000 Ariary to poor and vulnerable households. Each household is entitled to two transfers. The programme initial target was 150,000 households (first phase), since revised to 368,000 households. Total project budget is about US $15,000,000. Vatsin’ankohonana (“family support”) seeks to improve the living conditions of extremely poor families by deliverying conditional cash transfers every two months. According to the Multisectorial Emergency Plan, this program will be horizontally (13,339 new households) and vertically expanded due to COVID 19 pandemic. No further details were given. According to the program's website, the government allocated MGA$6,339,760,000, which means USD $1,734,070. Cash transfers Monetary transfer to households affected by drought in southern Madagascar initiated in 2016. (conditional and unconditional) One-off interventions in the context of a humanitarian emergency with WFP. According to the Social Multisectorial Emergency Plan, this program will be horizontally and vertically expanded due to Assistance COVID 19 pandemic. No further details were given. After the emergency phase, the Government has elaborated a social protection recovery strategy. A long- term urban conditional cash transfer will be implemented in 2021 in Anananarivo and Toamasina (targeting currently ongoing). The urban safety net is expected to reach 30,000 households starting in Q1/Q2 2021, funding is secured for a minimum of 3 years. The scale-up of the Madagascar Social Safety Net Project will increase coverage of the two core safety net programs, the HDCT and PSNP, into five new regions and nine new districts, to reach a total of 14 regions and 29 districts throughout the country.31 The scale-up of existing programs will continue to focus on rural areas, including areas highly vulnerable to climate change. Social pensions In-kind transfers Vulnerable households and individuals in Antananarivo and other (mostly urban) areas benefitted Food, vouchers, others from food packages distributed by the government during the early phase of the pandemic. Beneficiaries were selected with the support of local chiefs and community leaders and had to register with their Fokontany booklet. The second round of food distribution started in August and aims to reach a considerably larger number of households across the country. The contents of the food packages are valued at approx. half the minimum wage. Essential products of necessities like rice, sugar, oil, salt will be provided to people who earn live on a day-to-day basis such as laundry workers, rickshaw pullers, prostitutes, university students who live on campus, and old people are also beneficiaries. In addition, there is a cheap market organized by the State in each "district" (quartier) where people can buy at a low price 3kg of rice and 1 L of oil for around 1.5 USD, per family (half of the price). In the Androy region, 100 households benefitted from emergency food distribution of 2.5 tonnes of rice and 5 kg of beans each. 10 tons of rice and 800 kg of beans were distributed amongst urban households in the commune of Ambovombe. The distribution targeted large, vulnerable households. Take Home Rations have been distributed to more than 200,000 schoolchildren in 800 schools in School feeding 11 districts. A public work component will be added to the post COVID-19 urban safety nets (financed by the World Bank), however exact number of eligible households is not known at this stage. The ACTP program is a social safety net program that aims to provide additional income to the poorest households by providing them with one-off income during difficult times in exchange for Public works certain activities. During the COVID 19 pandemic, the government launched these public works for cleaning and sanitation activities and for the maintenance and rehabilitation of irrigated areas and rural roads in Madagascar's rice granaries. According to the Multisectorial Emergency Plan, the government aimed at reaching to 42,500 beneficiaries for 20 working days at a rate of MGA$ 5,000 per day. The government mandated the postponement of bank maturities for three months for those who have taken out consumer loans and mortgage loans. The government temporarily postponed the payment of electricity and water bills. Utility waivers The Government has launched the “Tsinjo Fameno” loan system . The objective of this Program is to offer loans to formal workers of the National Social Security Fund (CNAPS). The total budget allocated to this aid amounts to nearly MGA$52,000 M for a sum of MGA$200,000- MGA$500,000 M for each beneficiary according to his/her salary level. This aims at benefiting nearly 200,000 to 250,000 employees from firms working in different fields with priority for the tourism sector, private education, and the textile sector (free zones), among others. Payment is made directly between the CNAPS and the employees on a bank account or by mobile banking. The repayment deadline was set between 12 to 24 months from January 2021. The Government has reactivated the Tsena Mora Program, set up for the first time in Madagascar in 2010. The objective of this program is to supply basic necessities (such as rice, oil and sugar) to vulnerable populations by subsidizing prices. By June 2020, 571,500 people had benefited from it as part of the fight against COVID-19 during the months of March and April 2020. This operationalization of Tsena Mora has two major consequences: placing basic and essential products on the market as close as possible to the most vulnerable consumers at very affordable prices and the sale of products from farmers confined due to lockdown. Paid sick leave Health insurance Pensions Unemployment benefits [May 2020] Deferral of payment of liabilities for all companies. It includes contributions in social Social security fund. CNaPS complies with this announcement and the contributions due to the 1st term of Insurance year, which should be paid until the end of this month, will be rescheduled to the end of July without incurring any penalties for late payment. Social security contributions [March 2020] Suspension of payment of social charges. [March 2020] Use of amicable payment deadlines, payment of social security contributions due for the first and second quarters of 2020 Activation measures Labor Labor market regulations Markets Reduced work time Wage subsidies (back to the top) Malawi Cash-based transfers As part of the government of Malawi’s National COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan, the government has proposed measures to frontload payment of Social Cash Transfer Program (SCTP) benefits, as follows: in April 2020, SCTP payments will be fast-tracked, with a four-month payment delivered at one time. President Peter Mutharika announced on April 28, 2020 that Malawi will launch a six-month emergency cash transfer programme for about one million people and small businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Eligible households will receive a 35,000 Malawi kwacha ($40) monthly payment, matching the country’s minimum wage, through mobile cash transfer starting in May Cash transfers 2020. This program, supported by the ILO is expected to reach 172,000 households in urban and (conditional and unconditional) peri-urban areas (almost one million people) (35% of the urban population). Each beneficiary is being paid electronically through mobile payments. Government of Malawi has been working with its development partners to provide cash top-ups Social supports to people facing severe food insecurity in the country through 2021. The top up has Assistance enabled beneficiaries to have enough food and other household items during the lean season. The Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare has rolled out the third phase of emergency cash transfers under the Covid-19 urban cash transfer intervention targeting 74,150 urban beneficiaries starting in June 2021. Social pensions In-kind transfers Food, vouchers, others The school meals program has been adapted to take-home rations is in line with Ministry of Education’s guidance to partners implementing school feeding program. School feeding This 16 million increase for the Afikepo program (from €70 to €86 million), which in the local language of Chichewa means: “Let them [the children] develop to their full potential”, will allow 280,000 pupils to benefit from school meals in 200 primary schools in Malawi's Southern region thanks to the programme. Smallholder farmers in the surrounding communities will be the principal suppliers of the food, contributing also to support the local agri-systems. To avoid the pandemic becoming a hunger calamity for schoolchildren, the World Food Programme (WFP) is working with the Government of Malawi to provide take-home rations in the form of food and cash so that 600,000 vulnerable children continue to receive their meals at home. Parents collect food rations on behalf of their children Public works Commercial banks have been directed to implement a three-month moratorium on principal and interest repayments on loans. In September 2020, financial sector actors agreed to extend the moratorium until the end of 2020. Commercial banks have been directed to reduce fees and charges for internet banking, mobile payment, and related services by 40% in April 2020. The Malawi Revenue Authority will be implementing a special window with effect from April 8th to October 31st, 2020 to provide relief to individuals to regularize their tax affairs without suffering Utility waivers penalties, interests and charges. The window is also aimed at increasing voluntary compliance among business people. Resident tax has been waived for all foreign healthcare workers Both of the country’s mobile phone network operators, Airtel and TNM, removed all user fees and charges on personal mobile money transfers on the same network for a period of 3 months, significantly reduced user fees and charges between their respective networks, doubled the personal transaction limit, and increased the agent transaction limit. Paid sick leave Health insurance Social Pensions Insurance Unemployment benefits Social security contributions [March 2020] To develop and protect the labour force through enhancement of labour relations, occupational safety, worker’s compensation services and skills and development in the wake of the Activation measures COVID-19 pandemic, would- be laid off workers will be an provided with skilling, reskilling, and up Labor skilling opportunities. The estimated budget is USD 1,000,000 Markets [April 2020] With an aim to prevent, contain, and manage the spread of COVID-19 disease, a series Labor market regulations of public health measures to be practiced in the workplace (by employers and employees) was released on April 9, 2020. These measures include the requirement to keep workers informed of COVID 19 developments, provide adequate facilities to ensure that employees, customers and visitors are safe, minimize physical contact of persons at the workplace, ensure physical distancing of at least one metre between persons, limit the number of visitors to the workplace and arrange for isolation of any person who has developed COVID-19 symptoms at a work site. [April 2020] To minimize the termination of employment as a result of the effects of COVID-19, the Workplace Guidelines that provide a set of guidelines to avoid terminations were introduced. [August 2020] To ensure business continuity, measures that include introducing shifts to avoid overcrowding, allowing vulnerable employees including those with underlying medical conditions to work from home (teleworking), to allow employees with COVID -19 symptoms to stay at home were introduced. In addition, employers are require to provide up to date Ministry of Health COVID-19 information to employees, provide adequate handwashing or hand-sanitizing facilities, ensure regular cleaning, sanitization, and disinfection of workplaces, promote working from home for non-critical employees, allow vulnerable employees to work from home, minimize face to face meetings, and display posters on COVID-19 spread at strategic locations throughout the workplace. [April 2020] The Government increased risk allowances for health workers, adjusting upwards the allowances from a minimum of K1, 000 to a maximum of K60,000. The new rates indicate that health workers from grade HE to HI will be receiving a risk allowance of K50,000 from K1,800, workers under C will be receiving K20,000 from K, 1000, grade HJ and HK allowance has been adjusted from K1,500 to K50,000 and grade HL has been moved from K1, 000 to K30,000. Health workers from grade HM and below will be getting K25,000. [August 2020] To ensure business continuity, measures that include introducing shifts to avoid overcrowding, allowing vulnerable employees including those with underlying medical conditions to work from home (teleworking), to allow employees with COVID -19 symptoms to stay at home were introduced. In addition, employers are require to provide up to date Ministry of Health COVID-19 Reduced work time information to employees, provide adequate handwashing or hand-sanitizing facilities, ensure regular cleaning, sanitization, and disinfection of workplaces, promote working from home for non-critical employees, allow vulnerable employees to work from home, minimize face to face meetings, and display posters on COVID-19 spread at strategic locations throughout the workplace. [August 2020] The Chief Secretary of the GoM issued a Circular instructing all public servants not providing essential services to immediately commence working from home, following recommendation and endorsement of the Civil Service Trade Union (CSTU). Wage subsidies (back to the top) Malaysia Cash-based transfers A one-off cash transfer of RM200 will be given to all students enrolled in institutes of higher learning in May 2020. This is expected to cost RM270 million The Malaysian government has budgeted RM10 billion to provide one-off cash transfers to households depending on income level: • RM1600 will be transferred to 4 million households earning