Vroutsis: The 21 measures for workers and the unemployed - What applies to contract suspension, teleworking

The 21 support measures for employees and unemployed which is in place for November announced the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Yannis Vroutsis.

«The 21 measures constitute the roadmap to protect workers from the effects of the pandemic on the labour market and, in combination with the other measures of the government, constitute the shield of the Greek economy against the second wave of Covid-19,» he said.

METRO 1: Suspensions of employment contracts and special purpose allowance calculated on the basis of EUR 800 for the month of November 2020 

Suspensions of work contracts calculated at 800 euros instead of 534 one-off for the month of November 11/2020, in view of the Christmas holidays. The measure covers all employees hired on or before 4.11.2020.

With regard to the Christmas bonus, which is payable between 21.12.2020 and 31.12.2020, the state will pay employers the proportion for the period that the employees were suspended, calculated on the basis of the amount of 534 .

The following two categories of employees are entitled to a special purpose allowance

1. Employees whose employment contract is compulsorily suspended and who work in enterprises that are closed down by state order on the basis of a CDD.

More specifically,

• From 3.11.2020 to 30.11.2020, the employment contracts of employees in businesses whose operation was suspended by state order on 3.11.2020 in specific Regional Units are suspended, before τthe communication of the general measures for the whole territory.

• From 7.11.2020 or any other date of the start of the measure to suspend the operation of businesses with a state mandate, e.g. hairdressing salons, until 30.11.2020, the employment contracts of employees in businesses whose operation was suspended with a state mandate after the announcement of the general measures for the whole territory are suspended.

The difference in the starting dates of the suspensions exists because until the time when the operation of the enterprises is suspended by state order, the employee provides his/her work to the employer, who will pay the employee's salary and cover the insurance contributions for the days of the month during which he/she worked.

 On the contrary, as soon as the operation of an enterprise is suspended by order of the state, the suspension of the employment contract is activated and the state now assumes the payment of the special purpose allowance and the coverage of the insurance contributions up to the amount of the nominal salary of the employees.

2. Employees whose employment contract is suspended for part or the entire month in companies classified as affected for the month of November, the generalized list of the April 2020 CODs applies.

Examples

Employee in a closed business with a state mandate under a CDO in Thessaloniki is suspended from 3.11.2020 and will receive €747 (calculated at €800 for 28 days of suspension)

An employee in a closed company with a state mandate under an ID is suspended from 7.11.2020 and will receive 640 euros (calculated at 800 euros for 24 days of suspension)

An employee of a hairdresser's/barber's/beauty centre that closes by state order on 9.11.2020 is suspended from 9.11.2020 and will receive 587 euros (calculated at 800 euros for 22 days of suspension)

Employee of an affected business under an IDC suspended from 1.11.2020 will receive 800 euros or the proportion of 800 euros for the days in November that are suspended.

ΣIn any case, for workers who are under suspension, the state covers the total social security contributions calculated on the basis of their nominal salary.

In the case of companies that place their employees on suspension, whether or not they are obliged to do so, they are prohibited from making redundancies and if they do so, they are invalid

For affected companies that suspend their staff, the clause to maintain the existing number of employees for one month after the activation of the suspensions also applies.

Measure 2: mandatory teleworking 50% for those workers whose work can be provided remotely / horizontal measure

All operating businesses nationwide, whether affected or not, are required to set their employees' 50% to telecommuting if their work can be provided remotely

Teleworking is indicated in the ERGANI system by means of form 4.1.

In case of non-compliance, a fine of €3,000 is imposed on the company.

Example

An insurance company employs 50 office staff and 20 craftsmen.

The company is obliged to telework the 25 office workers who can work remotely, but not the craftsmen. The 50% is calculated on the number of employees who can work remotely.

METRO 3: Financial support for the unemployed

Unemployment benefit payment is extended by 2 months to those unemployed whose unemployment benefit expired in September, October, November and December

A new one-off financial support of €400 is granted to long-term unemployed people not receiving benefits. It concerns around 130,000 long-term unemployed.

METRO 4 : The «Co-operation» programme continues for all operating businesses, whether or not they are affected.

METRO 5 : Recruitment programme for 100,000 subsidised new jobs remains open.

METRO 6 : Submission of unilateral declarations by seasonal workers in tourism in order to receive the allowance of EUR 534 for the month of October.

METRO 7 :  Submission of unilateral declarations for artists registered on the artists' platform in order to receive a special monthly allowance of €534 for the months of September and October.

METRO 8 : Submission of unilateral declarations for guides and tourist guides in order to receive a special monthly allowance of EUR 534 for the months of September and October.

METRO 9: A proportion of leave compensation is paid for employees suspended in 12-month hotels, calculated at 2/25 per month of suspension, based on a calculation of 534 euros.

METRO 10: For the period from 1.9.2020 to 31.12.2020, the state budget shall pay the employer's insurance contributions for the 12-month operating hotels that had in the period from January 2020 to August 2020 lower gross revenues by at least seventy percent (70%) than the corresponding period of 2019.

METRO 11  Cultural enterprises are subsidised with 40% of spectator seats instead of 10 euros for theatres and 4 euros for cinematographs with an analogy of the number of performances , with the obligation to refund 20 % of the subsidy in the form of a social ticket to vulnerable groups of the population. The measure is valid for the months of October to December.

METRO 12: The state budget covers 80% of wage and non-wage costs for a period of up to 12 months in tourism enterprises of 12-month operation with more than 50 full-time employees, which will implement investment projects for energy and building upgrading of their facilities.

METRO 13 :  Special purpose compensation of €534 for a period of 3 months for workers in businesses located in the regions affected by Janus. The beneficiaries include workers in these enterprises who were dismissed within the period 18.08.2020 - 29.09.2020.

ΜYEAR 14 : Coverage of workers of companies affected by the earthquake in Samos with a special purpose allowance of 534 for 3 months.

ΜYEAR 15 : Extension of a special purpose permit measure for parents whose children attend high school.

ΜYEAR 16 : A special purpose allowance of EUR 534 to cover insurance contributions for workers belonging to vulnerable groups whose employment contracts are suspended because they are absent from work due to serious illnesses.

ΜPLATE 17 : Subsidy of total insurance contributions for air and maritime transport until 31.12.2020.

METRO 18: Flexibility in getting to and from work to relieve congestion on public transport.

METRO 19 : For businesses whose operation is suspended by order of a public authority, the payment of instalments of regulated insurance debts due in November can be suspended. Their repayment is deferred to the corresponding instalments at the end of the current arrangement.

METRO 20 : For employees whose employment contract is suspended throughout the country, the payment of instalments of regulated tax debts due in November is suspended and their repayment is postponed to the end of the current regulation.

METRO 21  : Employees who are placed on a suspended employment contract around the country are entitled to a mandatory 40% rent reduction for their primary residence and for their children's student housing.