The government approved the Unemployment Insurance Fund’s proposal to pay unemployment benefits in March and April 2021. Importantly, the original plan to distribute benefits based on EMTAK codes was dropped. Anyone can apply for the allowance if they meet the conditions of a fall in turnover and a reduction in the employee’s earnings or workload. The allowance is paid directly to the worker. The wage compensation is paid to workers whose employer’s activities are significantly disrupted due to restrictions imposed to prevent COVID-19.
Employers can apply for wage compensation for workers by:
1. their turnover or income has fallen by at least 50 per cent in the calendar month for which compensation is claimed, compared with the
– period for which compensation is claimed.
2019. aasta detsember kuni 2020. aasta veebruar monthly average turnover or income or
– period of 2020. aasta juuli kuni 2020. aasta detsember average monthly turnover or income;
2. it does not provide its employees with the agreed amount of work (applies Section 35 of the Employment Contracts Act) or it has reduced the remuneration of its employees (applies Section 37 of the Employment Contracts Act);
3. it is not subject to compulsory winding-up, liquidation or bankruptcy proceedings and at the time of the application there are no tax debts or they are not overdue. Compensation for loss of earnings is paid
2021. aasta märtsi ja aprilli
– who have not been given the agreed amount of work or whose pay has been reduced, and
– whose date of commencement of employment with the employer applying for the benefit is no later than 1 January 2021 and whose employment relationship is ongoing.
– No benefit is paid to a worker who has been on sick leave or unpaid leave for the whole calendar month for which benefit is claimed.
– The Unemployment Insurance Fund pays a worker a monthly benefit of 60% of the worker’s average monthly earnings, but not more than EUR 1,000 (gross). Before claiming the allowance, the employer is obliged to pay the worker himself/herself at least €200 (gross) for the month for which he/she is claiming the allowance. The total of the compensation paid by the Unemployment Fund and the remuneration paid by the employer will ensure that the full-time worker receives at least the minimum wage, i.e. EUR 584. Self-employed workers whose entrepreneurial income in 2020 was at least 50% lower than in 2019 can also claim the allowance. The amount of the self-employed person’s allowance is €584 per month. Employers may not lay off workers who have received the allowance during the calendar month for which the allowance is claimed, nor during the following two calendar months. A self-employed person may not similarly suspend or terminate his/her activities. For the month of March, applications for wage compensation can be submitted by
1 April to 30 April 2021 and for the month of April 1 May to 31 May 2021 only in the e-funds
