On Friday, 24 April, the Saeima adopted in the final reading urgent amendments to the Law on Unemployment Insurance, introducing the unemployed aid benefit. A person who ceases to receive unemployment benefits on 12 March 2020 or later and who maintains the status of an unemployed person due to the conditions created by the coronavirus-caused state of emergency, shall be entitled to request the unemployed aid benefit.

"The State must help all its people. As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, a part of the population has already become unemployed and experiences financial difficulties. Regrettably, as the crisis continues, there will be no rapid improvements in the situation and all the potential risks must be covered. The unemployed aid benefit will be used as a measure to help those that will not have found new job opportunities after the end of the unemployment benefit disbursement period,” emphasised Andris Skride, Chair of the Social and Employment Matters Committee, which is responsible for advancing the amendments in the Saeima.

The unemployed aid benefit will be disbursed for no longer than four months. The benefits will be granted and paid from 12 March 2020 to 31 December 2020. The benefit will be suspended if the person loses the status of an unemployed person or they are granted insurance compensation pursuant to the Law on Compulsory Social Insurance in Respect of Accidents at Work and Occupational Diseases, state pension, or monthly benefit for paid temporary performance of community service.

The unemployed aid benefit will amount to 180 euros per month. The mandatory payments of State social insurance will not be made for the unemployed aid beneficiaries.

To apply for the benefit, unemployed persons will have to submit an application to the State Social Insurance Agency. The benefit will be granted from the day following that on which the disbursement of unemployed benefits ends.

The Law will enter into force on the day following its promulgation.

Saeima Press Service