Unemployed aid benefit may be paid to Latvian residents for a period of four months and its maximum amount will be set at EUR 130, as confirmed by Latvian Welfare Minister’s advisor for communication affairs Janis Zarins.
As previously reported, finance minister’s work group for support of entrepreneurs discussed the option of adopting such a benefit, which would be paid in situations when a person failed to find a job after the end of the period of time when employment benefits were paid.
Welfare Ministry proposes setting the benefit amount based on the benefit paid in the last months, but no higher than EUR 130 a month, and pay it for four months after the end of the period of time when unemployment benefits are paid.
This support would be available for unemployed persons whose unemployment benefit payment period ends between March 12 and August 31.
The benefit would be paid for the period from March 12 until the person starts receiving income as an employed or self-employed person, but no longer than four months. It is also planned for this mechanism to exist until December 31.
At the same time, recipients of the benefit will have a duty to participate in activities organized by the State Employment Agency (NVA), as well as follow specific guidelines.
It is planned that the unemployed aid benefit will not be allowed to be received at the same time as some other social insurance benefit, state pension, insurance claim or monthly benefits to unemployed persons for performing temporary public work.
Welfare Minister Ramona Petravica stresses that COVID-19 crisis has significantly reduced many people’s chances of finding work. This is why she and the ministry’s experts have come up with an initiative for unemployed aid benefit.
“My proposal provides people whose unemployed benefit term has run out and they have no job to keep receiving benefit for four more months,” explains the minister.
The proposal still needs to be discussed at the Coalition Council and then it needs to be submitted for review to the government and the Saeima. (BNN/Business World Magazine)
