On December 21, Latvia’s Saeima approved urgent amendments to the Law on Unemployment Insurance in the final reading. These amendments will extend the term during which unemployment assistance benefits are paid to people who fail to find a job after the end of the unemployment benefit period.
The aforementioned term is thereby extended until June 30, 2021.
The size of the benefit is EUR 180 a month. This benefit can be received for a period of four months.
It is also planned to extend until June 30, 2021 the term during which a person is paid unemployed benefit from the day the person submits a request for unemployed benefit, if a person became unemployed after terminating his or her employment relations of their own volition.
Changes are needed to reduce the negative consequences from the already impacted economic situation for people who pay social insurance contributions to avoid unemployment an opportunity to receive support in the event of unemployment, as noted in the annotation to the legislative draft.
Changes will come in force on January 1, 2021.
The Saeima also supported the urgent amendments to the Support for Unemployed Persons and Persons Seeking Employment Law in the final reading. These amendments provide unemployed persons the option to work part-time without losing unemployed status.
This option will remain open until December 31, 2021.
Considering the consequences from the crisis and growth of unemployment, these changes will allow unemployed persons the option to work part-time for 120 days without losing unemployed status. This includes seasonal agriculture jobs to earn a living.
These changes will come into force on the next day of promulgation. (BNN/Business World Magazine)
