6 government measures to support employees
measures
30 Dec 2021
/ 18:00
The government announced economic support measures for employees affected by the new Covid measures.
Statement from the Press Offices of the Ministries of Finance and Employment and Social Matters:
The new initiatives for the protection of jobs – as part of the new Covid measures taken by the government – were finalised at a meeting held this morning under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Finance Minister Christos Staikouras, Employment Minister Kostis Hatzidakis, Ministers of State Giorgos Gerapetritis and Akis Skertsos and Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and government representative Yiannis Economou were also present at the meeting.
More specifically:
1. The measure of suspensions of employment contracts with a compensation of €534 will come into effect on January 2022 for employees hired until 30 December 2021 by specific businesses (bars, restaurants with music, entertainment venues, etc.). Suspensions of employment contracts will be announced in the ‘ERGANI’ Information System from 1 January 2022 to 10 January 2022 until 23:59. It should be noted that dismissals are prohibited for businesses that will make use of the measure, for as long as it lasts.
2. Special purpose compensation is granted for January 2022 following the submission of unilateral declarations for artists registered in the Artist Registry by 10 January 2021 with the specialty of musician and other related specialties.
3. The ‘SYN-ERGASIA’ Programme is extended until 31 March 2022 for full-time dependent employees as of 31 October 2021. The employer can reduce the employee's time by up to 50% without changing the employment relationship. For as long as the employee is not working, 60% of their salary is covered by the state budget. As long as the employee is part of the ‘SYN-ERGASIA’ Programme, they are not allowed to be fired.
4. In cases where it is possible by the nature of the work (e.g. banks, insurance companies), businesses are obliged to have up to 50% of their employees work from home and they should be announced in the ‘ERGANI’ Information System. This measure will be implemented in accordance with what has been done when it has been applied on previous occasions.
5. A rolling schedule for arriving to and leaving from work will be applied, so that there is decongestion of public transport. In this case, there will be further clarifications following the necessary consultations between employers and employees.
6. Checks by the Hellenic Labour Inspectorate (SEPE) are intensified to ensure that the measures for the use of masks and proper distances in workplaces are being adhered to.
It should be reminded that from 1 January 2022 the minimum wage will apply with the 2% increase that was decided. The Prime Minister's statements on the new process of determining the minimum wage, which will lead to an additional increase in the first half of 2022, are also valid.
In addition, from 1 January 2022, the ‘First Insurance Stamp’ programme for young people aged 18-29 without previous work experience will be implemented for their first entry into the labour market. According to the programme’s provisions, each new dependent job – permanent or temporary – created and included in the ‘First Insurance Stamp’ programme, is subsidised for a period of six months with a total of €1,200 if it is a full-time job and €600 if it is a part-time job, with the amount to be shared equally between the business and the new employee. This will not only motivate young people to seek out the business interested in hiring them in order to receive the subsidy, but the employers will also create new jobs as the wage costs will be reduced.
The new initiatives for the protection of jobs – as part of the new Covid measures taken by the government – were finalised at a meeting held this morning under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Finance Minister Christos Staikouras, Employment Minister Kostis Hatzidakis, Ministers of State Giorgos Gerapetritis and Akis Skertsos and Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and government representative Yiannis Economou were also present at the meeting.
More specifically:
1. The measure of suspensions of employment contracts with a compensation of €534 will come into effect on January 2022 for employees hired until 30 December 2021 by specific businesses (bars, restaurants with music, entertainment venues, etc.). Suspensions of employment contracts will be announced in the ‘ERGANI’ Information System from 1 January 2022 to 10 January 2022 until 23:59. It should be noted that dismissals are prohibited for businesses that will make use of the measure, for as long as it lasts.
2. Special purpose compensation is granted for January 2022 following the submission of unilateral declarations for artists registered in the Artist Registry by 10 January 2021 with the specialty of musician and other related specialties.
3. The ‘SYN-ERGASIA’ Programme is extended until 31 March 2022 for full-time dependent employees as of 31 October 2021. The employer can reduce the employee's time by up to 50% without changing the employment relationship. For as long as the employee is not working, 60% of their salary is covered by the state budget. As long as the employee is part of the ‘SYN-ERGASIA’ Programme, they are not allowed to be fired.
4. In cases where it is possible by the nature of the work (e.g. banks, insurance companies), businesses are obliged to have up to 50% of their employees work from home and they should be announced in the ‘ERGANI’ Information System. This measure will be implemented in accordance with what has been done when it has been applied on previous occasions.
5. A rolling schedule for arriving to and leaving from work will be applied, so that there is decongestion of public transport. In this case, there will be further clarifications following the necessary consultations between employers and employees.
6. Checks by the Hellenic Labour Inspectorate (SEPE) are intensified to ensure that the measures for the use of masks and proper distances in workplaces are being adhered to.
It should be reminded that from 1 January 2022 the minimum wage will apply with the 2% increase that was decided. The Prime Minister's statements on the new process of determining the minimum wage, which will lead to an additional increase in the first half of 2022, are also valid.
In addition, from 1 January 2022, the ‘First Insurance Stamp’ programme for young people aged 18-29 without previous work experience will be implemented for their first entry into the labour market. According to the programme’s provisions, each new dependent job – permanent or temporary – created and included in the ‘First Insurance Stamp’ programme, is subsidised for a period of six months with a total of €1,200 if it is a full-time job and €600 if it is a part-time job, with the amount to be shared equally between the business and the new employee. This will not only motivate young people to seek out the business interested in hiring them in order to receive the subsidy, but the employers will also create new jobs as the wage costs will be reduced.
