All the key points for the new measures to support the victims

By Dimitris Katsaganis

They will be implemented from January 1, 2022 the new employee support measures and especially those affected.

The reason for the suspension of employment contracts, e.g. in bars, restaurants with music, entertainment centers (for January 2022), the unilateral statements of artists (January 2022), the mechanism “SYN-Ergasia” (for January, February, March 2022), the subsidy for the employment of the unemployed , the coverage of salary expenses for hiring unemployed without previous service and teleworking up to 50%.

It is noted that the extension of the “Co-Work” and the programs of subsidizing the employment of the unemployed (“first stamp”, contribution subsidy) have already been voted and, in this respect, the suspensions of contracts, unilateral declarations and teleworking at 50%.

The measure of “Co-operation” concerns exclusively the employees already in those companies that had a reduction of turnover of at least 20% in the period between April 2020 – March 2021 (regardless of whether they were included in the affected sectors or not).

Recruitment subsidy schemes (“first stamp”, contribution coverage) apply to all companies, affected or not, with reduced turnover or not.

Suspensions of contracts and unilateral declarations concern specific sectors, ie part of the focus and the artists respectively.

In more detail, the support measures are as follows:

Suspensions of employment contracts

The measure of suspension of employment contracts with special purpose compensation (534 euros) for January 2022 is activated for employees who have been hired until 30/12/2021 by companies with specific business codes based on KAD (bars, restaurants with music, entertainment centers and .a.).

The suspensions of employment contracts will be announced in advance in the information system “Ergani” from January 1, 2022 to January 10, 2022 at 23.59.00.

It is pointed out that the dismissals are prohibited for the companies that will use the measure and for as long as it lasts.

The special purpose compensation amounts to 534 euros / month.

Unilateral statements

Special purpose compensation is granted for January 2022 after the submission of unilateral declarations for artists who have been registered in the Register of Artists until January 10, 2021 with the specialty of musician and related specialties.

The special purpose compensation amounts to 534 euros / month.

“Cooperation”

The “Cooperation” Program (which became an important tool to support employment during the pandemic period) is extended until March 31, 2022, for full-time employees on October 31, 2021.

The employer can reduce the employee’s time by up to 50%, without changing the employment relationship.

For the time the employee is not working, 60% of his salary is covered by the state budget.

As long as the employee is part of the “Co-Work”, he is not allowed to be fired.

Contribution subsidy

The contribution subsidy scheme is valid for 100,000 unemployed from this year, but the government has passed a provision that provides for its extension to another 50,000 unemployed from January 1, 2022.

This program is “open”, ie it is valid until the relevant fund is exhausted.

It provides for a subsidy of 100% of employers ‘and workers’ contributions for 6 months.

More specifically, for each new position created and included in this program, the state budget subsidizes all the insurance contributions of the employee and the employer, regardless of the amount of the monthly salary, as well as the corresponding insurance contributions in gifts and leave allowance, for a period of period of 6 months.

In case the new job concerns a long-term unemployed person, registered in the OAED unemployment register for a period of at least twelve months until the submission of the application-declaration of companies-employers for inclusion in the program, the new recruitment is subsidized by the state budget in addition to the subsidy contributions with 200 euros on the net monthly salary, before tax and a special solidarity contribution.

In any case, the net monthly salary, before tax and special solidarity contribution, of the newly hired long-term unemployed can not be less than the amount of 200 euros. The right to join the program have companies-employers of the private sector of the country, provided that they are tax and insurance informed or have settled any certified debts to the Public and the Electronic National Social Security Agency (e-EFKA), on the date of the application-responsible application for joining the program.

The program can include those employees who are hired under a private law employment contract, lasting at least 6 months, full-time or part-time, in companies-employers in the private sector.

Beneficiary employees, at the time of their recruitment should not:

-to have an active employment contract with the applicant company-employer, as determined by the Tax Registration Number (TIN) or with another employer, for at least 1 month before the date of their employment,

-to work in another company – employer.

The number of employees taken into account for the control of the criterion of maintaining the average number of jobs refers to the total number of employees paid with a salary or wage, with a dependent employment relationship under private law (fixed or indefinite), full-time or part-time, including those suspended. During the subsidy period of the new jobs, the terms of the employment contracts of the beneficiaries of the program may not be changed.

Termination of the employment contract of the beneficiary employees is allowed only in case it is due to an important reason concerning the employee.

In case of termination of the employment contract of a beneficiary employee for an important reason, it is not allowed to replace the job with a new subsidized employee for the remaining period until the end of the semester. Instead, employers can apply for a new subsidized job.

After the end of 6 months the employee can continue his work in the company-employer that hired him, provided that both parties agree. In this case, the employee is paid in full by the company – employer.

Beneficiary employees who are placed in the new jobs here can not join the “Co-Work” program.

Beneficiary employees can also provide their work with the remote system, if the nature of their work allows it.

“First stamp”

The “first stamp” will be applied for the first time from January 1, 2022. It provides payment of 600 euros to the employer to cover the salary cost and 600 euros to the unemployed aged 18-29 (as a “wage”, ie in addition to his salary for his work). The subsidy is for a period of 6 months.

The “first stamp” will remain open until the available fund is exhausted.

In order for a company to join, it must be tax-insurance aware, while it must retain the same number of employees for the duration of its subsidy.

In more detail, according to a ministerial decision published the day before yesterday by the Ministry of Labor https://www.capital.gr/oikonomia/3605009/pos-tha-leitourgisei-to-neo-programma-gia-tin-entaxi-ton-neon-stin -agora-ergasias-gia-proti-fora each new job of indefinite or indefinite duration, created and included in this program, is subsidized for a period of six months as follows:

a) A new position with a full-time contract is subsidized in the amount of 1,200 euros, shared between employee and employer. In other words, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs pays 600 euros directly to the newly hired person, in six equal monthly installments, in addition to his salary and regardless of his amount. An amount of 600 euros is paid to the employer to cover part of the salary expense upon completion of the program.

b) The “First Badge” also refers to part-time jobs, as it is also addressed to students who seek to gain professional experience while studying. The new position with a part-time contract – which can not be less than 20 hours per week – is subsidized with 600 euros. The 300 euros are paid directly to the newly hired young person in six equal monthly installments and the remaining 300 are paid to the employer upon completion of the program.

c) If the fixed-term employment contract is less than six months, the new position is subsidized in proportion to the duration of the employment contract and according to the type of contract (part-time employment is subsidized at half the amount). In any case, the duration of the fixed-term employment contract may not be less than one month.

Young people who join the “First Badge” can not join the “Co-Work” program and their employment contracts can not be suspended, unless the activity of the companies in which they are hired is suspended by order of a public authority.

The jobs that are subsidized with the “First Badge” are additional in relation to the existing jobs. The employer is obliged to maintain on average the same number of employees as it had on 12 November 2021 (date of publication of the legislation for the program) for the subsidy period of the new job, increased by the number of new subsidized jobs according to the present program.

The control for the compliance with the obligation of keeping the jobs is carried out by the information system “Ergani”, through intersections with the data of AADE, OAED and e-EFKA. If it is concluded that the conditions are not met, the companies are deducted from the program and the grants that have already been paid are sought as unduly paid. In the event of a reduction of the employer, the beneficiary employee is not deducted from the program.

It is not allowed to replace the job of a subsidized employee under the program with a new subsidized employee. However, the company can apply for the approval of a new subsidized job.

For each new job created and included in the “First Seal” and the employment contract of the newly hired lasts for at least six months, the company, if it so wishes, can join for the same employee in the open program of new subsidized jobs, with the terms and conditions set out therein. This is the program of 100,000 new jobs that was completed a few days ago and “opens” again on 1/1/2022, with the addition of 50,000 new jobs, as previously announced.

In this case, in addition to the subsidy hereof, the company is subsidized by the state budget for all employee and employer insurance contributions, regardless of the amount of the monthly salary, for a period of six months. It is emphasized that the job retention clause applies.

Finally, it is noted that the number of new jobs created based on the “First Seal” covers part of the number of new subsidized jobs provided by the expansion of the open program of 100,000 new subsidized jobs by 50,000 jobs. The program is valid until the subsidized jobs are exhausted.

Teleworking

In cases where it is possible by the nature of the work (eg banks, insurance companies), the obligation of companies to put up to 50% of their employees in teleworking regime applies.

The placement of employees in teleworking status is announced in advance in the information system “Ergani”.

For the implementation of this measure will apply what was in force in previous periods of its implementation.