25.03.2021

THE STEPS FOR APPLYING FOR THE NEW DESIGN OF THE MEASURE "KEEP ME" HAVE BECOME CLEAR

The government has allocated an additional BGN 24 million and 600 thousand under the "Keep me" measure, which compensates workers in the economic sectors closed due to the pandemic.

In connection with an order of the Minister of Health for the introduction of temporary anti-epidemic measures for the period from 22.03.2021 to 31.03.2021, the Employment Agency informs all employers, workers and employees applying for the project "Keep me" about what need to do in the 10 days of lockdown.

Employers who have already submitted an Application for payment of compensation, have been approved and wish their employees to continue receiving compensation, do not submit a new Application. Employers deposit the following package of documents with the relevant Labor Office Directorate:

• Appendix 8 “Declaration for absence or presence of changes” (sample admission after 01.01.2021) for reporting the respective month;
• Appendix 3 “List” (sample admission after 01.01.2021) - for the respective month. The list should be signed with QES or on paper by the employer or an authorized representative of the employer (with a power of attorney attached), and must be submitted in electronic format (excel format);
• Annex 9 “Participation Cards” for the new period for all persons listed in Annex 3 “List”;
• Appendix 10 “Table for aggregation of information for participants”.

Employers who submit for the first time an Application for payment of compensations for the current period or for a previous period shall submit to the respective directorate "Labor Office" the following package of documents:

• Appendix 1 - Application - declaration (acceptance sample after 01.01.2021);
• Appendix 2 - Declaration by an employee (sample admission after 01.01.2021);
• Appendix 3 - List (sample admission after 01.01.2021) - the list should be signed with QES or on paper by the employer or an authorized representative of the employer (with a power of attorney attached), and must be submitted in electronic format);
• Appendix 9 - Participation card, filled in according to the Instructions for summarizing information from participation cards (Appendix 9A) and table for aggregation of information for participants (Appendix 10) - for the first and last reporting and for change;
• Annex I - Declaration for minimum and state aid, filled in according to the Methodology for received minimum aid.

Compensations under the procedure of the Council of Ministers № 325 dated 26.11.2020, amended and ext. with CMD № 418 dated 30.12.2020 shall be paid for the past month.

Eligible target group are:

• Persons employed on a basic employment contract;
• persons insured in sectors of economic activities, which fall within the scope of the List of economic activities for which temporary restrictions for carrying out activities have been introduced, approved by an Order of the Minister of Labor and Social Policy;
• persons using unpaid leave under Art. 160, para. 1 or art. 173a, para. 2 of the Labor Code.

In this regard, on the official website of the Employment Agency, section "Financial incentives for maintaining employment", an updated Order № RD-06-8/22.03.2021 of the Minister of Labor and Social Policy was published, approving List of the codes of economic activities for which temporary restrictions have been introduced for the implementation of an activity by an act of a state body during the period of declared state of emergency or declared state of emergency epidemic.

All current sample documents, as well as Instructions for employers to apply and report, are published on the official website of the Employment Agency.

The government has increased the budget of the Ministry of Tourism, allowing it to cover BGN 51 million in expenditures this year.

This will allow state aid to be paid to tour operators and travel agents in order to prevent bankruptcies in the sector and to compensate consumers of travel services who, due to the pandemic, have not been able to make the agreed trips.