09.06.2020  

NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR EMPLOYERS AND THE UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE

Nearly BGN 3,500,000 are the funds redirected at the suggestion of the Employment Agency from programs and measures to stimulate employment, which due to the state of emergency and the epidemic situation did not start on time or in full. As of today, the new financial preferences through the labor offices in the country can be used by employers and registered unemployed under various programs and measures to stimulate employment and/or employability.

The Employment Agency directs the realized savings to forms of employment sought by both employers and the unemployed. The aim is with funds from the state budget to support the employment of not only the planned for the year 8,500 unemployed, but also another 2,431 representatives of the so-called vulnerable groups on the labor market, incl. people with permanent disabilities, long-term unemployed or pre-retirement age. These are the people who, in the conditions of increased labor supply, experience more difficulties in finding a suitable job.

A part of the redistributed funds is directed to the employers who have announced vacancies in the labor offices. They will be able to take advantage of them if they hire an unemployed person - a representative of a target group under a program or measure of the Employment Promotion Act, for which the labor office has free funds to conclude a new contract.

Through the preferences provided, employers can receive subsidies not only for hiring the unemployed from the above groups, but also for dual training of the unemployed, training for the acquisition of key competencies of the hired staff, as well as for professional training of the unemployed. for work in the respective enterprise.

At the same time, the Employment Agency provides financial preferences to the unemployed, which stimulates their mobility or entrepreneurship.

The unemployed can apply for and receive financial support in the amount of 50% of the daily expenses for intercity transport to and from the workplace, or up to BGN 200 per month to cover accommodation and other expenses when starting work in a settlement over 50 km away from their place of residence. Starting your own business can also be supported on the basis of an approved business project by receiving the unemployment benefits at once or providing a lump sum for starting a business, which this year has been increased to BGN 4,000. Measures may also be provided for other services accompanying the start-up of the business.

The preferences provide different opportunities and a variety of forms of financial support in terms of period, type and amount of subsidy, as the specific parameters of the financial incentives under the individual programs and measures are defined in the National Employment Action Plan for 2020. For example, the subsidy period varies from 3 to 24 months, and the amount of monthly funds provided for basic remuneration - from BGN 350 to BGN 650, and in most cases funds are provided for additional remuneration and social security contributions at the expense of the employer for any unemployed employee under the terms of the relevant program or measure.

Each labor office in the country has funds under some of the various programs and measures to promote employment, providing preferences to employers or the unemployed. The current opportunities for applying for them are until the free financial resources are exhausted and are published on the website of the Employment Agency, in the section "Announcements for financing by regions", structured for each of the 9 Directorates "Regional Employment Service" /DRES/ in subheadings "Incentive measures for the unemployed" and "Incentive programs and measures for employers".

The free funds are also announced on the information board in each labor office.

Berkovitsa Consultancy Center will publish on the web platform full information about the opportunities, terms and conditions for providing preferences for the unemployed or employers by the Labor Office - Berkovitsa as soon as they are announced.