13.07.2022

HOW MUCH THEY PAID EMPLOYERS TO KEEP JOBS DURING THE PANDEMIC

Until July 29, employers who used the measure to preserve employment “60 to 40” in the month of June must submit to the Employment Agency the reports on the workers involved.

The measure came into effect in March 2020 and ended at the end of last month.

According to the operational information of the NOI, as of June 23, the funds paid to preserve jobs during the pandemic amounted to BGN 1.931 billion, the scheme was used by 13,700,000, which saved 335,000 employees.

The latest interim report of the NSI on the funds paid under the measure shows that the largest share of the total number of jobs saved is in the "Manufacturing industry" sector. Nearly 42 percent of the retained workers are concentrated there. The amounts paid are approximately the same percentage. About 20 percent of the reserved jobs and slightly more than 16 percent of the money paid are in the "Hotel and restaurant industry" sector.

The months in which the largest payments under the "60 to 40" measure were made are January, February and March 2021 - BGN 123 million per month. Then 150,000 workers were retained.

For comparison, in May 2022, 14 million BGN were paid under the measure for 20,000 employees, and the money went to 930 employers.

Over 60 percent of employers and nearly 70 percent of workers participated in the measure for a period of up to 10 months.

57% of businesses had up to 9 employees, and 1.5% - with 250 or more insured.