European Foundation
for the Improvement of
Living and Working Conditions

The tripartite EU agency providing knowledge to assist
in the development of better social, employment and
work-related policies

EU PolicyWatch

Database of national-level policy measures

Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.

Factsheet for measure BG-2020-11/499 Updated – measures in Bulgaria

COVID-19: Assistance for parents taking unpaid leave due to a state of emergency

КОВИД - 19: Помощ за родители, които ползват неплатен отпуск поради извънредното положени

Country Bulgaria , applies nationwide
Time period Open ended, started on 13 March 2020
Context COVID-19
Type Legislations or other statutory regulations
Category Income protection beyond short-time work
– Support for parents and carers (financial or in kind)
Author Tsetomila Sabcheva and Luboslav Kostov (Citub)
Measure added 12 April 2020 (updated 13 June 2023)

Background information

Parents of children up to 12 years of age, who due to the declared state of emergency, are taking unpaid leave of at least 20 working days for childcare at home are entitled to an additional single childcare allowance. The assistance has an allocated budget of BGN 20 million (€10 million) allocated. This financial assistance can reach approximately 55,000 families, according to the Minister of Labour and Social Policy. The one-time assistance amounts 375 BGN (approx. €200).

The monthly income of a family member for the month preceding the use of unpaid leave can not exceed BGN 610 (€305) (minimum working salary for 2020).

Content of measure

The family aid, which amounts to BGN 375 (approx. €200), is granted if:

  1. Both parents / a single parent enjoy continuous unpaid leave of at least 20 working days due to the inability to provide the employer with remote home work;
  2. Both parents / single parent do not receive: a) Social assistance benefits under the LPA (Labour Policy Assistance), b) any other income (such as from contract work);
  3. Both parents / a single parent are not entitled to paid leave, or it has already been realised;
  4. The two parents / a single parent are not included in the 60/40 compensation scheme (under Decree No. 55 of the Council of Ministers of 30 March 2020 laying down the conditions and procedure for payment of compensation to employers in order to maintain the employment of workers and emergency workers, announced by a decision of the National Assembly of 13 March 2020);
  5. Both parents / single parent have been insured in the last six months;
  6. If only one parent is on unpaid leave, the other parent shall not receive: a) unemployment benefit, temporary disability benefit or pension (excluding disability pension), b) compensation for use of parental leave up to two years;
  7. The child is not placed outside the family in accordance with the Law on Child Protection;
  8. The child attended kindergarten / day nursery / school before 13 March 2020;
  9. There is no possibility of taking care of the child from other relatives and relatives.

Updates

The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.

24 March 2021

Another BGN 52 million has been allocated to support families with children under 14, whose parents have had to stay at home and take care of their children while schools, nurseries and kindergartens are closed due to the pandemic. The total funds for this measure increase to BGN 73 million. With the previous transfer of funds for the measure, more than 41,000 families were supported. The benefit is paid in proportion to the days of unpaid leave, as the amount for one month is BGN 650 for families with one child and BGN 975 for families with two or more children.

04 May 2020

In May 2020, the Social Ministry included parents of students who have reached the age of 14, as well as families in which one or both parents have lost their jobs but are not entitled to unemployment benefits, in the one-time benefit programme of BGN 375 (€190) per family.

The one-time allowance will be paid to families who have not received assistance on the same grounds in 2020. Applicants must not have income from a second employment contract, rent, lease and others.

Use of measure

Between 13 April 2020 and 30 May 2020, 5,231 family applications were submitted. However, only nearly 2,000 families or fewer than the half who applied for the allowance since COVID-19 outbreak, were approved for state aid. The cabinet expected about 55,000 families and single parents to benefit from the measure.

According to the media, the measure does not have much coverage due to the strict conditions set for its receipt. The measure requires that both parents have exhausted their paid leave and have accumulated at least 20 days of unpaid leave between them. This was almost impossible in the first month of the state of emergency. The amount also barely covers the poverty line for one person of BGN 363 (€180) for 2020, although it is intended for the whole family.

As of the 22 January 2021, €15 million have been paid. This amount is more than the initial funds provided for under the measure, due to increased interest and necessity. 48,000 applications have been submitted, which is close to the expectations of the ministry, and the applications will continue after the state of emergency in Bulgaria is extended. Of these, 36,118 have been approved for funding. The parents in the districts of Plovdiv, Blagoevgrad, Sofia and Ruse received the most funds.

According to the Integrated Information portal BGN 75,7 million were paid since September 2021 in order to support 53,294 families.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Parents in employment
Single parents in employment
Does not apply to businesses Children (minors)

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role Consulted Consulted
Form Consultation through tripartite or bipartite social dialogue bodies Consultation through tripartite or bipartite social dialogue bodies

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • Unknown
  • Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

No information available.

Views and reactions

No information available.

Sources

  • 12 April 2020: Родители в неплатен отпуск ще получат еднократна помощ от 375 лева (www.investor.bg)
  • 14 April 2020: Родители в неплатен отпускт ще получат 375 лв. еднократна помощ (www.mlsp.government.bg)
  • 04 May 2020: More families will receive a one-time allowance of BGN 375 (nova.bg)
  • 13 May 2020: Another measure in the crisis stumbled upon strict criteria (www.segabg.com)
  • 29 May 2020: Nearly 2,000 parents on unpaid leave because of Covid-19 with assistance of BGN 375 (www.mediapool.bg)
  • 22 January 2021: Помощта за над 200 млн. лв. за затворените бизнеси се бави (www.mediapool.bg)
  • 24 March 2021: Дават още 52 млн. лв. за родителите, останали с децата си вкъщ (topnovini.bg)
  • 17 May 2023: Criteria for granting the monthly targeted aid: (asp.government.bg)

Citation

Eurofound (2020), COVID-19: Assistance for parents taking unpaid leave due to a state of emergency, measure BG-2020-11/499 (measures in Bulgaria), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/BG-2020-11_499.html

Share

Eurofound publications based on EU PolicyWatch

30 January 2023

 

Measures to lessen the impact of the inflation and energy crisis on citizens

Governments across the EU continue to implement policies to support citizens and businesses in the face of rising food and energy prices caused by the COVID-19 crisis and intensified by the war in Ukraine. This article summarises the policy responses as reported in Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch database from January to September 2022.

Article

12 September 2022

 

First responses to cushion the impact of inflation on citizens

Although the worldwide pandemic situation had already disrupted supply chains and triggered increases in energy and food prices in 2021, the situation deteriorated in 2022 with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Article

12 September 2022

 

Policies to support EU companies affected by the war in Ukraine

This article summarises the first policy responses that governments across the EU have started to implement to support companies affected by the rising prices, and those with commercial ties to Ukraine, Russia or Belarus.

Article

5 July 2022

 

Policies to support refugees from Ukraine

This article summarises the first policy responses of EU Member States, including those of the social partners and other civil society actors, enabling refugees to exercise their rights under the Temporary Protection Directive.

Article

Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.