Background information

A new opportunity for registered unemployed individuals to sign temporary labour contracts with agriculture producers without losing their unemployment benefits has been approved by the Bulgarian government. The new amendment gives a legal right to an unemployed person to receive unemployment benefits from the state and at the same time work at a rural stop and take a salary from there.

According to unofficial information, the Ministry of Agriculture is also discussing the possibility of workers in enterprises that have been introduced to reduced working hours due to the coronavirus crisis and are being compensated under the 60/40 scheme , to be able to start additional work in agriculture.

Content of measure

People receiving unemployment or social assistance benefits can earn additional income from seasonal work in agriculture without losing their entitlement to state support. Those who are currently on unpaid leave can also sign a second employment contract without permission from their primary employer. These are the two approved measures that, at the threshold of the active season in agriculture, should divert employees to this sector.

Amendments to the Emergency Legislation adopted in April 2020 introduce the possibility for farmers to conclude temporary employment contracts similar to one-day contracts to hire employees for activities such as harvesting. The key change in this case is that the conclusion of such contracts would not affect the receipt of unemployment benefits or social benefits by employees, which in previous years was a serious obstacle to securing seasonal workers on the field.

Currently, there is also no limit to the length of time that employees can work under the second employment contract while on unpaid leave.

Use of measure

The Bulgarian employment agency, operating for the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, estimated that of nearly 100,000 unemployed registered at the labour offices in the country since 13 March 2020 (date of introducing COVID-19 measures), 1,637 people have expressed interest in working in agriculture. They account for 1.6% of the unemployed force. In April 2020, 97 employers announced 1,304 open vacancies for agricultural workers.

Between January 2020 and June 2020, more than 73,000 one-day contracts have been registered with 564 farmers, who grow mainly vines, apples and lavender. Another 66 farmers have applied for 2,500 contracts for more than one day for 29,500 man-days to work, mainly for harvesting the rose.

To support the contracting, the employment agency, issued an online contracting portal.

Sub-measure 21.1 'Temporary exceptional support for farmers COVID 1' of measure 21 'Temporary exceptional support for farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises particularly affected by the crisis triggered by COVID-19' of the RDP 2014-2020 had a budget of €7,524,692 or BGN 14.7 million. It covers the sectors 'Fruit and vegetables', 'Olive oil', 'Vines', 'Ornamentals' and 'Livestock' (cattle, buffalo, sheep and goats).

Under sub-measure 21.2 'Exceptional and temporary support for farmers COVID 2', applications for support have been received (Order No 03-RD/2418 of 10 August 2020) with a reception period from 19 August 2020 to 21 September 2020 and a budget of BGN 5,500,000. Under sub-measure 21.3 "Exceptional and temporary support for SMEs and producer groups and organisations COVID 3" (Order No 03-PD/3575 of 19.10.2020) with an admission period from 26 October 2020 to 13 November 2020 and with a budget of BGN 7,321,096 was increased to BGN 8,220,086 by the order amending the admission order of 15 January 2021, according to the official information portal.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Unemployed	Sector specific set of companies	People on social benefits

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Social partners jointly	Employer National funds Regional funds

Social partners

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

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Consulted	Unknown
Form	Unknown	Not applicable

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

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

The measure was thoroughly consulted with the representatives of the workers in the agriculture sector in Bulgaria.

Views and reactions

Representatives of the agricultural sector hope that this measure will support the employment in the sector, as it is usually hard to find seasonal workers.

Sectors and occupations

Sources

• 06 April 2020: Закон за изменение и допълнение на Закона за мерките и действията по време на извънредното положение, обявено с решение на Народното събрание от 13 март 2020 г (parliament.bg)
• 07 April 2020: Земеделците ще могат да наемат безработни при облекчени условия (www.capital.bg)
• 15 April 2020: Farmers can conclude short-term seasonal farm work for more than a day (www.gli.government.bg)
• 27 April 2020: Seasonal workers: What is the interest in our country? (agri.bg)
• 21 May 2020: Seasonal contracts: Is it easy to hire the unemployed? (agri.bg)
• 26 May 2020: Harvest 2020: Seasonal contracts up to 120 days are now applied online (agri.bg)
• 20 February 2023: REALIZED ADMISSIONS EXTRAORDINARY TEMPORARY SUPPORT FOR FARMERS AND SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES THAT ARE PARTICULARLY AFFECTED BY THE CRISIS CAUSED BY COVID-19 (coronavirus.bg)