Background information

The measure is taken in order to keep local businesses afloat due to the corona crisis and is provided in the Law 27(1) 2020 'Emergency Measures taken by the Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Social Insurances for the Confrontation of the Pandemic of COVID-19'.

The measure provides an extension for the payment of social insurance in order to support businesses and employers during the course of the pandemic crisis that hit the country.

• On Wednesday 8 April, the President of the Republic announced the decision of the Cabinet to extent the measure up until 12 June 2020. Currently, the Ministry of Labour undertakes a legal and technical processing of the measure.

Content of measure

All businesses and self-employed workers that cannot afford to pay the owed payments due to the crisis to the Social Insurance Funds of March 2020, including the payments in accordance with the (1) Social Insurance Law, (2) the General Healthcare System Law, (3) the Paid Annual Leave Law, (4) the Termination of Employment Law and (5) the Social Cohesion Law are eligible to make use of the extension of the period.

The final deadline for the payment is 14 April 2020. After this date, payments fall due and the law provides for additional fees and/or burden of the due payments in accordance with the respective laws as above.

Use of measure

Currently there is no available information on the use of the measure by beneficiaries.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Self-employed	Applies to all businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Social partners jointly Trade unions Employers' organisations Social insurance	No special funding required

Social partners

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

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative	Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative
Form	Direct consultation outside a formal body	Direct consultation outside a formal body

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

• N/A
• Main level of involvement: Peak or cross-sectoral level

Involvement

N/A

Views and reactions

The government has consulted the social partners - trade unions, employers' organizations and political parties - and the outcome emerged is on an agreed base.

Sources

• 06 April 2020: Emergency Measures taken by the Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Social Insurances for the Confrontation of the Pandemic of Coronavirus COVID 19' (www.coronavirus.mlsi.gov.cy)