Factsheet for measure
EE-2020-23/1249
– measures in Estonia
Wage subsidy in agriculture
Põllumajanduse palgatoetus
Background information
Berry growers have been dependent on foreign workforce during summer for years, as there has been a lack of local workforce willing to participate in agricultural activities during the peak harvesting period. As the borders were closed, the foreign workforce could not arrive to Estonia this year, which meant a loss of a great share of harvest. To motivate the local workforce to accept the available jobs and help the agriculture companies, a wage subsidy in agriculture was established.
Content of measure
The aim of the wage subsidy is to promote the employment of long-term unemployed people in the berry growing field. It is paid to employers who hires (or has hired as of 1 June 2020) a person who is:
-
registered as unemployed and
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who has not been in employment three months prior or has been temporarily been employed up to 30 days during the three months period.
The subsidy is paid in the amount of 50% of the employee’s gross wage but not more than €584 (the national minimum wage). It is paid as of the start of the employment relationship until 31 December 2020, but not more than three months per employee. The employment contract can be concluded for a specific term or for an unspecified term.
The measure is implemented by the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund.
Use of measure
It was expected that up to 750 unemployed people would be hired and the total cost would be around €600,000. There is no information available about the actual uptake.
Target groups
Actors and funding
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Actors
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Funding
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National government
Public employment service
|
European Funds
National funds
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Social partners
Social partners' role in
designing the measure
and form of involvement:
|
Trade unions
|
Employers' organisations
|
|
Role
|
Informed
|
Informed
|
|
Form
|
Not applicable
|
Not applicable
|
Social partners' role in the
implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:
-
No involvement
-
Main level of involvement: Peak or cross-sectoral level
Involvement
The social partners are members of the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund (EUIF) council and are thus involved in the measures where the EUIF has a role to play.
Views and reactions
No information.
Sectors and occupations
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This case is sector-specific
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|
Economic area
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Sector (NACE level 2)
|
|
A - Agriculture, Forestry And Fishing
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A1 Crop and animal production, hunting and related service activities
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-
This case is occupation-specific
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Occupation (ISCO level 2)
|
|
Agricultural, forestry and fishery labourers
|
Sources
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11 June 2020: Agriculture wage subsidy (põllumajanduse palgatoetus)
(www.tootukassa.ee)
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11 June 2020: State will open wage subsidy support measure (Riik avab palgatoetuse meetme marjakasvatajatele)
(www.sm.ee)
