Background information

By virtue of the Legislative Act 30 March 2020 "Measures to combat the pandemic of COVID-19 and other urgent provisions", companies - employers whose operations have been suspended by a public authority order, or by virtue of their Activity Code Numbers (ACN) may pay the Easter Bonus at a time subsequent to that defined by Law (15 April 2020 as it stood until now) but in any case not later than the 30 June 2020.

(Art.19, Legislative Act of 30 March 2020)

Content of measure

Businesses that have been financially affected as per their Activity Code Numbers (ACN) or their operation has been suspended under a state decision, may pay the Easter Bonus at a time subsequent to the defined by Law, however not later than 30 June 2020. All other businesses need to pay the Easter bonus by 15 April 2020. In case of suspension of employment contracts of employees who work for the above-mentioned employers, and provided that the suspension covers a part of the period between 1st of January and 30th of April, Easter Bonus is paid partially by the employer. In this case, the employer is obliged to pay only the proportion of Easter Bonus that corresponds to the actual employment of the employee during the period between 1 January and the time of suspension of the employment contract.

Use of measure

For the year 2020, according to a study carried out by the National Institute of Labour and Human Resources -NILHR – (Thematic Bulletin No. 4-March 2021), the total government’s financial expenditure for the payment of the Easter bonus of the year 2020 has been estimated at €105.464.407 for 185.597 beneficiary employees.

For the year 2021, according to the Minister of Labour, the Easter Bonus for 678,096 workers whose employment contract was suspended and for 22,869 beneficiaries who have worked under the SWH scheme “SYNERGASIA”, will be paid in 28 April 2021.

The payment of the Easter bonus 2021 is covered by the state budget. For the payment have been approved: (a) €105,995.502 for the 678,096 beneficiaries under job suspension and (b) €1,918.950 for the 22,869 beneficiary employees of the “SYNERGASIA” SWH scheme.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Employees in standard employment	Does not apply to businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Company / Companies	No special funding required

Social partners

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

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	No involvement
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

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

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

There is no any involvement of social partners

Views and reactions

No involvement

Sources

• 30 March 2020: Act of Legislative Content of 30.03.2020 "Measures to combat the pandemic of coronavirus COVID-19 and other urgent provisions" (www.et.gr)
• 04 June 2020: The Ministerial Decision on the Easter bonus 2020: When it will be paid to employees (Η Υπουργική Απόφαση για το Δώρο Πάσχα 2020: Πότε θα καταβληθεί στους εργαζομένους) (www.e-nomothesia.gr)
• 11 March 2021: NILHR – EIEAD -Thematic Issue 4- employees under suspension of work (ΕΙΕΑΔ: Ενας χρόνος πανδημίας Εργαζομενοι με αναστολή σύμβασης εργασίας)
• 22 April 2021: Press Release of the Ministry of Labour “the payment of the Easter Bonus” (Δελτίο Τύπου Υπουργείου Εργασίας: Την Μεγάλη Τετάρτη η καταβολή του δώρου Πάσχα (ypergasias.gov.gr)
• 27 April 2021: Tomorrow the Easter bonus to employees with contract suspension (Αύριο το δώρο Πάσχα σε εργαζόμενους με αναστολή σύμβασης και σε αυτούς που έχουν ενταχθεί στη "ΣΥΝ-ΕΡΓΑΣΙΑ" (www.capital.gr)