The Government has put forward a proposal to extend the schemes with extended entitlement to care benefits and sickness benefits and an increased unemployment benefit rate.
Although more and more people are returning to work after redundancy due to covid-19, the situation in the labor market remains uncertain. The uncertainty is related to the fact that in the last period there has been an increase in cases of infection, and stricter infection control measures because of the increase.
Since it is difficult to predict what impact the infection control measures will have, the Government proposes to prolong the extended right to care benefits and sickness benefits. In addition, the Government has put forward proposals for a continued increase in the unemployment benefit rate.
The rules on the extended right to care benefits will be extended so that they will apply until the end of June 2021. This means that a family is entitled to at least 40 days of care benefits, instead of the normal 20 days. Furthermore, parents have a right to care benefits and the right to transfer days of care benefits between themselves when schools or kindergartens are closed.
Parents are also entitled to care benefits even if the quota has been used up in cases where children must be kept at home due to special infection control considerations that must be taken for the child or that must be taken for family members with whom the child lives. They are also entitled to care benefits even if the quota has been used up when schools or kindergartens are closed.
The rules on extended entitlement to sickness benefits in the event of infection or suspicion of infection will be extended so that they will apply until the end of March 2021. This means that the employee is entitled to sickness benefits when he or she is absent from work due to covid-19 or in the event of such illness. For employers, employer-financed sick leave due to covid-19 will be reduced from 16 to 3 days.
The rules on the temporarily increased unemployment benefit rate will also be extended until the end of March 2021. Normally, the unemployment benefit rate is 62.4 per cent of the basis up to 6G. Until March, the compensation rate will be increased to 80 per cent of income below 3G, and 62.4 per cent of income between 3G and 6G.
