The aid package for companies in total of EUR 15 billion, includes, inter alia, accelerating the process of staff sent on compulsory leave without pay and temporarily lowering private pension contributions.
Entrepreneurs and freelancers will also temporarily be covered by unemployment insurance. In order to be eligible for the unemployment benefit of a full-time entrepreneur, it would not be necessary to close down the business.
Entrepreneurs presented to the government on Wednesday the issue of entrepreneurial protection aimed at sole proprietors. The government's model is largely in line with that of the entrepreneurs. The introduced changes do not distinguish between types of companies, which in exceptional circumstances ensures equality of entrepreneurs.
The government also announced a number of labor law changes that the entrepreneurs had submitted to the government last week. The government proposes that the notice period of the temporary suspension of work (lomautus) will be reduced from the current 14 days to 5 days. (New temporary layoffs’ terms are not yet valid!)
In case of temporary suspension of work, the employees' personal liability to unemployment insurance (omavastuu) is abolished and there will be no waiting period (karenssiaika) if this temporary lay-offs are agreed.
Also, in the situation of a temporary lay-off, the employee has the right to an unemployment benefit and the right to terminate the employment contract despite the fixed term.
The full information and the source text can be found at Yrittajat website.
Published 21.03.2020, FINREPO