Cyprus Government Extension of the supporting measures for Business and Employees through Corona Virus times.
The President of the Republic of Cyprus announced on 8th of April 2020 the extension of the measures for the support of the economy, the enterprises, the employees and the vulnerable groups due to the situation with the coronavirus disease.
Specifically, the following measures have been decided:
- Extension of the plans for a full and partial suspension of operations and the plan for Self-Employed workers until June 2020.
- A four-month of government financial support will be given to enterprises after the 12th of June 2020 in case they continue to have reduced turnover.
- It is noted that in order to participate in plans provided by the Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance, the condition is the non-dismissal of the employers from 1st of March 2020 until September.
Furthermore, the Cyprus President, Mr Nicos Anastasiades announced the extension of the restriction measures until 30/04/2020 without exclusion for the Easter Holidays. Regarding the repatriation of the Cypriot citizens who are living abroad, it was decided the gradual return of them who fall into the below categories:
- Those who live in university dormitories and who are enrolled in Foundation Courses or those who are either in the first year of the graduate course.
- Permanent residents of the Republic of Cyprus who are in foreign countries for temporary employment and their employment has been suspended or terminated due to coronavirus.
- Permanent residents of the Republic of Cyprus who are in foreign countries and their return is deemed necessary for humanitarian reasons, such as:
- They are recipients or organ donors who are called for transplants
- Providing care to persons who, due to a serious injury after the issuance of the decrees, are unable to look after themselves
- Unaccompanied minors
- It is also be allowed to enter the Republic of Cyprus, persons regardless of their nationality wherewith their assistance could help in order to combat the coronavirus disease, due to their professional and scientific capacity.
For precautionary measures in order to combat the coronavirus disease, it was decided:
- Conducting sample tests per province.
- Conducting 20,000 additional tests on individual who are still working, under the Ministry of Health’s decrees, in either the private or public sector including National Guard.
- Conducting sample tests for those people who will return to Cyprus.
For any further details you may need, do hesitate to contact us, at G. Kouzalis LLC, your Cyprus property specialists.
Clarifications of Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance regarding the special plan for a partial suspension of the company’s operations
According to the special plan for a partial suspension of company’s operations the Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance announced that the companies that are partially suspended from their operations and have applied for participation in this special plan for a partial suspension of company’s operations for a subsidy of the 60% or the 75% of the overall number of their employees, they cannot demand from their employees to work 60% of their working hours, which is granted from the Special Unemployment Allowance of the Republic of Cyprus.
It is important to mention that this special plan provides the right to companies that partially suspended from their operations, in case they need the services of their employees who will receive the Special Unemployment Allowance, to employ their employees for their total working hours and pay them the rest of their salary.
It is also noted that if the employees agree, it is possible to reduce their working hours if this is required by the financial activity carried out by the company and thereby the remaining part of their salary to be reduced. However, the necessary rule, in this case, is for the employees to be employed for a significant part of their working time, beyond 60%.