Published: 07.05.2020.
News

The SSIA will pay the downtime assistance allowance in the amount of 180 euro per month to the employees, who have been refused the downtime allowance by the SRS.

The downtime assistance allowance will be calculated and paid in proportion to the number of calendar days a person has spent in downtime.

Example: The SRS has refused downtime allowance for the period from 14 March 2020 to 31 March 2020 for 18 days. Amount of the downtime assistance allowance for March will be 104.52 euro (calculation: 180 euro: 31 days x 18 days).

Employees and self-employed persons, for whom the amount of the downtime allowance granted by the SRS is less than 180 euro per month, the SSIA will pay the difference between the downtime assistance allowance and the downtime allowance already paid by the SRS.

Example: The SRS has granted downtime allowance for the period from 1 April 2020 to 15 April 2020 for 15 days in the amount of 9 euro or 0.60 euro for each day of idle standing. Amount of the downtime assistance allowance for each day of April is 6 euro (calculation: 180 euro :30 days). The SSIA is obliged to pay additional 5.40 euro for each day (calculation: 6 euro-0.60 euro). Amount of the downtime assistance allowance for April will be 81 euro (calculation: 5.40 euro x 15 days).

If the recipient has dependent children in the age of up to 24 years on the day of granting of the benefit, subject to personal income tax relief, the SSIA will pay also the supplement in the amount of 50 euro for each dependent in proportion to the calendar days of the recipient’s downtime.

The SSIA will grant the downtime assistance allowance and supplement for children without a person’s submission, on the basis of the information received from the SRS, and transfer it to the beneficiary’s account specified for the receipt of the SRS downtime allowance.

The downtime assistance allowance is not subject to the mandatory state social insurance contributions.

Where the previously granted unemployment benefit period ends on 12 March 2020 or later, while due to the state of emergency the return to work or generation of income from economic activity is not possible, and the status of an unemployed person retains,
the State Social Insurance Agency (SSIA) may be claimed for the unemployment assistance benefit.

Unemployment assistance benefit:

  • is granted from the day following the day of expiry of the unemployment benefit;
  • is granted and paid for the period not exceeding 4 months and at the latest until 31 December 2020;
  • amount is 180 euro per month;
  • no longer paid if the status of an unemployed person forfeited.

Example 1: A person has been granted an unemployment benefit until 7 May 2020. The SSIA help benefit will be granted for the period from 8 May 2020 to 7 September 2020. The SSIA will pay the benefit for 4 months. Amount for the period from 8 May to 31 May will account for 139.36 euro (calculated from 180 euro in proportion to the number of days, for which the help benefit is to be paid), amount for June, July and August will account for 180 euro monthly, whereas, the amount for seven days of September will account for a proportional share, namely, 42 euro.

Example 2: A person has been granted an unemployment benefit until 7 November 2020. The SSIA help benefit will be granted for the period from 8 November 2020 to 31 December 2020. Thus, the period covered by the help benefit will be shorter than 4 months.

Example 3: A person had been granted an unemployment, which was paid until 10 March 2020. The SSIA will not grant the help benefit, since payment of the unemployment benefit had been terminated before 12 March 2020. 

In order to receive an unemployment assistance benefit, you have to apply to the SSIA. Optional submission via:

  • Portal Latvija.lv, under e-service “Application to an institution” and attaching the template form “Application for unemployment assistance benefit”, or by submitting a free-format application.
  • Applications may be submitted to the SSIA by post addressing them to any SSIA division.
  • Applications may be also put into the mailboxes at the divisions during the working hours from 8:30 to 17:00.

The unemployment assistance benefit is not paid simultaneously with the insurance compensation, state pension, service pension or monthly unemployment remuneration for temporary community works. In such cases an assistance benefit is not granted or payment of the granted benefit is terminated.

The period, when a person receives the unemployment assistance benefit, is not subject to the mandatory state social insurance contributions.

More favourable conditions for the granting of unemployment benefit, if legal labour relations have been terminated on the basis of the employee`s notice.

The unemployed persons, who have obtained unemployed person’s status during the period from 12 March 2020 to 31 December 2020 and who have terminated legal labour relations on the basis of their own notices – the unemployment benefit will be granted as of the day of application for benefit.

The unemployed persons, who have obtained unemployed person’s status on 12 March 2020 or later, and to whom unemployed person’s status has been granted from the date not earlier than two months after the obtaining of unemployed person’s status (having left the employment of their own free will), the term for granting of the unemployment benefit will be reviewed by the SSIA according to the newly introduced legal norm. No application is required.

More favourable conditions for the receipt of unemployment benefit by 31 December 2020.

  • An unemployed person may be employed in temporary works (for example, seasonal works) twice in a 12-month period for a period not exceeding 120 days in total without losing his/her unemployed person’s status (so far, this limit was 2 months or 60 days). During the period of employment the SSIA will suspend payments of unemployment benefit to resume it later.
  • If unemployed person’s status has been granted during the period from 18 April 2020 to 31 December 2020, the total insurance period for unemployment is at least one year, and social insurance contributions have been made for 12 months during the last 16-month period, the SSIA will grant unemployed person’s status also to the owner of a micro-enterprise, who’s status is an employee of the micro-enterprise and who gains no income.

Supplement to the downtime allowance for a dependent child

For persons, who have been granted the downtime allowance by the State Revenue Service (SRS) and who have dependent children in the age of up to 24 years registered with the SRS, the State Social Insurance Agency (SSIA) will pay supplement to the downtime allowance in the amount of 50 euro per month for each dependent child.

The SSIA will grant the supplement without the person’s application, on the basis the information received from the SRS on the paid downtime allowances and taking into account the right of the beneficiary to exercise personal income tax relieves for a dependent child during the period concerned.

The SSIA will transfer the supplement to the downtime allowance to the beneficiary’s account, where the SRS transferred the downtime allowance.

The SSIA will determine the amount of the supplement in proportion to the number of the days eligible for supplement

Example 1: The SRS has granted downtime allowance for the period from 1 April to 30 April. As of 3 April, two minor children have been registered as the person’s dependents. Supplement to the downtime allowance will be granted for the period from 3 April to 30 April and calculated by determining amount of the supplement 50 euro for each child, and 100 euro for two children in total taking into account the period of 28 days (calculation: 100 euro / 30 days) x 28 days  = 93.33 euro.

Example 2: The SRS has granted downtime allowance for the period from 12 March to 31 March. During this period, one child has been registered as the person’s dependent. Supplement to the downtime allowance will be granted for the period from 12 March to 31 March and calculated by determining amount of the supplement 50 euro for each child and the period of 20 days (calculation: 50 euro / 31 days) x 20 days  = 32.26 euro.

The SSIA will pay the supplement for the period eligible for supplement.  

Example: The SRS has granted downtime allowance for the period from 1 April to 30 April. One child has been registered as the person’s dependent. The SSIA will pay the supplement to the downtime allowance from 1 April to 30 April. 

The SSIA will stop paying the supplement, if the child will no longer be the beneficiary’s dependent

Example: The SRS has granted downtime allowance for the period from 1 April to 30 April. As of 16 April, the person is no longer eligible for the personal income tax relief, because the child has attained his/her majority and is not a student of an educational institution. The SSIA will grant and pay the supplement to the downtime allowance for the period from 1 April to 16 April.

Where the parental allowance disbursement period ends on 12 March 2020 or later, while due to the state of emergency the parent cannot return to work or generate income from economic activity, the State Social Insurance Agency (SSIA) will continue with the disbursement of parental allowances.

To receive it, submit an application to the SSIA. Optional submission via:

The disbursement of the parental allowance period will be rejected or the disbursement will be discontinued, if and as soon as the entitled applicant will resume working and generate income during the state of emergency. SSIA will discontinue the disbursement with the first day at work.

Being on parental or unpaid leave does not preclude the right to continue to receive parental allowance.

 ! During the period of continued disbursement of parental allowance, persons are not socially insured.

For persons (employees and self-employed) for whom a doctor has opened an incapacity for work certificate B in the period from 22 March, 2020 to 30 June, 2020, issued due to COVID-19 illness or quarantine, the SSIA shall grant a sick-leave allowance from the second day of incapacity to work in the amount of 80% of the average contribution salary of the beneficiary.

The most convenient way to apply for the sick-leave allowance is to fill in an e-application  via the portal www.latvija.lv.

In case of illnesses not related to coronavirus, incapacity for work certificates are issued under the previous procedure in accordance with the Law “On Maternity and Sickness Insurance”

The SSIA will not grant sickness benefit for the period for which, according to the information provided by the SRS, a downtime allowance has been granted.

If children with celiac disease whose parents received state-granted aid during the state of emergency, as of 12 March or within three months after the state of emergency expires, the period specified in the doctor’s certificate expires, the validity of the certificate is extended for up to six months, but not longer than until a new medical certificate is issued.

This means that the SSIA will continue with the disbursement of state-granted aid without a doctor’s certificate and the applicant’s application.

When requesting the old-age pension a person is not obliged to decide on the use of the accumulated 2nd pillar pension capital. SSIA will grant the old-age pension, and the beneficiary is free to decide on the use of the 2nd pillar pension capital by 30 November 2021.

Amendments to Law on State Funded Pensions were introduced for the 2nd pension pillar members not to be obliged to use the accumulated capital at a time, when the investments in pension plans face a significant drop in their value.

While the return on the 2nd pillar pension investment plans is negative, it is recommended:

  • not to change the investment plan;
  • requesting an old-age pension, to defer the use of the capital accumulated in the 2nd pillar pension plan;
  • to keep updated with the information on SSIA website, and the website manapensija.lv.