The “Antivirus” program, aimed at supporting workers and companies to avoid the use of redundancies, will be extended.
The government has approved the “Antivirus” program, which helps Czech employees and employers to alleviate the consequences of the Covid crisis. This program represents a key measure thanks to which the Czech Labor Office was able to reimburse the staff costs to Czech companies, which were able to avoid resorting to layoffs.
The labor office, within the scope of this measure, will reimburse companies according to various types of intervention:
Mode A Antivirus program
This regime will be extended until 02/28/2022.
The amount is set at 80% of the compensation of the salaries paid + the amount corresponding to the legal contributions (therefore the eligible costs), up to a maximum of CZK 39,000 per employee per month
It can only be applied in cases where employees have been forced into quarantine or isolation due to Covid.
Antivirus program A plus mode
This program has not been extended.
Mode B Antivirus program
From November 1st to January 1st this mode was again retroactively operational. It was designed for those companies that are unable to operate business as usual due to a significant number of employees on sick leave or quarantine or due to limited demand for company services or products due to the pandemic.
The maximum amount of this mode is CZK 29,000 per month per employee.
For employees in difficulty, the state will pay a salary:
- 100% of the average salary in the event that there are actual obstacles to productivity due to a significant percentage of employees in sickness or quarantine, with a concrete repercussion in operations
- 80% of the average salary if there are limitations to the availability of inputs necessary for the activity
- 60% of the average salary in the event of limitations on the demand for company services or products due to the pandemic.
C mode Antivirus program
Program C was valid until 08/30/2020
How to apply for the indemnity?
Companies that have already signed an agreement with the Labor Office of the Czech Republic can proceed as before.
Therefore, it is necessary to document the Declaration and to follow up on the supporting design again. The declaration is presented at the end of the calendar month for which the company requests. At the same time, wage compensation and mandatory contributions must first be paid.
Companies that do not have an agreement already signed will fill out the application at this link and send it to the employment office, which will verify its correctness. After confirmation by the offices and payment of wages and compulsory contributions, a monthly Declaration is compiled for each program for which the employer requests a contribution (A or B), and this Declaration must be sent by the company by post or e-mail with electronic signature on the back to the employment office.
Conditions to be eligible for compensation
- The employer must strictly adhere to the Labor Code
- the employee must not be in a notice period of dismissal and must not be dismissed;
- Employees must participate in health insurance and pension contributions
- The employer must have paid the wage compensation and contributions.
For more information at this link you can view the detailed manual to access this program
How did the antivirus help?
Antivirus saved jobs when they were most at risk. He managed to avert an earthquake in the labor market and to keep the unemployment rate low. A total of 1,073,133 employees were supported through Antivirus, each of them being paid an average salary over 4 months thanks to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. The program helped keep jobs for 37% of employees working in the private sector. All of this comes from the summary data of the Antivirus program, a full analysis of the program is available here
Source https://www.mpsv.cz/antivirus
Sources of images:Storyset.com
