ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE PARTICIPATION OF COMPANIES IN HRDA PLANS DURING COMPLETE OR PARTIAL SUSPENSION OF THEIR OPERATIONS

15-04-2020 13:19

Arrangements for the participation of companies in HRDA Plans during complete or partial suspension of their operations

The Human Resource Development Authority of Cyprus (HRDA), for the purpose of facilitating the participation in the Plans of the Authority, of companies that will be included in the "Special Plan for  the Complete Suspension of the Operations of the Company" (Regulatory Administrative Act  130/2020) or in the "Special Plan for the Partial Suspension of the Operations of the Company" (Regulatory Administrative Act 131/2020) of the Ministry of Labor, Welfare and Social Insurance (hereinafter "Special Plans of MLWSI"), decided the following: 1. Subsidises businesses for the participation of their employees in training programs carried out in  the framework of HRDA Plans during the period of complete or partial suspension of their operation, based on the Special Plans of MLWSI, regardless of whether or not these employees have been paid a salary in addition to the Special Unemployment Benefit, during this period, and, therefore, if a Human Development Fee has been paid corresponding to this additional amount, 2. Accepts the non-payment of minimum wage by employers to the participants in the framework of  the HRDA Plans “Staffing Businesses with Higher Education Graduates” and “Training of the  Long-term Unemployed in Businesses / Organizations” in cases where the employer has been included in the Special Plan for Partial Suspension of the Company's Operation and the trainee continues to be  fully employed and trained in the company. A basic precondition for this is that the sum of the gross  salary paid by the employer to the trainee and the Special Unemployment Benefit received by the  trainee through the Special Plan of MLWSI, corresponds to the minimum wage required by the HRDA Plans. It should be noted that, in these cases, only the gross salary paid by the employer to the trainees  and conductors (where applicable) as well as the relevant mandatory employer contributions are taken into account as eligible expenditure for grant purposes, 3. Approves the extension of the duration of the program in the framework of the above two HRDA  Plans, following the submission of a relevant request by the company, for a period equal to the period  that the employer has joined one of the two Special Plans of MLWSI. The above arrangements apply for the period starting from 16/03/2020 until any date the Special Plans of MLWSI are extended until. (EH)