AKEL’s proposals accepted on the problems in the training schemes and schemes to support the unemployed
We have been informed with satisfaction that two important AKEL proposals submitted have been accepted seeking to improve both the training scheme and special scheme to support the unemployed.
More specifically, in a letter we sent to the Labour Minister, AKEL asked for the travel expenses of the unemployed who will receive training should be covered, namely those who will receive training in another district from their district of residence. Recently the competent Minister and the Board of the Human Resources Development
Authority (HRDA) announced that an amount of € 25 per week will be paid to those unemployed who are participating in the Special Training Scheme for the Unemployed within their district of residence, while for those unemployed in a province other than their district of residence this amount will rise to € 40 per week. The travel allowance is in addition to the amount of € 125 per week allocated for the training scheme.
Furthermore, after numerous AKEL interventions, the government also accepted the just demand for including in the beneficiaries of the special unemployment benefit scheme all the unemployed, who exhausted their unemployment benefit in 2020. Up till now, the only beneficiaries of this special allowance were the unemployed who exhausted their unemployment benefit up to June 2020, while as of January 2021 the beneficiaries will be all the unemployed who exhausted their unemployment benefit in 2020. Of course, our demand for payment of a lump sum for emergency coverage to all those who for a period of up to 6 months were left without any income/allowance remains pending.
Much remains to be done to provide substantial support to working people, the self-employed, small and medium-sized businesses and the unemployed. AKEL will continue with its interventions to assert and fight for those who have been hit hardest by the pandemic.