Armenia: financial assistance for those losing income due to coronavirus

Armenian citizens who lost their jobs after the state of emergency was declared will receive financial assistance from the government. On March 30, the government approved a new aid package as part of the anti-crisis measures. Other measures have already been taken to provide aid to some of society’s most vulnerable groups.

Assistance will be given to those who were legally registered as employees, that is, who had an employment contract with certain institutions.

Who will receive aid

– Those who had an employment contract or a decision to hire in the private sector, but were dismissed from March 13 to 30, 2020 are eligible.

– The decision also applies to individual entrepreneurs if they stopped working before March 30.

Financial support will be provided in the form of a lump sum payment in the amount of the minimum monthly salary – 68 thousand drams (140 dollars).

– Unemployed pregnant women whose husbands lost their jobs between March 13 and March 30, and did not transfer to another job will receive a one-time payment of 100 thousand drams (approximately $ 200).

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan proposes to expand the circle of people receiving social aid. In particular, the government is discussing providing assistance to women whose husbands died during this same period.

Those who are still working will also receive money

– Those who work in the areas most heavily affected by the quarantine will also receive financial assistance.

This refers to the tourism and hotel industries, restaurants, cafes and bars. Others who can count on assistance include those working in beauty salons, barbershops, and retail outlets, aside from those which remain open, namely grocery stores and pharmacies.

They will be given aid in the amount of half the average monthly salary for January and February, but not less than the official minimum wage of 68 thousand drams (140 dollars) and not more than 136 thousand drams (278 dollars).

One stipulation is that the aid will be given to employees in these sectors, and not employers. These amounts will not be taxed, as they will be issued in the form of a lump sum allowance.

– Assistance is also provided to individual entrepreneurs – in the amount of 10% of their turnover for the fourth quarter of 2019. The payout once again should not be less than the minimum wage and should not exceed 136 thousand drams.

The total number of people who are eligible for financial assistance is approximately 127 thousand. This figure may still increase.

In total, the state will allocate more than 10 billion drams ($ 20 million) to help victims of the quarantine.

Assistance for families with children

Social assistance from the government will be given to families with children under the age of 18, if parents were laid off during the state of emergency.

This applies in the following situations:

– both parents were laid off during the period from 13 to 26 March;

– one parent was laid off during the period from 13 to 26 March, and the other is unemployed;

– one parent was laid off during the period from 13 to 26 March, and the other was pronounced dead or missing;

– single mothers, or divorced parents living with their children who were laid off during the period from 13 to 26 March.

Help will be issued in the form of a one-time payment of 100 thousand drams ($ 200).

What to do to receive aid

To find out all details about the assistance offered, citizens should go to the official website of the State Social Security Service and enter their personal information. The system will tell them if they are eligible to receive assistance.

If you are eligible, you need only to indicate the bank you have an account with. Money will be automatically transferred within 1-2 days. Assistance will be issued starting as early as April 9th.