The coronavirus pandemic in Argentina has hit the labour market hard, but especially the most vulnerable sectors. In a bid to soften the economic impact of the virus and the resulting nationwide lockdown, the government this week unveiled new economic measures to favour the self-employed and informal workers.
On Monday, Ministers Claudio Moroni (Labour) and Martín Guzmán (Economy) announced at a press conference at Olivos presidential residence a one-off monetary payment "aimed at compensating the loss or serious decrease in income of people affected by the health emergency situation."
The allowance was made official that night with the publication of Decree 310/2020 in the Official Gazette. It determines that a member of the family group will receive the sum of 10,000 pesos, which will be paid only once, in April this year.
The ‘Ingreso Familiar de Emergencia’ (Emergency Family Income), as it is called, will be granted to the unemployed and informally employed (including those in domestic service), as well as to the self-employed registered in tax categories "A" and "B" (the lowest, earning up to 26,092 pesos a month).
However, in order to access this assistance, the following requirements must also be met:
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To be an Argentine citizen, native or naturalised, or have resident status with a legal residence in the country of not less than two years.
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To be between 18 and 65 years old provided that with neither the beneficiary nor any member of their family group:
1) Are formally employed in the public or private sector
2) Are self-employed under tax categories "C" or higher
3) Receive unemployment benefits
4) Receive retirement benefits, whether from the national, provincial or municipal governments or from the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.
5) Receive complementary payment under such social plans as 'Hacemos Futuro' or 'Potenciar Trabajo' or other national, provincial or municipal social programmes, with the exception of the AUH and AUE family and maternity benefits or ‘PROGRESAR’ student allowance.
- TIMES/PERFIL
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