Under rules backed by the lower house late on Thursday evening, Poles who have been laid off will be entitled to a “solidarity allowance” of PLN 1,400 (USD 357, EUR 317) a month for a maximum of three months.
Plans for the new benefit were submitted to parliament by Polish President Andrzej Duda on Wednesday evening. Duda is running for a second term in office in a June 28 presidential election.
Deputies also backed plans to raise unemployment benefits to PLN 1,200 a month from September 1. After 90 days, the jobless will be entitled to PLN 942 a month.
The moves are the latest in a swathe of measures by Poland’s ruling conservatives to help workers hit by the virus crisis.
The Polish government in March came up with a multibillion relief and stimulus package to mitigate the economic implications of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A total of 25,048 people have tested positive for the COVID-19 disease in Poland, with 1,117 deaths from the coronavirus so far, officials said on Thursday evening.
(pk/gs)
Source: PAP