[ad_1]
Much of Norway’s business and industry is severely affected by the coronavirus. On Monday, the government will hold a press conference where it will report on new economic measures in relation to the situation of the crown.
Infection control expert concerned about Oslo
– It is becoming increasingly clear that reserves are beginning to erode, says Finance Minister Jan Tore Sanner.
See the full press conference at the top of the case.
The government is now proposing to introduce new compensation measures for industries that are directly affected by infection control measures.
Among the proposals is to introduce a period for the employer of five days after the employee has been on leave for 30 weeks.
– Getting people back to work is the most important thing we can do, said the finance minister at Monday’s press conference.
– We must prevent this crisis from leading to people being permanently expelled from working life, he continues.
Salary support
The government is also proposing a new round of wage support for companies that recover their own layoffs in October, November and December.
Support is up to NOK 15,000 per month.
The precondition for receiving support is that the employee has been laid off as of August 31, 2020 and that the person in question returns to work at the beginning of the month for which the support is provided, the government states on its website.
Crisis package
Earlier Monday, it was announced that the government is creating a crisis package for the tourism industry. The package involves a compensation scheme of up to one billion crowns for tourism companies that have had a big drop in turnover.
Fear a billion is not enough
The scheme applies until the new year.
– The government will present the details of the plan after we have had a dialogue with the parties in the tourism industry, says Trade and Industry Minister Iselin Nybø.
In addition, the government will provide NOK 250 million for the restructuring.
The event market
The government also proposes to establish a support scheme for large public events outside the cultural and sports sector, such as food fairs and festivals.
The Government will encourage the resumption of activity in the market as soon as infection control measures allow.
The event must have regional or national value and an expected number of visitors of at least 500 people.
The amount of support is set at a maximum of 60 percent of the net loss as a result of the canceled event.
Payments are scheduled to take place in the first quarter of 2021.
In addition, the government proposes to contribute NOK 1.9 billion to stimulate activity in the cultural, volunteer and sport sectors.
82 million to the police
The Minister for Children and Families, Kjell Ingolf Ropstad, says the county municipalities will now be compensated for the loss of revenue from public transport tickets with another 1.5 billion NOK.
Ropstad further says that the government wants to spend 82 million crowns to continue the 400 temporary police posts that were adopted as a result of the virus outbreak.
– In a situation of pressure, we must ensure that the police have the resources they need to do their job well, he says.
– In the budget for 2021, we propose to make them permanent. This is because we are concerned that there are more police officers across the country and that the police will still have the ability to secure the country and crack down on violations of infection control rules, he continues.
- Extend the layoff period to 52 weeks, as well as the employer period entered from five days after 30 weeks from January 1, 2021.
- Carry out a new round of salary support so that layoffs return to work in October, November and December.
- NOK 1.9 billion to stimulate activity in the cultural, volunteer and sport sectors.
- NOK 1.5 billion to make up for lost public transport revenue.
- Several new measures for tourism. Among other things, a separate compensation plan for the tourism industry and the continuation of the restructuring plan. It is proposed that the organizers of trade shows and conferences be included in this compensation plan.
- A new support scheme for large public events, including food fairs and festivals.
- NOK 120 million for business development in the districts. Including NOK 40 million for the business garden and hatchery programs.
- NOK 500 million to municipalities that have had particularly high spending for the monitoring of the TISK strategy (testing, isolation, infection tracking and quarantine).
- NOK 200 million for a local compensation plan for the business community in the municipalities with the highest local infection.
- NOK 500 million for the purchase of a covid-19 vaccine.
- NOK 190 million for seasonal influenza vaccine for people in risk groups.
- NOK 251 million to establish test stations at border crossings.
- NOK 82 million to continue the 400 temporary police posts that were adopted as a result of the virus outbreak.
Source: Government
Expand the possibility of combining
The government is also expanding the temporary scheme, making it easier to combine unemployment benefits with education or training.
– Now we are in a situation with a record number of unemployed, and then it is smart to facilitate that people can use the period without work to acquire the relevant skills demanded by the business community, says the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Torbjørn Røe Isaksen ( H) in a press release.
The aim of the plan is to ensure that layoffs and the unemployed receive skill development that makes it easier for them to return to work. In the proposal for the state budget next year, it is proposed that the scheme be extended until July 1, 2021.
– It is good for both the individual and society that free time is used for education and the replacement of skills. Therefore, it has been important for the government to extend the exceptions in the unemployment benefit regulations so that no one has to choose between unemployment benefits or education, says Research and Higher Education Minister Henrik Asheim (H).
The scheme was introduced in April when the corona pandemic caused more workers unemployed and laid off. It first lasted until September and then until the end of 2020.
