The subsidy package is set to benefit at least 7.3 million individuals, and will also be allocated to support various sectors.
The increase was partly due to a 0.5% drop in the consumer price index, and a y-o-y rebound in part-timers’ compensation.
Those receiving job-seeking benefits totalled 704,000 in May, in line with a downward trend of 759,000 in March, and 739,000 in April.
The programme targets improving the performances of 555,000 MSMEs and is expected to mobilise financing of US$15.5 billion.
Staff are encouraged to report incidents where their workplace exceeds the 60% capacity, or they are asked to work despite the need for quarantine.
Qualified SMEs for the new co-payment scheme include those that could not acquire a soft loan from Thailand’s central bank package.
An app records and encrypts data like work attendances based on facial recognition, and feedback from recruiters.
In April, a total of 92,100 people — comprising Singapore citizens and permanent residents — were unemployed.
The measures include cash handouts to welfare card holders and special groups, co-payments and cash rebates, and will be implemented from July.
While these job losses are linked to the end of its wage subsidy, more people are beginning to find jobs, says the treasury secretary.
The government has been asked to extend the wage subsidy programme throughout all phases of MCO and [Conditional] MCO, or at least till December.
This will apply to all government employees, which includes civil servants, non-civil service contract staff and post-retirement service contract staff.
RM$2.1 billion (US$0.51 billion) will be distributed to lower-income workers who earn less than RM5,000 (US$1,212) each month.
Enhanced wage support for select businesses affected by the city-state’s tighter measures has also been announced.
On Monday, it approved an additional NT$420 billion in stimulus spending to support the economy as business activities are curbed.
Selected workers and the self-employed in Taiwan can expect to receive subsidies ranging from US$361 to US$1,083.
The measures include assistance to the tourism industry, which has been hit badly by the outbreak, and support to retain jobs at smaller companies.
To encourage the flow of people from urban to regional areas, the government will raise the national average of minimum wages to ¥1,000 per hour.
The country is reporting almost 200,000 COVID-19 cases daily, causing many local governments to impose curbs to control the spread of the virus.
These include making sure that premises are equipped with a safe entry QR code, thermometers and hand sanitisers
The proposal would allow workers who have to take unpaid leave to take care of their children to apply for the subsidies.
Some companies, both in the public and private sector, have already begun lining up its vaccination programme for their staff and family members.
This brings the total amount of a COVID-19 response fund to RM$65 billion, most of which has been allocated to save jobs and subsidise daily expenses.
The government has further tightened MCO measures, which include a mandate of more WFH arrangements and a cap on operating hours.
Official figures also show an improvement in youth unemployment, which is now better than at the start of the pandemic.
Japan’s economy shrank an annualised 5.1% in Q1 as a slow vaccination rollout and a spike in COVID-19 cases hit spending on dining out and retail.
This comes amid fears that the salaries of civil servants could suffer a cut this year as Hong Kong continues to be impacted by the pandemic.
The study, produced jointly by WHO and the International Labour Organisation, showed that most victims (72%) were men, middle-aged or older.
The move to remote work comes as an increasingly number of COVID-19 infections are reported in Taiwan.
The government will continue subsidies for the unemployed, and vocational training, upskilling, internships for college graduates.