From next year, both the size and terms of payments from the State Social Insurance Fund will change. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Sputnik Kazakhstan.
What payments does the fund provide?
Today, working Kazakhstanis can receive payments from the State Social Insurance Fund in several cases:
- 01childcare up to one and a half years;
- 02loss of ability to work;
- 03pregnancy and childbirth, adoption of a newborn child;
- 04loss of breadwinner;
- 05loss of job.
According to the main requirement, a person must work and pay monthly contributions to the fund for at least two years.
How will maternity payments change?
From the new year, two main changes regarding childcare up to one and a half years will come into force.
First, men will be able to take parental leave. However, social payments for childcare up to one and a half years are not provided.
Second, if a mother on maternity leave returns to work before the child reaches one and a half years, the social payment for childcare is not suspended. It will continue to be paid until the established period ends. Thus, women will not have to choose between returning to work and retaining the social payment.
Payment period is reduced
From the new year, the period of social payments from the fund for job loss will be reduced from six months to three months. At the same time, the period of contributions transferred to the fund is taken into account.
For example, if contributions were transferred for only one year, an unemployed person will receive payment for only one month:
- 01if contributions were made for 6-12 months – 1 month;
- 02if contributions were made for 12-24 months – 2 months;
- 03if contributions were made for more than 24 months – 3 months.
During this time, unemployed citizens will be offered vacancies, as well as support measures such as free retraining and placement in subsidized jobs. The main goal is not to prolong a person's dependence on benefits, but to help them improve their own income as quickly as possible.
Social payments assigned before January 1, 2027, will be provided under the previous procedure.
There will be a maximum payment amount
From next year, there will also be a maximum amount of social payment for the unemployed. According to the minister's order, one payment must not exceed 45 percent of 7 minimum wages. Today, the minimum wage is 85,000 tenge. The payment from the State Social Insurance Fund for job loss does not exceed 267,750 tenge.
After receiving the payment once, an application can be submitted only after one year.
How is the payment calculated?
There is a special formula for calculating payments from the State Social Insurance Fund. The benefit for an unemployed person is calculated as follows: Payment amount = (income for the last two years) × income replacement coefficient (0.4) × coefficient of participation in the social insurance system.
For example, the average salary of a person who lost their job over the last two years was 175,000 tenge. We multiply it by the income replacement coefficient (0.6 in case of job loss). 175,000 tenge × 0.4 = 70,000 tenge. We multiply this amount by the coefficient of participation in the social insurance system (0.85 if contributions were made continuously for two years). 70,000 tenge × 0.85 = 59,500 tenge. This is the exact amount paid monthly to the unemployed person as a benefit.
How is an unemployed person registered?
Today, to register as an unemployed person, you can use the e-government portal:
- 01log in to the eGov.kz portal;
- 02in the "Employment and Labor" section, select the service "Registration of job seekers";
- 03order the online service, fill in all fields and sign it with an electronic digital signature, and submit the application.
In addition, it is possible to register by visiting the employment center or the public service center.