From October 1, Kazakhstanis who have lost their jobs will receive a social benefit for no more than three months. The term depends on insurance record, while the maximum benefit amount will be capped at a sum calculated from 7 minimum wages. The new rules will apply to citizens whose right to the benefit arises from October 1. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
The changes concern payments from the system of compulsory social insurance against job loss. The ministry notes that such a benefit is a temporary support measure while a person looks for a new job.
Payment term to be determined by record
The duration of payments will now be determined by the length of participation in the social insurance system. If a person has from 6 to 12 months of record, the benefit will be assigned for 1 month. With a record of 12 to 24 months, money will be paid for 2 months. The maximum term of 3 months is provided for those who participated in the system for at least 24 months.
How the upper limit of the benefit is calculated
According to the Ministry of Labor, the upper limit of the amount is also changing. From October 1, the maximum social benefit will be set at 45% of 7 minimum wages. The calculation will use the minimum wage in effect on the date the right to the benefit arises.
At the same time, there will be no identical amount for all recipients. The benefit amount will be calculated taking into account the person's average monthly income over the last 24 months from which social contributions were paid, as well as the duration of their participation in the compulsory social insurance system.
The Ministry of Labor recalls that social contributions for employees are paid by employers. Their size is 5%, and this money is not deducted from the employee's salary.
What needs to be done to receive the benefit
To qualify for the benefit, after dismissal a person must first register as a job seeker. An application can be submitted at a career center, through eGov.kz or the Electronic Labor Exchange Enbek.kz.
After that, career center specialists will look for suitable vacancies taking into account profession, experience, qualifications, health status, schedule and the ability to get to the place of work. If no suitable option is found, the citizen will be registered as unemployed. If there is a right to it, the benefit may be assigned automatically from the date of registration.
Other employment support measures
At the same time, the state offers the unemployed other options for returning to employment. Among them are vocational training and retraining, public works, youth practice, subsidized jobs, entrepreneurship support measures and voluntary relocation to regions with a shortage of jobs.
At the same time, the benefit recipient must continue looking for work. Refusal without a valid reason of three suitable vacancies offered by the career center will lead to termination of unemployed status and the benefit.
If during the period of receiving the benefit a person still does not find a job, support from the career center will continue.
What is said about budget expenditures
The ministry separately emphasized that reducing the payment term does not mean a decrease in republican budget expenditures.
«The change in the term of the social benefit is not related to a reduction in republican budget expenditures. The benefit is paid from the funds of the State Social Insurance Fund and is an insurance mechanism with a limited term of action. The main goal of the pilot project is to strengthen employment promotion measures and create conditions for a faster return of citizens to sustainable work activity,» the Ministry of Labor said.
That is, after the benefit ends, a person does not lose access to employment promotion measures: career centers will continue to offer vacancies and other tools for employment.
Earlier, «Kursiv» wrote that in the coming years Kazakhstan may face a significant rise in youth unemployment.