Number of people seeking unemployment benefits on the rise
As many as 144,861 people have registered for social security benefits for unemployment in the month of March, marking a 41.89 per cent and 48.38 per cent increase compared to January and February respectively, Suchart Phonchaiwisetkun, director-general of the Department of Employment, revealed on Friday (April 3).
“In January, 74,775 people registered for the benefit and 84,177 registered in February. They included people affected by Covid-19,” he said.
On March 31, the Cabinet approved the Labour Ministry’s proposal to change the period and the rate of benefits that people can receive when they lose their employment due to unforeseen circumstances.
Under the new rules, people are entitled to 60 per cent of their daily wages for a period of up to 90 days if their employers can confirm that business has been affected by the unforeseen circumstances.
If a business has been forced to stop operations in line with government procedures to stop the spread of the contagion, employees will be entitled to receive 60 per cent of their wages for as long as the business is closed but no more than 90 days.
