Minister of Labour and Social Development, Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan explained that the government has continued its commitment to keeping Bahrain’s communities safe and supporting local businesses during these unprecedented times by paying 50% of the salaries of insured Bahrainis in the most adversely affected enterprises in the private sector for a period of three months, starting from July 2020, from the Unemployment Insurance Fund.
The Government’s decision follows the Cabinet’s approval to pay 50% of the salaries of insured Bahraini employees working in the private sector for a period of three months, starting July 2020, after setting the requirements of eligible individuals and identifying the sectors most adversely affected by COVID-19.
The Social Insurance Organisation (SIO) will pay, from the Unemployment Insurance Fund, a maximum of 50% of the salaries of Bahrainis working in private sector companies most adversely affected by the global pandemic, provided that the Bahraini employee is insured as at the end of June 2020, or is employed and insured through the National Employment Programme by the end of the month that precedes the date of disbursement.
The minister identified the economic sectors most adversely affected by the global pandemic, including the following sectors: the travel and aviation sector, the hospitality and restaurants sector, the personal services sector (salons and gyms, games and entertainment halls), the industrial sector, the health sector, the transportation sector, the rehabilitation and training sector (including kindergartens), the retail sector (other than food), the administrative services sector (public relations, media, and event organization), the real estate and contracting sector, engineering and technical offices, the local newspapers and magazines sector, and any other affected sectors except for the financial sector, telecommunications sector, science, technical and professional activities, and universities and schools.
As for the requirements and eligibility criteria, Humaidan explained that the entity receiving the support must have operated in one of the sectors adversely effected by the global pandemic, which caused its business activities to be wholly or partially disrupted and impacting its ability to meet the wages of its employees, retained its Bahraini employees during the year 2020, and expressed commitment to paying the remaining portion of the salaries of the Bahraini employees in full and without deduction, and on the date set for salary payments.
Commenting further, Humaidan praised the government’s commitment to ensuring that the Bahraini citizens remain the core focus of its development initiatives, affirming the government’s continued support for citizens amidst the global pandemic. He expressed gratitude to employers for their cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Development and their commitment to implementing the relevant decisions in the public interest.
Humaidan stressed that the Ministry will review the list of employers who benefited from the support provided in the first financial and economic stimulus package and will determine the companies most adversely affected.
Humaidan noted that the list of eligible companies will then be referred to the SIO in order to transfer the necessary payments during the fourth week of every month.
