Labour Law Gazette Notifications

Central

Relaxation In Eligibility Criteria And Enhancement In The Payment Of Unemployment Benefit Under Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana Of ESIC

ESIC vide notification No. E-13/12/9/2020-P.R. had launched the 'Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyna Yojna' (ABVKY) a scheme under which unemployment benefit is paid to the workers covered under ESIC Scheme. The ESIC has now decided to extend the scheme for one more year up to 30th June 2021. It has been decided to relax the existing conditions and enhance the amount of relief for workers who have lost employment during the Covid-19 pandemic period. The enhanced relief under the relaxed conditions will be payable during the period of 24th March 2020 to 31st December 2020. Thereafter the scheme will be available with original eligibility condition during the period 1st January 2021 to 30th June 2021. The eligibility criteria for availing the relief have also been relaxed, as under: (i), The payment of relief has been enhanced to 50% of the average of wages from earlier 25% of average wages payable up to a maximum of ninety days of unemployment. (ii) Instead of the relief becoming payable ninety days after unemployment, it shall become due for payment after thirty days. (iii) The Insured Person can submit the claim directly to ESIC Branch Office instead of the claim being forwarded by the last employer and the payment shall be made directly in the bank account of the Insured Person. (iv) The Insured Person should have been insurable employment for a minimum period of two years before his/her employment and should have contributed for not less than seventy-eight days in the contribution period immediately preceding to unemployment and minimum seventy-eight days in one of the remaining three contribution periods in two years prior to unemployment. Please refer the notification for more details