Regional Government creates new measure to support resumption and return of business activity to normal levels in the Region
The Regional Government, through the Vice-Presidency, has created the Regional Incentive for the Resumption of Business Activity (IRNAE) to support the gradual recovery of business operations. This measure is primarily aimed at supporting the maintenance of employment, encouraging a new phase of stabilisation and economic recovery, without neglecting the health aspect in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this context and considering the very close and permanent monitoring of the evolution of the socio-economic context in the Region, the Government has decided to increase the incentives aimed intensifying the recovery of economic activity, the maintenance of jobs and, consequently, the income of Azorean workers.
IRNAE is another significant support measures for companies to resume their normal activity after the Simplified Layoff, comprising two components.
The first component grants additional support corresponding to two regional minimum wages, paid over six months, for each worker in Simplified Layoff, provided that the company ensures the maintenance of all jobs for, at least another eight months, and the duration of the layoff has been equal or greater than three months.
If the duration of Simplified Layoff is less than three months, the amount of support is proportional to the period in which the company was in layoff.
In order to further encourage companies to resume their normal activity, they will also benefit from the partial exemption of 50% of the payment of Social Security contributions in the case of laid off workers up to three months after the layoff, depending on the period in which the company was in layoff.
The Regional Incentive for the Resumption of Business Activity also provides for the full exemption from the payment of Social Security contributions for two months, if the company creates jobs in the three months after the granting of the support under this measure.
In turn, the second component provides for additional support corresponding to one regional minimum wage, paid in one instalment, for each worker covered by the Simplified Layoff or the Extraordinary Qualification Measure (MEQ), if the company ensures the maintenance of the employment level only until the end of the year and as a reference the duration of the entity's layoff was equal to or greater than one month.
In the event that the duration is less than one month, the amount of support is reduced proportionately, but the company will be still required to maintain employment until the end of the year.
According to a Resolution of the Council of the Government published today in the Official Journal, applications for support allocated under IRNAE can be submitted electronically between July 20 and September 30 at the address https://portaldoemprego.azores.gov.pt.
With this new measure, the Regional Government believes that the conditions are created for companies to resume their business activity with another significant non-refundable support measure, which can be combined with the support already allocated to companies so that they can have all the conditions to maintain employment levels.
In a responsible, quick and simple manner, the Regional Government will continue to provide responses that promote the economic and social stabilisation of the Region. These goals will be achieved by increasing the incentives to maintain employment and productive capacity, supporting the adaptation of companies to a sustained resumption of their activity, as well as by protecting and fostering the stability of employment and income of Azoreans workers.