The Regional Secretary for Social Solidarity announced at the Legislative Assembly that the Institute for Social Security of the Azores (ISSA) has already processed the payment of 1,287 applications submitted by companies and employers under the layoff scheme, covering a total of 8,697 workers.
 
"The support for the maintenance of jobs under the simplified layoff scheme corresponds to an amount of more than 3.4 million Euros," stressed Andreia Cardoso, who spoke by video conference on the draft resolutions presented by different parliamentary groups regarding the creation of regional support for workers under simplified layoff. 

“There has been an increased effort on the part of ISSA to respond in a timely manner to all requests, which represent for companies an increase in liquidity that should be channelled to workers' income," the government official stressed, adding that this support represents "an increase in companies' cash flow and the maintenance of jobs. 

"The Government has approved an extraordinary qualification measure that ensures the payment of 50 percent of the salary directly to the worker through the development of a training plan," stressed the Regional Secretary. 

Andreia Cardoso also recalled the immediate measures to support the disposable income of families implemented by the Regional Secretariat for Social Solidarity to mitigate the consequences of the current situation on the lives of people. 

“These measures include the Disposable Household Income Support Supplement, which, to date, has already covered more than 1,100 people, as well as the 30% increase in the lease support granted by the Regional Directorate for Housing to Azorean families benefiting from the Families with Future programme - Lease Incentives for the months of April, May and June. 

The Secretary for Social Solidarity also recalled the suspension of the payment of rents owed by families covered by the Lease with Purchase scheme in the months of April, May and June 2020. Moreover, the families benefiting from the Support Lease scheme under the Families with Future programme - Severe Housing Shortage have been exempted from the payment of rents due in the months of April, May and June 2020. 

This support measures add up to “the suspension of monthly fees in daycare centres, kindergartens, nanny services, free time occupation centres, day and night centres, and occupational activity centres run by Private Social Solidarity Institutions under cooperation agreements with ISSA for the duration of the closure of these social services.