Up to RSD 300,000 per worker to private employers – See what subsidies are available in 2017

Employers from the private sector, primarily small and medium enterprises, will be able to receive subsidies in the amount of between RSD 150,000 and RSD 250,000 per worker in 2017. The support will be provided by the state if they employ people up to 30 years of age (without qualifications or those who have been looking for a job for more than a year), over the age of 50, Roma people, surplus employees, as well as victims of violence and human trafficking.

For those who employ persons with disabilities, the young with the status of the children of fallen heroes or children without parental care, as well as work-capable users of welfare, the subsidies could go up to RSD 300,000.

These are just some of the measures of the National Action Plan for Employment for 2017, which the Government has recently adopted. The document envisions setting aside RSD 2.8 billion for active measures of employment and an additional RSD 550 million for persons with disabilities.

The priority in inclusion in the programs of active employment policy will this time be given to persons who find it more difficult to get a job. Along with subsidies for hiring the unemployed from the category of those harder to employ, the support to self-employment has also been envisioned, as has been the co-financing of programs and measures of the active employment policy, envisioned by local action plans.

The employment programs will be announced in early 2017, after the programs of the distribution of the funds have been adopted and once the Government adopts the program of the National Employment Agency`s activities. It will last throughout the year or until the funds are spent.

eKapija presents you with the details of the 2017 National Action Plan for Employment.

Subsidies in accordance with the development of the local self-government

The employers belonging to the private sector, primarily small and medium enterprises, will be able to receive subsidies for employing people from the category of those harder to employ. The subsidy is paid to the employer as a one-off amount (the end-user is in fact the person employed this way).

The categories of those harder to employ are: the young up to 30 years of age, without qualifications or with low qualifications or the young who have been looking for a job for more than 12 months; those older than 50; surplus workers; Roma people; persons with disabilities, the work-capable using welfare, the young up to 30 years of age with the status of children of fallen heroes; the young up to 30 years of age with the current or former status of children without parental care; human trafficking victims; domestic violence victims.

The subsidy for employing persons from these categories has been defined in line with the degree of development of local self-government units and amounts to RSD 250,000 for the forth group (60% below the state average) and for devastated areas (50% below the state average) per each newly employed person (user). The subsidy for the third group (60-80% of the state average) amounts to RSD 200,000 per user, and for the second group (80-100%) and all other local self-government units – RSD 150,000 per user.

These amounts are increased by 20% for persons with disabilities, work-capable users of welfare, the young up to 30 years of age with the status of children of fallen heroes and those who have or did have the status of children without parental care, amounting to RSD 300,000 for the fourth group, RSD 240,000 for the third group and RSD 180,000 per user for the second group.

Support to self-employment

The support to self-employment entails providing professional help, training in the area of entrepreneurship and the self-employment subsidy. The self-employment funds for 2017 are approved as subsidies in the one-off amount of RSD 180,000 per user, and the priority is given to the young up to 30 years of age, especially those with the status of children of fallen heroes and those who have or did have the status of children without parental care, surplus employees, Roma people, persons with disabilities, women, victims of human trafficking and domestic violence, the National Action Plan for Employment states.

In cases of self-employment of persons with disabilities, a one-off subsidy of RSD 220,000 per user is approved for the purpose of opening a store, a cooperative, or for other forms of entrepreneurship, as well as for founding business entities (if the founder is employed in it).

In cases of self-employment of surplus workers, the subsidy amounts to RSD 200,000 per user, also for the purpose of opening a store, a cooperative, or for other forms of entrepreneurship, as well as for founding business entities.

If two or more persons from the category of surplus workers join together for the purpose of founding a business entity and if the founders are employed in it, the one-off subsidy amounts to RSD 200,000 per uses, and if a proof of having spent the approved subsidy and 20% of the amount allocated as severance payment is submitted within three months, the user may receive an additional RSD 40,000 in accordance with the funds available.

Welfare users can be paid one-off monetary compensations without contributions for mandatory social insurance for the purpose of self-employment.

The plan also includes co-financing of programs or measures of the active employment policy envisioned by local action plans for employment from the state budget. Thereby, the autonomous province or a local self-government unit can file a request for participation in the financing of programs or measures of the active employment policy envisioned by local action plans for employment by January 31, 2017, through the National Employment Service, to the ministry in charge of employment activities.

Programs to be initiated in early 2017

The first public activities in the area of social and humanitarian sector, maintenance and recovery of public infrastructure and environmental maintenance and protection will be organized in 2017, and the number of programs for which the participation in financing is to be approved has also increased, making internships and acquiring practical knowledge for the unqualified possible.

The employment programs will be initiated in early 2017, after the programs of fund distribution have been adopted and once the Government adopts the program of the National Employment Service`s activities, and will last throughout the year or until the funds are spent.

– In line with the National Action Plan for Employment for 2017, more freedom will be given to local self-governments in adjusting the co-financed programs and measures of the active employment policy to the needs of the local labor markets – the National Employment Service says.

For more details, see HERE.