As school closures force parents to stay home to mind their children, the government has set out to explain how families will be compensated for these unplanned work stoppages.
Parents of children under the age of 16, or 18 in the case of a child with disabilities, may be be compensated despite not physically being at work. The steps put in place by the government offer several solutions for the situation.
Those families affiliated with the Social Services Compensation Fund or the State Medical Service must first assess with their employer the possibility of working remotely during the period of closures. If the employer refuses, they must offer a valid reason.
For those whose job must be done on-site, the parent may apply for paid sick leave, so long as the child’s other parent is not currently taking unemployment benefits, either permanently or temporarily.
Only one parent may excuse themselves from work full time, but the option of splitting the day between the two parents is available.
If a family is not covered by the Social Services Compensation Fund or the State Medical Service, the parents must go to their Monegasque insurance provider to make arrangements.
In either case, a certain protocol is being advised. Employees are asked to contact employers and discuss the most preferable way of working remotely. If a solution can be found, the specific procedures on how to make it happen are to be found at https://www.gouv.mc/Action-Gouvernementale/Coronavirus-Covid-2019 and https://service-public-entreprises.gouv.mc/Emploi-et-social/Reglementation-du-travail/COVID19-Travail-a-distance/COVID19-Procedure-de-travail-a-distance
If a remote working situation cannot be done, the employer must declare a work stoppage and the home maintenance of the affected employees using forms provided by CCSS or SPME.
All compensation for lost days will be on the basis of the declarations made in the forms. The form covers issues such as a daily allowance and the maintenance of wages guaranteed by the employer from the first day of cessation, without application of the waiting period.
The CCSS and SPME will pay under the following conditions:
– Only parents of children under the age of 16 on the day of the start of the cessation are affected by the scheme. The age limit is set for children under 18 for parents of children with disabilities who are cared for in a specialised establishment, the closure of which would occur.
– The parent must be affiliated with a Monegasque social security organisation.
– Only one parent (or holder of parental authority) may be issued a work stoppage. In this regard, the employee must provide his employer with a sworn statement certifying that he is the only one to request a work stoppage in this context.
– The work stoppage can be shared between the parents. It is possible to split it by filling in a request for each of the stop periods.
– The company must not be in a position to put the employee concerned into teleworking during this period: work stoppage must be the only possible solution.
The declaration made by the employer does not trigger automatic compensation for the employees concerned. This is done after verification by the CCSS / SPME and the Labour Directorate of the elements transmitted.
This is the form you need to take to Social Services Compensation Fund or the State Medical Benefits Service:
Formulaire maitien domicile fermeture écoles
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