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Coronavirus: one-off lump sum for businesses and workers forced into lockdown  

μέτρα στήριξης επιχειρήσεων και ε
Finance Minister Constantinos Petrides and Labour Minister Zeta Emilianidou announce the measure on Wednesday (PIO)

The government on Wednesday announced a €120m financial aid package for businesses and workers affected by the restrictions imposed by the government in a bid to halt the spread of the coronavirus.

The aid concerns one-off payments to businesses and self-employed whose applications for inclusion in the March schemes were approved. The cash will be paid into their accounts on Thursday.

The businesses had been forced to suspend operations between March 1 and March 15.

Eligible businesses operate in the hospitality industry, dance schools and gyms, conference and exhibition organisers, artists, entertainment, and theme parks, play areas, theatres and cinemas, photographers, and taxi drivers.

Self-employed without employees will receive €700, businesses with one employee, €1,200, businesses with two employees €2.000, employers with three to five staff €3.500, employers with six to nine staff, €5.000, 10 to 20, €7.500, 21 to 50, €10.000, and more than 50, €15,000.

Those businesses affected by the fresh two-week lockdown that came into force on Monday will receive additional aid to cover their operating expenses.

The April schemes concern the same business categories plus retail companies, hairdressers and barbers, beauticians and tattooists, private tuition centres, and betting shops.

The grants have been increased for certain businesses.

Self-employed without employees will receive €900, businesses with one employee, €1,700, businesses with two employees €2,500, employers with three to five staff €4,000, employers with six to nine staff, €6,000, 10 to 20, €8,500, 21 to 50, €10.000, and more than 50, €15,000.

Together with the one-off payments, Labour Minister Zeta Emilianidou said the rest of the government’s special schemes were still running.

Those concern, allowance for those absent from work due to health reasons, allowance for those absent from work because they have to take care of their children (six to 12).

There are also schemes for full and partial suspension of business operations.

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